Bright Copper
A deep, mirror polished copper finish for lighting, hardware and decorative pieces, sealed with a clear coat so the color stays rich instead of darkening.
Copper plating in Fishers for homeowners near Geist Reservoir and in the newer neighborhoods spreading north and east, shops and restaurants in the Nickel Plate District, and the tech companies that have set up offices in town. Your box reaches our Oceanside, California shop by UPS or FedEx ground, usually 3 to 5 business days each way, insured home.
Geist Reservoir weekends and a busy downtown.
Fishers has grown from a small town into one of Indiana's larger cities in just a few decades. Its Nickel Plate District downtown has filled with restaurants and apartments, and homes around Geist Reservoir sit right by the water. Conner Prairie keeps the area's pioneer history alive just south of town.
When a box comes back from us, owners usually comment on how even the copper looks across every piece. That comes from stripping off all the old finish first. Next they notice the smooth feel, since we polish before plating. And over time, they notice it stays that way under lacquer.
Tech and startup offices here want warm, modern accents for lobbies and break rooms. Nickel Plate District restaurants send pendants and table hardware. Lake homes near Geist send dock hardware, lanterns and door sets that live in damp air.
Tell us what the part is and what you want it to become. Send a few photos and the base metal if you know it, and we will recommend the right copper process, explain the preparation it needs and send back a written quote.
Satin copper is a favorite in Fishers' newer homes and offices, antique copper suits lake houses, and bright copper gives restaurant lighting a glow.
A deep, mirror polished copper finish for lighting, hardware and decorative pieces, sealed with a clear coat so the color stays rich instead of darkening.
A brushed, low glare copper with a soft grain. It hides fingerprints and light wear, a favorite for door hardware, cabinet pulls and interior trim.
Copper that is darkened and then relieved by hand, so the high points glow while recesses stay deep brown. Ideal for period restorations and rustic designs.
A heavy acid copper layer that is cut and buffed flat before nickel and chrome. It fills pits and polishing marks and is the foundation of every show chrome job.
A thin first layer that locks onto difficult metals like zinc die cast, steel and brass, giving every layer that follows a solid bond.
Functional copper for conductivity, solderability and heat treat masking. Plated to a specified thickness on bus bars, connectors, shafts and gears.
Drag the handle on any photo to see the part as it arrived and as it left the shop in copper.
Before
Worn, spotted brass with decades of tarnish. Stripped, polished and plated in bright copper, then sealed with a clear lacquer so the warm color stays put.
Before
A full set of levers, plates and hinges with peeling plating. Stripped, copper plated and hand antiqued so the raised details stand out against darker recesses.
Before
Pitted metal with failed chrome. Stripped down, built up in heavy acid copper, then cut and buffed flat to create a perfect base for nickel and chrome.
See the price before you ship a thing.
Snap a few photos from different angles and tell us the finish you have in mind. You'll get a written quote and a realistic lead time. Standard work takes 3 to 5 weeks, and expedited orders are possible when the schedule allows.
Copper bonds to more base metals than almost any other plating, but each one still needs the right cleaning and the right first layer.
Cleaned and activated, then given a copper strike before the main copper layer. Rusted or pitted steel is stripped and copper filled until the surface is smooth.
Plate beautifully once cleaned. A common way to give brass lighting, hardware and fixtures a true copper color without replacing the part.
Porous and reactive, so it needs a gentle copper strike before anything else. Pits are copper filled and hand buffed flat, the slow work most shops avoid.
Receives a zincate pretreatment so copper can bond to a surface that would otherwise oxidize instantly. Used for wheels, housings and decorative castings.
Its oxide layer resists bonding, so it gets a nickel strike first. After that it takes copper like any other metal, for a warm look on a durable base.
Solid copper can be replated to restore its surface, and other alloys are reviewed case by case. Send the alloy or a photo and we will confirm before you ship.
The same metal, three different goals. Knowing which one your part needs decides how it is prepared, how thick the copper goes on and how it is finished.
Here's what happens to a Fishers order between your box and ours.
Show us the part and tell us the finish you want: bright, satin, antique or a base for chrome.
We confirm the base metal and the prep it needs, then send a written quote within 24 business hours.
Builder finishes and lake corrosion are stripped away completely. The bare metal is polished smooth and cleaned before copper is plated.
Old finishes come off, the surface is repaired and polished, then struck and plated in copper.
Parts are buffed, brushed or antiqued, sealed when needed, inspected and shipped back insured.
Every copper finish and copper related service we run in house.
From custom builders to industrial manufacturers, our clients trust us to deliver the same result every time.
Fishers homeowners, Geist lake house owners, Nickel Plate restaurants, tech offices, builders and sign makers send us copper work.
