Casinos and Resorts
Serving trays, chafing dishes, bar ware, lamp bases and lounge accents for casino resort restaurants and VIP rooms. Several casino resorts near our North County San Diego shop send us silver to refresh between seasons.
Decorative and Industrial Silver Plating in Lancaster, CA
Silver work can be decorative or functional. DMC offers bright, satin and antique finishes, along with industrial silver for electrical components plated to specification. Decorative Metal Coatings serves projects from Lancaster, California through its Oceanside, CA facility. Send photos and details to begin a review.
Certified, Approved and Verified
Why does the base metal matter in silver plating? in Lancaster
A Careful Process for Silver-Coated Metal for Lancaster
A worn silver finish does not always mean the object is solid silver. Marks such as EPNS or Silver Plate can indicate a plated base that may be suitable for replating.
Each substrate has its own preparation needs. Brass and bronze may receive copper or nickel underlayers, while steel and stainless components need a nickel strike to support adhesion.
The best finish depends on whether the piece will be handled, displayed, used with food or installed as an electrical contact. Share that information before requesting a quote.
Whether it is a single serving spoon or a box of electrical parts, start with photos. Tell us what the piece is and how it will be used, and we will recommend a finish and send a written quote.
Who We Serve
Who Trusts Us With Their Silver
The page identifies work for casinos and resorts, hotels and restaurants, musical instruments, churches and chapels, collectors and estates, and electrical or electronics applications.
Hotels and Restaurants
Hotel flatware, water pitchers, coffee service and banquet pieces replated in batches so a dining room matches again.
Musical Instruments
Silver plating services for a wide range of musical instruments, including trumpets, saxophones, flutes and more, with a bright, durable and attractive finish.
Electrical and Electronics
Bus bars, contacts, terminals and connectors plated for low resistance and long contact life.
Churches and Chapels
Chalices, ciboria, candlesticks, crosses and processional pieces restored with care and returned ready for service.
Collectors and Estates
Family heirlooms, estate pieces, trophies and keepsakes brought back so they can be used or displayed again.
Restoration Results
Before and After
Slide the handle across any photo to compare the piece as it arrived with the way it went home.
Before
Wedding Tea Service Teapot
Black tarnish, worn plating and copper showing through on the spout and lid. Stripped, polished, struck and replated in bright silver for a mirror finish.
BRIGHT SILVER
COPPER BASE
HEIRLOOM
Before
Pair of Antique Candlesticks
Wax buildup and plating worn through to the brass. Both pieces stripped and replated together so the pair matches perfectly when they sit side by side.
BRIGHT SILVER
BRASS
MATCHED PAIR
Before
Engraved Serving Tray
Scratched, blotchy and bare at the rim. Polished carefully so the engraved border kept its detail, then replated in silver and finished to a deep shine.
BRIGHT SILVER
NICKEL SILVER
ENGRAVED
Ship It From Anywhere
You don't have to live nearby to work with us.
Customers all over the country pack their parts and ship them to our Oceanside shop. We finish them, inspect them and send them back insured. It starts with a few photos.
What We Can Finish
Metals We Silver Plate
Silver is only as good as the metal under it. Every base metal gets its own cleaning routine and its own strike layer.
Brass and Bronze
The base under most candlesticks, lamps and older hollowware. Cleaned, polished and given a copper or nickel layer before the silver goes on.
Copper
Takes silver beautifully once activated. Common under antique Sheffield style pieces and almost every electrical bus bar we plate.
Nickel Silver (EPNS)
The pale alloy stamped EPNS on flatware and trays. It needs only a silver strike before plating, and it hides wear well as the silver thins.
Steel and Stainless
Knife blades, fittings and hardware receive a nickel strike first so the silver bonds to a surface that normally resists plating.
Zinc Die Cast and Pot Metal
Found in trophies and decorative castings. A gentle copper strike seals the porous surface so the silver stays smooth and bonded.
Britannia Metal and Pewter
Soft, low melting alloys used in some older tea sets. They can be plated with extra care, so send photos and we will review each piece first.
What We Do
Silver Plating Services
Silver services include bright, satin and antique silver, flatware and hollowware replating, heirloom restoration, and functional silver for electrical components.
Bright Silver
A brilliant, mirror polished silver for tea sets, trays and serving pieces. It is the classic finish most people picture when they think of fine silver.
Satin Silver
A soft, brushed silver with a quiet glow. Popular on modern flatware, instruments and hardware because it hides fingerprints and fine scratches.
Antique Silver
Silver that is darkened and then hand relieved so engraving, beading and repoussé work stand out. Ideal for ornate pieces and period restorations.
