Chrome plating in Lakewood for the original postwar homes that fill its grid of streets, the shops and restaurants around the big regional mall, and families who want to keep their 1950s fixtures in service. Ship your parts to our Oceanside shop, and we'll plate them, polish each layer and insure the return.
Thousands of homes in just a few years.
Lakewood went up in the early 1950s, when crews built thousands of nearly identical homes on former bean and sugar beet fields in only a few years. It became a city in 1954 and pioneered the idea of contracting services from the county. Many houses still have their first kitchens and bathrooms, which makes for a lot of original chrome.
When your box comes back, you'll see a reflection that stays crisp right to the edges, with no soft or wavy spots. Credit goes to leveling the base metal and buffing the nickel to a mirror before any chrome. Slide a fingertip across it and it feels glassy, which is why soap scum and grime have a hard time holding on.
Lakewood sends us original lavatory faucets, towel bars and medicine cabinet frames from 1950s homes, kitchen cabinet pulls that match from house to house, and rails and fixtures from restaurants near the mall.
Send photos of what you have. We will tell you what the substrate is, what it will take to bring it back, what it will cost and how long it will sit in the shop. If a part is not worth the money we will say so, because a straight answer costs us less than an unhappy customer.
Chrome is the right answer for a lot of parts, but not all of them. Here is how it compares with the two finishes customers ask us about most.
A hard, bright mirror with the cool blue white tone everyone recognizes. The classic choice for fixtures, hardware and trim that people see and touch every day.
Softer and warmer than chrome, with a faint golden glow. A favorite for antiques, vintage hardware and pieces that need to look true to their era.
A tough coating baked onto the metal instead of a plated layer. The practical choice when you want color or texture rather than a mirror finish.
Original 1950s homes match best in polished chrome. Restaurants near the mall often pick satin.
Our highest standard. Copper, nickel and chrome with hand polishing between every stage, built for concours cars, custom builds and pieces that will be looked at closely under lights.
Three separate layers for a finish that lasts. Copper levels the base, nickel adds brightness and corrosion protection, and chrome seals it all with a hard, bright top coat built to hold up for decades.
The classic mirror finish. Each layer is buffed to a high reflection before the chrome goes on, giving bumpers, trim, wheels and hardware a bright, clear surface that stands out.
A soft, low glare finish with a brushed look. The part keeps the protection of chrome while hiding fingerprints and small marks, ideal for fixtures, interior trim and everyday hardware.
A smooth, matte sheen with a subtle glow instead of a mirror reflection. A popular choice for motorcycle parts, custom builds and pieces that call for an understated, modern look.
Lakewood homeowners usually start by emailing a photo of the whole bathroom set.
Upload or email photos of your parts using our quote form. The more angles, the better.
We review and send a detailed written quote within 24 business hours. No obligation.
Take the faucet, towel bars and trim off together, bag them by room, and leave the medicine cabinet mirror at home. Wrap each piece on its own. Lakewood boxes on ground service land at our Oceanside shop, as a rule, the next business day.
Our platers strip, prep, plate and inspect every surface before it moves on.
Pick up in person or we ship your finished parts back, carefully packed and insured.
Not sure what your part needs? Send us a photo.
We'll tell you what the metal is, what it takes to bring it back and what it costs. A written quote usually comes back within 24 business hours, and there's no obligation.
Not every metal accepts every finish. After more than three decades we know what each substrate can take, and we tell you before you ship it.
The workhorse substrate. Takes chrome, nickel, copper, powder coating and electroless nickel with excellent adhesion. Pitted or rusted steel is stripped and copper filled first so the finish goes on smooth.
Naturally resists corrosion, but its protective oxide layer blocks adhesion. We activate the surface with a nickel strike before plating, so chrome, nickel and electroless nickel bond properly instead of flaking off.
Requires a zincate pretreatment before plating. We chrome plate, powder coat and polish wheels, intake manifolds, valve covers and architectural extrusions.
