Why We Specified 1.5mm Brass Instead of 0.8mm for Large Table Tops

A recent commercial project came to us with a requirement for eleven large brass-clad table tops, including one measuring 2200 × 1140mm.

The original specification called for 0.8mm brass wrapped around an MDF substrate.

Technically, 0.8mm brass can be used for this type of work. But at this scale, being possible and being the right fabrication decision aren't necessarily the same thing.

After reviewing the drawings, we recommended increasing the brass thickness to 1.5mm.

Why does brass thickness matter?

With a large, flat decorative surface, one of the biggest considerations is what happens underneath the sheet.

At 0.8mm, brass is sufficiently thin that imperfections in the substrate or adhesive layer can telegraph through to the finished face.

On a small component this may be manageable. Across a tabletop more than two metres long, even minor imperfections can become visible.

The second issue was the corners.

These tops required the brass to be folded around the sides, with the corners welded and dressed back to create a clean, continuous finish.

Brass is already a demanding material to weld cleanly. At 0.8mm there is very little material available when welding and subsequently linishing the corner.

Increasing the thickness to 1.5mm gave us considerably more control during both fabrication and finishing.

⚙️ Designing for the finished object

Material specification shouldn't be considered separately from the fabrication process.

For these table tops we had to consider:

• the size of the finished panels;

• flatness across a large surface;

• folding;

• welding distortion;

• dressing the welded corners;

• the visibility of imperfections in the final finish.

The additional material cost of using 1.5mm brass was justified by the reduction in fabrication risk and improvement in the finished result.

It's a good example of design for manufacture: looking beyond what is specified on the drawing and considering what will actually happen when the material reaches the workshop.

For more complex projects, our Design & Technical Development department can work through these issues before fabrication begins.

✨ Aged brass versus natural patination

The tables were originally specified with an aged, waxed brass finish.

For working surfaces such as restaurant, bar and hospitality tables, however, we always discuss another option with the client: allowing the brass to age naturally.

Applied patination and wax can produce a beautiful, controlled finish, but a tabletop is continually touched, cleaned and scratched. Over time, that treatment can wear differently in high-contact areas.

Raw Scotch-Brite finished brass develops its own patina through use.

For some projects, that evolving finish is both more practical and more honest to the material.

This is why metal finishing isn't simply an aesthetic decision. How an object will actually be used should influence the finish specified.

The finished table tops

The eleven table tops were fabricated, finished, carefully packed and delivered to London.

Projects like this are a good example of why we prefer to be involved in the technical development of bespoke metalwork, rather than simply manufacturing blindly from a specification.

Sometimes a relatively small change on a drawing makes a significant difference on the workshop floor — and ultimately to the quality of the finished object.

Ready to discuss your commercial project? Contact South Coast Metal Fabrication today to get a quote or view our About page to see why we are the preferred choice for bespoke metalwork in the South East.