Living Finishes or PVD Finishes?, by Daniel Chinitz (Creative Bath Sales)

What follows is a brief discussion on whether to select Living Finishes or PVD Finishes for your faucets, a conversation we have all had from time to time with our customers ...

 

• Living finishes are uncoated metal - they’re beautiful, like a fine piece of jewelry, but they will uniquely age and change over time. Finish care instructions must be followed!

• PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) finishes come with a lifetime guarantee against tarnishing. Super-hard and molecularly bonded, PVD is by far the most durable finish available.



• Why select a PVD finish? After all, the most commonly heard objection to PVD is “Living Finishes are more beautiful.” This is true. From a purely artisan point of view, many clients say Living finishes look better when compared to PVD finishes. However, once PVD finishes are installed in the bath or kitchen, there will be no side-by-side comparisons so the PVD finish will look good and remain stable for many, many years. This is not so with Living Finishes!

• Living Finishes constantly change (patina) and require much more care if you want to avoid an uneven or “blotchy” look. When more than one Living finish faucet is installed in the bath or kitchen, they can even look very different from each other! 

• For a more even look, faucet wax should be applied to Living Finishes ASAP after installation. Plumbers usually have chemicals on their hands, which transfers directly to the uncoated metal of Living Finishes during the installation process. This will affect the patina process where the faucet has been touched. Additionally, faucet wax should be reapplied on a regular basis. Living finishes are a commitment that must be explained and understood during the sales process.

• On the other hand, PVD requires little care. It is like an inexpensive insurance - pay a little more now for the faucet, but you are covered with a lifetime guarantee against tarnishing.



• Another common complaint from homeowners is “no one told me what will happen to my Living Finish!” Let’s be sure to continue to educate clients on the differences so they know exactly what they are buying. Otherwise, we increase our chances for a finish complaint and subsequent loss of good will.