The hardest material in the trade and the one most shops turn away. Trim, grilles and bezels are stripped, welded, copper filled and hand buffed before chrome.
Polishes beautifully and plates cleanly. Common on marine hardware, lighting, plumbing fixtures and architectural pieces.
A soft, highly conductive base that plates beautifully. After cleaning and removing tarnish, it takes nickel, chrome, silver and gold directly with strong adhesion. We polish carefully, since copper scratches and dents easily.
Every quote is built part by part. These six things move the price up or down, so you know what to expect before you send photos.
Pits, rust, dents and cracks all have to be repaired before plating. A clean part costs far less than one that needs hours of metal work first.
Steel and brass plate easily. Pot metal, aluminum and stainless need extra steps so the layers bond, and that adds time to the job.
Large pieces take more tank space and more polishing. Deep recesses, tight corners and detailed castings take longer to buff by hand.
Show chrome gets the most polishing between layers. Satin and pearl finishes need a different prep, so each finish is priced on its own.
Sets and production runs are plated together, so the cost per piece usually goes down as the quantity goes up.
Standard orders take 3 to 5 weeks. Expedited orders in 5 to 7 business days depend on shop availability, so ask when you request your quote.
Every chrome finish we run in house, the base metals we plate, and the prep and repair work that makes the finish last.
Drag the handle on any photo to see the part as it arrived and as it left the shop. Every piece below came in written off by someone else.
Before
Pitting and salt corrosion from years of exposure on the water. Cleats, pull rings, hinges and fittings were stripped, repaired and replated with a heavy nickel base under a bright chrome finish built to resist salt air.
Before
Flaking chrome, mineral buildup and rust from a bathroom nobody had touched in decades. The tub filler, hand shower, supply lines, drain, overflow plate and claw feet were stripped, repaired, buffed and triple plated in copper, nickel and chrome so the whole set matches again.
Before
A full set of bar pulls, cup pulls, bow pulls and knobs, worn through to the base metal after years of daily use. Each piece was repaired, polished and replated in bright chrome so every size and style matches.
From custom builders to industrial manufacturers, our clients trust us to deliver the same result every time.
Retail, family neighborhoods and local services shape Lakewood.
Faucets, cabinet pulls, railings and home fixtures restored or refinished to a lasting mirror shine.
Door pulls, push plates, handrails, elevator and lobby trim for hotels, casinos and office buildings. We plate every piece of a project to the same finish so the whole building matches.
Faucets, valves, shower heads and drain fittings finished to resist water spots, corrosion and wear.
Handles, levers, hinges, knobs and plates in polished chrome, satin or custom finishes.
Lamp bases, sconces, chandelier arms and fixture parts refinished to reflect light beautifully.
Hotel fixtures, bath hardware and lobby accents finished to match a consistent, upscale look across every room.
Slot machine trim, bar rails, signage and gaming floor accents that shine under bright lights around the clock.
Equipment components, carts, rails and fittings plated for a clean, durable and easy to sanitize surface.
Rails, cleats, hinges and deck hardware finished to survive salt water and constant sun.
Founded over three decades ago, we have built a reputation as one of the most trusted metal finishing shops in the region. Automotive enthusiasts, motorcycle builders, marine clients and industrial manufacturers all get the same standard.
Send us a photo of your part and receive a no obligation quote within 24 hours. No guesswork, no surprises.
Every part leaves our shop backed by our craftsmanship guarantee. If you are not satisfied, we make it right.
We work with clients nationwide. Pack and ship your parts to us and we will handle the rest with white glove care.
We understand deadlines matter. Most projects are completed and ready for pickup or shipping within 3 to 5 weeks. Expedited orders take 5 to 7 business days. Contact us for availability.
Every part we process represents your time, your investment and your reputation. Our commitment is to deliver consistent workmanship through quality materials, trained personnel and careful inspection at every stage.
