PVD vs electroplated tapware: differences that matter

Customers often ask whether a coloured mixer is "PVD" or "just plated". Both processes put a decorative (and protective) layer on a brass or other body - they are not the same process, and marketing pages sometimes blur the words.

Facts

• Electroplating deposits metal layers using an electrical process in a bath. Chrome on bathroom tapware is commonly produced this way. Quality varies with preparation, layer build-up and sealing.
• PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) applies a thin coating in a vacuum chamber. It is widely used for harder-wearing coloured finishes (many gunmetals, brushed golds, etc.), but the exact stack and hardness depend on the manufacturer's process.
• Neither label replaces care instructions. Abrasive cleaners can damage either finish.

Opinions / recommendations

We recommend: (1) buy finish as a system from one range where possible; (2) ask which process the manufacturer states for that SKU; (3) check warranty wording for finish cover separately from cartridge cover.

Shop and compare

Tapware | Gunmetal | Matte black | Brushed gold | brands Meir, Phoenix, Bella Vista.

Related: gunmetal vs matte black, finishes guide.

Shop related: PVD tiger bronze.

See also: Tapware collection | Meir tapware