Flatware and Hollowware Replating
Forks, spoons, knives, pitchers, bowls and coffee services stripped and replated with food safe silver ready for daily use.
Heirloom Restoration
Candelabras, trophies, baby cups and keepsakes restored slowly and by hand, with every engraving and detail protected along the way.
Industrial Silver
Functional silver for conductivity, solderability and contact performance on bus bars, terminals, connectors and switchgear parts.
How It Works
Our Silver Plating Process
The five stages are photographing the pieces, receiving a written quote, shipping or visiting the shop, stripping and preparing before plating, then finishing, inspecting and returning the work.
1
Photograph Your Pieces
Show us each piece from a few angles, including any stamps on the bottom, and tell us how it will be used.
2
Receive a Written Quote
We confirm the base metal and the work involved, then send a written quote within 24 business hours.
3
Ship or Visit the Shop
Once the written quote is approved, pack each item separately and include the quote number. DMC also accepts drop-offs at its Oceanside shop; follow the page guidance for padding, insurance and tracking.
4
Strip, Polish and Plate
Old silver comes off, the base metal is polished smooth, struck for adhesion and plated in fresh silver.
5
Finish, Inspect and Return
Pieces are buffed or antiqued, inspected under bright light, wrapped in tarnish resistant paper and shipped back insured.
What Our Clients Say
Kind Words From Our Customers
Collectors, designers, builders and manufacturers on what it is like to send their work to our shop.
Choosing the Right Silver
Three Kinds of Silver Work
How a piece will be used decides how thick the silver goes on, whether it is sealed and how it is finished.
Silver You Eat With
- Food safe pure silver
- No lacquer on eating surfaces
- Heavier deposit for daily use
- Flatware, pitchers and coffee sets
- Judged by wear over years
Silver You Display
- Bright, satin or antique look
- Optional anti tarnish lacquer
- Engraving and detail protected
- Candelabras, trophies, trays
- Judged by appearance
Silver That Conducts
- Lowest electrical resistance
- Plated to a set thickness
- Matte or bright as specified
- Bus bars, contacts, connectors
- Judged by spec and coverage
35+
Years of Expertise
Take a Moment to Learn More
About Decorative Metal Coatings
Families, collectors, resorts and manufacturers have trusted us with their silver since 1989. Some pieces are worth a fortune, others are simply irreplaceable, and we handle both the same way.
Free Estimates Available
Send a photo of your silver and receive a no obligation quote within 24 hours.
Quality Guaranteed
Every piece leaves our shop backed by our craftsmanship guarantee. If you are not satisfied, we make it right.
Ship From Anywhere in the US
One heirloom or a full banquet inventory, shipped to us from any state and returned insured.
Fast Turnaround Times
Most projects are completed within 3 to 5 weeks. Expedited Orders: 5 to 7 business days. Contact us for availability.
How to Care for Silver Plating
Protect the Silver by Cleaning Carefully
Real silver tarnishes as it reacts with sulfur in the air. Hand wash soon after use with warm water and mild dish soap, dry immediately with a soft towel and keep plated pieces out of the dishwasher.
Store silver in anti-tarnish cloth or a lined chest, away from rubber and newspaper. Polish only when needed with a gentle silver cream and soft cloth. Never polish decorative pieces protected by anti-tarnish lacquer.
Between uses, wrap pieces in anti tarnish cloth or store them in a lined chest or drawer, away from rubber and newspaper. When tarnish does appear, use a gentle silver cream and a soft cloth, rub in straight lines and stop as soon as the piece is clean.
Decorative pieces that never touch food can be sealed with a clear anti tarnish lacquer when they leave our shop. Lacquered silver only needs dusting and should never be polished, since polish cuts through the coating and lets tarnish creep in around the scratch.
Our Commitment
Silver Work You Can Pass Down
Silver often carries more meaning than value, so we treat every piece as if it were going back to our own family.
Fully Stripped First
Worn silver is removed completely before replating, so the new layer bonds to clean metal instead of sitting on old, failing plate.
Detail Protected
Engraving, monograms and hallmarks are polished around by hand so they come back crisp instead of rounded off.
Matched Sets
Pieces from the same set are plated and finished together, so every fork, spoon and candlestick matches its neighbor.
Wrapped Against Tarnish
Finished silver is wrapped in tarnish resistant paper and padded on its own, so it arrives as bright as it left the bench.