We use carefully selected materials and processes designed to produce a durable, consistent finish and professional results.
Our team is trained to handle each stage of the finishing process with attention to preparation, application and final presentation.
Finished parts are carefully inspected by our quality control team before they are packaged and prepared for shipment.
Parts are handled and packaged with care throughout our facility to help protect the finish before they leave our shop.
Gentle coastal weather, hard water to watch.
Lakewood's mild coastal weather is gentle on chrome, so the main enemy is hard water. Hang a hand towel by each sink and dry the faucet after use. For white crust that builds anyway, a cloth soaked in diluted vinegar loosens it, followed by a clean rinse.
Seventy year old plating is thinner than new, so treat originals gently: mild soap, a soft cloth, nothing gritty. Medicine cabinet frames rust first at the bottom edge, so wipe away drips after showers. Wax outdoor lights once or twice a year.
It also pays to know what failing plating looks like. Small rust freckles mean moisture has found a pinhole and reached the base metal. A milky haze that will not wipe off means the surface is breaking down. Bubbles or flaking along edges mean the layers have lost their bond. None of these get better with polish, and the longer a part sits like that, the more metal repair it needs before it can be plated again.
If you are not sure whether a part needs cleaning or replating, send us a photo. Sometimes a careful cleaning is all it needs. When the plating is truly finished, we will explain why and what it takes to bring it back.
Chrome Plating Gallery
Mirror bright, satin and pearl chrome on hardware, fixtures, marine fittings and industrial parts, finished in our Oceanside shop.
Packing tips for Lakewood.
Send photos of every part with a short description. We reply with a written quote and a lead time, usually the same business day. Never ship before you have a quote number.
Wrap each piece individually, keep metal from touching metal, and use at least three inches of padding on every side. Double box long trim and bumpers.
Declare the real replacement value with the carrier. Email us the tracking number so we can watch for the delivery and log your parts the day they land.
When the work is done we photograph every piece and send the images for your approval. Once you sign off we pack it in fresh materials and ship it back insured.
One shop, one set of tanks and one inspection standard. Everything on this page happens in this building.
San Diego's trusted chrome plating and metal finishing facility since 1989.
Lakewood shipments go southeast by ground and normally reach our Oceanside shop in a business day. We'll email when your set arrives and send tracking for the insured return.
Nearby cities we plate for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakewood homeowners ask us these.
Usually. Lakewood's original lavatory faucets were mostly cast brass, and brass is about the friendliest metal there is for plating. Old chrome comes off, pits get leveled, and new layers go on. Remove cartridges and washers before shipping. Keeping the original faucet means your sink and plumbing don't need any changes.
Yes. Frames are usually steel or brass, and the steel ones rust along the bottom edge where water drips. Remove the mirror and keep it home. Rust along that edge gets ground away before the frame is replated. Measure the frame so we can confirm it fits our tanks.
Absolutely, and doing it all at once is how the pieces end up matching. Send the faucet, towel bars, hooks, toothbrush holder and trim together. We plate them side by side so the tone is even, and we keep everything labeled by room.
Decades of cleaning wear plating down, and once the chrome is thin, the brass or nickel underneath starts to show through as a yellow tint. Replating strips that worn layer and builds a fresh, thick one.
Yes. Count and bag them by cabinet so placement is easy afterward. Remove the screws or send them along. We plate the whole set together so every pull comes back with the same shine, which matters in a kitchen where they all sit side by side.
Send us a few photos of the part from different angles, along with what it is and the finish you want. We look them over and send a written quote, usually within 24 business hours. It's free, and you're under no obligation to go ahead.
Standard orders take 3 to 5 weeks from the day your parts arrive. If you're on a deadline, ask about expedited service. When the schedule allows, we can finish in 5 to 7 business days.
Yes. Our workmanship is covered for 12 months. If something isn't right with the finish we put on, call us and we'll make it right.
