BRONZE AND BRASS PLAQUES

Timeless designs made to the highest quality

Bronze plaques

 

Bronze plaques are a style that has really stood the test of time. They are used to preserve memories and events for many generations. Very popular for memorial plaques, building opening plaques, war memorial plaques and significant openings such as roads and sculptures.

The main advantage of bronze is that it will last several lifetimes. If you look around your city you will see many examples of bronze plaques that have been there for over a hundred years, making them perfect for remembering significant events for generations to come.

They are also very durable as the letters are cast and protrude a fair distance from the face. This makes them very resistant to the elements, as well as scratches, dents and chemicals. Bronze plaques will also weather well requiring minimal maintenance to continue looking good. They can also be restored while other signage types will need complete replacement.

Bronze is an alloy, consisting mainly of copper with a small tin component. over the years it has been used for currency and boat fittings due to it’s resistance to water and durability. It is also a popular choice for sculptures due to these properties.

We can produce bronze plaques in a range of sizes and styles. Production time is a long process which involves artwork, a master pattern, a negative sand mold, casting and finishing. This can take 4-6 weeks so ensure you get in early to avoid any problems.

Bronze plaque
Cast bronze plaque
Bronze Plaque NZ
Engraved bronze plaque

Brass plaques

 

Brass plaques are a popular style that have been used for hundreds of years. They have a beautiful gold finish and are popular for building signs, church and memorial plaques. It has a real traditional look to it that is premium and timeless.

We deep engrave the surface of the brass and then fill in the lettering with black paint to create contrasting letters. After this it is polished to give it that distinctive shine and a clear coat to slow the tarnishing process. Brass will naturally patina over time so does require some maintenance to keep it’s finish. They can be easily restored to their original beauty by cleaning off the oxidised layer and polishing. Some do prefer the weathered look though and will let the plaque naturally age with time.

We can also make brass plaques without the black fill, this style is more popular for premium title plates for trophies and framed pictures.

Brass is an alloy made up mostly from copper with a small zinc and lead content. Over the years it has been a popular material for producing musical instruments and also clocks due to it’s low friction properties.

 

The surface of the brass will oxidise over time, this layer actually acts as a barrier and once formed will prevent any further weathering. Once exposed to air and moisture this can happen very quickly, even in a month depending on conditions. The oxide layer will protect the plaque from the elements and it can easily be polished back to it’s original shine with Brasso or a metal polish. But it will take very regular cleaning to maintain a polished gold look and many will leave it to patina.

We engrave the brass using a rotating cutter, the process is quite slow and requires multiple passes. Turnaround is generally two weeks so if you have an event on the horizon be sure to get in touch early to avoid missing the date. We can manufacture brass plaques to a range of sizes and use a variety of fonts. Logos can also be engraved into the plaque.

Brass plaque
Engraved brass platque
Engraved brass plaque 2
Brass plaque with logo