Starlight
Starlight metal is a stainless steel finish that is non-directional, reflective, and evenly textured. It is designed for architectural uses, like wall panels, elevators, coping, and trim. Because of its consistency, Starlight is excellent for panel-to-panel matching.
For the best performance over time, selection of the proper grade of Starlight is important. Type 304, for most environments, is acceptable to prevent corrosion. Type 316 should be specified for environments near the seacoast. Low carbon versions of these grades (304L / 316L) should be used when parts are to be welded. see table I in the data sheet for highlights of chemical analyses and properties. for extreme locations, such as near chemical plants or where steel may come into contact with salt water spray, different alloys will be required, subject to application review.
Thickness (in.) x Width (in.) x Length (in.) x .292
See Table II in the data sheet. Coil widths. Inquire for length.
Spectral Gloss: @85° 40–60
Ra: 50
Peak count per sq. in: 125
Should a fire occur, Starlight provides additional protection as stainless steel has a melting point of 2750° F.
Starlight is supplied within five I units of flatness. This is well below standard commercial allowances.
Starlight metal can be welded or soldered. Preferably, use a grade of welding wire more noble than the work piece. Through use of shield gasses, formation of a heat tint scale may be avoided in lighter gauges. When scale does form, care must be taken to remove this scale through mechanical or chemical means. Because Starlight is non-directional, there is no need to orient panels in relation to the rolling direction. Still, to avoid the possible result of slight directional differences, we suggest panels be fabricated to maintain the alignment of the original sheet. After soldering, flux residue must be thoroughly removed.
Starlight comes with a protective PVC covering that is high grade UV resistant and is designed to withstand the elements for several weeks. Yet it is recommended that this PVC covering be removed immediately after installation to prevent adhesive residue from adhering to the stainless steel finish. Starlight’s appearance is very uniform, but any metal surface, including a painted one, is sensitive to misalignment of panels on differing planes. Please take extra care to install within reasonable tolerances to ensure full benefit of Starlight’s unvarying appearance. After installation, any rust stains from tools or construction debris must be removed.
Starlight metal is designed to be essentially maintenance free. It will last for decades without requiring attention. Yet it may be appropriate at times to clean the surface in order to maintain its original appearance. Specific stainless steel agents are widely available. For general cleaning, any detergent or ammonia solution is effective. Also, for stains, a sodium carbonate paste with a warm water rinse can be applied. For severe stains, you may use tri-sodium phosphate and caustic soda solutions. More difficult contaminants, like adhesive residue, will come off with pure acetone. Always avoid products containing chloride. Regularly clean out areas where occasional debris may collect, such as gutters.