Slot machine trim, table rails, bar fixtures and gaming floor accents in bright or antique copper, made to glow under bright lights around the clock. Trusted by casino resorts across North County San Diego.
Pendants, sconces, lamp bases and accessories finished in bright, satin or antique copper.
Door handles, hinges, cabinet pulls and railings given a warm copper finish that matches across a project.
Bar rails, foot rests, tap handles and restaurant fixtures that bring copper warmth to a space.
Bus bars, terminals and connectors plated for conductivity and easy soldering.
Gears, shafts and steel parts selectively copper plated to mask areas during carburizing.
We have been running copper tanks since 1989. Restorers, designers, builders and manufacturers send us parts because the copper work underneath is what makes the finish on top last.
Send a photo of your part and receive a no obligation quote within 24 hours.
Every part leaves our shop backed by our craftsmanship guarantee. If you are not satisfied, we make it right.
A single fixture or a full production run, shipped to us from any state and returned insured.
Most projects are completed within 3 to 5 weeks. Expedited Orders: 5 to 7 business days. Contact us for availability.
Copper shows everything. Every scratch left in the base metal and every shortcut in the prep ends up visible in the finish, so we do not take shortcuts.
Difficult metals get the right first layer before the main copper goes on, so the finish stays bonded and does not peel or blister.
Copper is cut and buffed by hand between stages, which is what gives decorative copper its depth and chrome its flawless base.
Finished copper is inspected for even color, gloss and texture, and matched to your sample when you send one.
Soft copper scratches easily, so every finished piece is wrapped separately and packed to arrive exactly as it left the shop.
Lake damp and Indiana winters. Seal and rinse.
Homes near Geist Reservoir live with damp air most of the year. Lacquered copper resists it well, but water left sitting still leaves rings. Towel off dock and porch fixtures after rain, and before winter, clean and dry them so nothing sits on them for months.
In town, salt from roads and driveways ends up on entry hardware all winter. Rinse it off with clean water in spring and dry it. Inside, offices and homes only need a soft cloth on lacquered copper, plus mild soap for anything sticky.
If you prefer a living finish, we can leave the copper unsealed so it develops its own patina over time. That choice works well on rustic lighting, garden pieces and bar tops where the aging is part of the character.
When a lacquered piece starts to show dark spots, the coating has failed somewhere. Bring it back and we can strip the old lacquer, rebuff the copper and seal it again, usually without replating the whole part.
Copper Plating Gallery
Bright, satin and antique copper on lighting, hardware and hospitality pieces, plus functional copper for electrical and industrial work.
Remove glass from lanterns, wrap each piece and list everything inside the box.
Send photos of every piece and the copper finish you want. You receive a written quote and lead time, usually the same business day. Always wait for a quote number before shipping.
Wrap each part individually so metal never touches metal, and use at least three inches of padding on every side. Long trim and lighting arms should be double boxed.
Declare the real value with the carrier and email us the tracking number so we can log your parts the day they arrive.
When the copper work is done we photograph the finished pieces for your approval, then pack them in fresh materials and ship them back insured.
Every copper job is stripped, plated, buffed and inspected in our own facility in North County San Diego.
Copper, nickel, chrome and metal finishing in San Diego County since 1989.
From northeast of Indianapolis, UPS or FedEx ground usually needs 3 to 5 business days to deliver to Oceanside, California. We check in deliveries Monday to Friday, 8 to 4 Pacific.
Other Indiana cities where we plate copper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers homeowners, lake house owners and offices ask us these copper questions.
Yes, cleats, hooks, hinges and lanterns plate well once corrosion is removed. Lacquer is a must near the water. Tell us which pieces are exposed to weather all year, and we'll recommend the most durable finish for each one.
Because nothing old is left under the copper. Worn finishes fade unevenly, so a set looks patchy. Stripping each part to bare metal and plating them together in one finish gives a uniform tone from the first piece to the last.
Yes. We plate lobby trim, wall plaques, sign letters and fixtures that fit our tanks. For a startup office with white walls and open ceilings, satin copper adds warmth without glare. Tell us the count and when the space opens, and we'll plate a sample first.
It does, especially satin copper, which looks warm and current against white, gray and black finishes. If you'd like to test it, plate a few cabinet pulls or one pendant first. If you like the look, plate the rest to match.
Yes. Plating adds a very thin layer, so pieces fit their original holes and mounts. Keep every screw with its part, and we'll return everything bagged the way you sent it. Threads are protected so screws go back in smoothly.
The shop is open Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM. We're closed on Sunday. Shipments are received Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM Pacific.
Usually, yes. Send a photo of the piece you want to match, or ship it along with your parts as a sample. We adjust the finish until the new work sits right next to the old.
When the work is done and inspected, we pack your parts in fresh materials and ship them back insured. If you're close to Oceanside, you're welcome to pick them up instead.