You might have noticed that some of our products are made of sheet brass and others are cast or forged brass. Here we will explain the differences so you can make the right choice for your project.
Each type is solid brass, and if you select a colour other than brass there will be a plated finish on top. Read our guide on the finishes available by Tradco Hardware.
Please note that not every product is available in all 3 types of brass, however you will often need to choose between two, such as sheet or cast or sheet or forged.
What is Sheet Brass?
Sheet brass (also known as stamped or pressed brass) products are thinner and lighter than items made of cast or forged brass. A sheet of brass is pressed into the desired shape. This provides a more economical choice as there is less brass which is a material that is constantly rising in cost.
For kitchen handles such as drawer pulls, the sheet brass handles are cheaper than the cast brass options, and you cannot feel the weight of the handles once they are installed onto your cupboards and drawers. You will find that a lot of the true reproduction style doorknobs such as the art deco and bungalow knobs, are only available in sheet brass. This is the way they were traditionally made so the reproduction versions are made in the same way to ensure authenticity.
- Thinner and lighter than other options
- Stamped from thin sheet of brass
- Reproduction of original styles
- Cost effective
What is Cast Brass?
Cast brass products are made by pouring hot melted brass into a mould. This creates a thicker, weightier product than sheet brass. The casting process can create some imperfections in the brass, making it less durable than forged brass.
- Thick and heavy
- Heated and poured into mould
- More cost effective that forged brass
What is Forged Brass?
To create forged brass products, a thick sheet of brass is heated and the pressed into the shape, it is a similar process as sheet brass however it is a much thicker result. The benefit of forged brass rather than cast is that you get a smoother finish, the brass does not have any imperfections that can happen during the casting process, and you end up with a denser and stronger item.
- Thick and heavy
- Stamped from thick sheet of brass
- High quality and durable
See below example of kitchen handles in sheet brass vs cast brass. The sheet brass handle is thinner and lighter in weight than the cast brass handle
See below example of a sheet brass door knob vs a forged brass door knob. It can be hard to tell the difference in a photo as they look very similar. The sheet brass knob is cheaper in price as it is a lot thinner than the forged brass knob. The sheet brass knobs attach to the spindle with a grub screw where as the forged brass knobs are attached to the backplates and are sprung, which is a better solution.