What We Do Differently
- We check the marks to confirm plate or sterling before quoting
- Old silver is stripped, never plated over
- Copper or nickel underlayers where the base metal needs them
- Food use pieces are left unlacquered and food safe
- We photograph finished pieces before they ship
What You May Experience Elsewhere
- Thin flash silver that wears through in months
- New plating laid over tarnish and old plate
- Engraving and hallmarks buffed away
- Sets returned with mismatched color
- Pieces shipped loose and scratched in transit
Silver Plating Catalog
Silver Finishes and Services
Every silver finish, restoration service and preparation step we handle in house.
Decorative Silver
- Bright Silver
- Mirror Polished Silver
- Satin Silver
- Matte Silver
- Antique Oxidized Silver
- Anti Tarnish Lacquer
Restoration and Replating
- Flatware Replating
- Hollowware Replating
- Tea and Coffee Services
- Candelabras and Candlesticks
- Trophies and Awards
- Musical Instruments
- Religious Pieces
Industrial and Prep
- Conductive Silver
- Silver Over Copper Bus Bars
- Silver Strike
- Copper and Nickel Underlayers
- Stripping Old Silver
- Masking for Selective Plating
- Custom Sample Match
Plate or Sterling?
Read the Marks Before You Replate
Before any silver is replated it helps to know what you have. Turn the piece over and look for stamps. Words like EPNS, EP, Silver Plate, Quadruple Plate, A1 or a maker's name followed by a number almost always mean a plated piece. Yellow or pinkish metal showing at the edges confirms it.
Marks like Sterling, 925 or a set of small pictorial hallmarks usually point to solid silver. Sterling rarely needs replating. It is silver all the way through, so careful polishing and cleaning bring it back without adding anything. We will tell you honestly when a piece does not need plating.
Many antique pieces carry no marks at all, or marks that are worn and hard to read. That is fine. Send us clear photos of the underside, the edges and any worn spots, and we will help you identify the piece before you decide anything.
For electrical parts the question is different. If your drawing calls out ASTM B700, AMS 2410 or another silver specification, send the drawing with your request so we can confirm thickness, finish and any areas that must stay unplated.
Project Gallery
Silver Plating Gallery
Bright, satin and antique silver on tea services, candlesticks, trays and heirlooms, plus industrial silver for electrical contacts.
Nationwide Service
Ship Us Your Silver From Anywhere in the US
DMC performs silver work at its Oceanside, California shop and accepts shipments from any U.S. state. Obtain a quote number first, wrap each piece separately, pad the package, insure its value and send tracking information.
01
Get a quote first
Photograph every piece, including the marks underneath, and tell us the finish you want. You receive a written quote and lead time, usually the same business day. Please wait for a quote number before shipping.
02
Wrap each piece separately
Wrap every piece in acid free tissue or soft cloth so silver never rubs against silver, then pad at least three inches on every side. Tea sets and candelabras ship best double boxed.
03
Insure and send tracking
Declare the real value with the carrier, including sentimental pieces you could not replace, and email us the tracking number so we can watch for the box.
04
Approved, then shipped home
When the silver work is finished we photograph the pieces for your approval, wrap them in tarnish resistant paper and ship them back insured.
Visit Us
Our Location
Every silver piece is stripped, plated, polished and inspected under one roof in North County San Diego.
Decorative Metal Coatings
Silver, copper, nickel, chrome and metal finishing in San Diego County since 1989.
- Address 2613 Temple Heights Dr, Ste G, Oceanside, CA 92056
- Phone (760) 746 3378
- Quotes Send photos and get a price
Business Hours
- Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Sunday Closed
Silver Plating Is Completed at the Oceanside Shop
Projects from Lancaster are reviewed remotely and processed at DMC's facility in Oceanside, California. After receiving a written quote and quote number, eligible pieces can be shipped to the shop or dropped off in person.
Nearby Cities We Serve
Explore silver plating information for other California cities. These links use cities from the supplied California master list.
Silver Plating Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about silver restoration, decorative finishes, tableware and functional silver plating.
Yes. DMC removes the old silver, prepares and polishes the base metal, applies the required underlayers and plates fresh silver. The condition and material of the piece are reviewed before quoting.
The listed decorative options are bright, satin and antique silver. Bright silver is mirror polished, satin has a brushed appearance, and antique silver is darkened then hand relieved to emphasize detail.
DMC states that it plates tableware with food-safe pure silver and leaves eating surfaces unlacquered. Tell the shop which pieces will contact food when requesting a quote.
The page lists brass, bronze, copper, nickel silver, pewter, Britannia metal, steel and stainless steel, plus zinc die cast and pot metal with additional preparation. Suitability is reviewed by material and condition.
Yes. DMC accepts eligible projects shipped from any U.S. state. Request a quote and quote number before sending, then pack each piece separately and insure the shipment.
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.