Why are brass/gold colored bath fixtures so hard to find?

Question

I have a brass/gold colored sink fixture and am trying to find shower fixtures and shower doors that match and am having no luck at Lowe's or Home Depot. The only seem to have silver and nickel. I have found some brass items online but they are over half the price of the same thing in the other colors. Why the high price as well?

Answer 1

Brass is an alloy metal - that is, it is made up of two or more metals. Usually its about 67% copper, and 33% zinc. That 67% copper is what has the price so high... aluminum is much cheaper.

Cost of copper has skyrocketed in recent years, to the point that even our pennies, in the U.S. are no longer made of just copper, they are zinc, with a copper plating. The pennies were literally worth more as a scrap metal, than as currency, before they switched to the zinc with copper plating.

Speaking of copper plating... if you find some fixtures you really like, you can probably have them plated, there are custom shops that can plate anything from car trim, to bathroom fixtures. I'd suggest finding a company first, before buying the fixtures, to make sure the fixtures can be plated.

Good Luck

Answer 2

What you have are most likely brass (actual gold is fairly unusual, although Kohler made quite a bit in the 70s/80s) Polished (shiny) and Antique (brownish) brass is out of fashion, as one person mentioned. However, you should have no trouble finding it, especially on line. Try Kohler, Moen, Delta, Price Pfister, etc. As far as cost...brass is more expensive than polished chrome, but should be cheaper than nickel.

GOOD LUCK :)

Answer 3

Gold and brass is considered a very "luxury" item for specialty baths and so is more expensive. Less of them is made as well adding to the price.

Answer 4

Because they are out of style.