Elevator Cab Remodeling: Popular Finishes

Elevators are well-made machines designed to last decades through proper care and maintenance. However, everything ages over time, eventually you will want to renovate your elevator cab interiors. Wall panels chip, floors scuff, and scratch, lighting dims and metals tarnish. Whether you're replacing damaged wall panels or giving the look of your elevator cab interiors a reboot, take the time to design something creative. Maybe design your cab to compliment the current interior design of your building. There are a plethora of materials and material types available that are code compliant for use inside elevator cab interiors. Many building owners also update the elevator lobby entrances during an elevator interior renovation project. New elevator entrance cladding can really brighten up an elevator lobby. Below is some information regarding other commonly used materials inside elevator cab interiors.

When you consider metal finishes, there is not much that's more durable than stainless steel. Impact-resistant and durable against scratching. Stainless steel is an excellent choice for use in Elevator entrance cladding projects. Its malleable composition makes stainless steel ideal for forming and bending. The surface of stainless steel can be finished to portray numerous looks and styles. Its impact resistance makes stainless steel especially useful against attempts of vandalism. Metal cladding is fabricated without sharp edges or protrusions. This helps to avoid injuries in case a passenger trip and falls in the cab. Metal cladding can be refinished over time restoring the metal finish to a like-new condition. This method of refinishing the surface of a metal is often much more cost-effective than recladding elevator surfaces. While it will not remove dents or gouges on a metal surface, refinishing will restore normal wear and scratching to a like-new look.

Plastic laminates are very suitable materials that are often used during an elevator interior remodel. Available in an almost endless variety of colors, textures and finishes. Plastic laminates are an extremely popular finish often found in elevator cab interiors. Laminates are a cost-efficient type of material that is both durable and long-lasting. Commonly used as wall panels inside elevator cabs, plastic laminates can be used to complement any design or theme. Laminate is less prone to attract moisture or dust. They are known for their heat and impact resistance. If you are looking for even more damaged resistant wall panels. Consider wrapping your wall panels with satin stainless steel panel binders. Panel binders offer excellent impact protection by wrapping the perimeter of elevator cab wall panels in satin stainless steel. They also really make each panel stand out with a satin finish around each panel.

Wood veneer panels offer a solid wood core overlayed with a wood veneer finish. These types of panels are eye-catching high-end panels. The veneer finish on these types of panels can be stained and matched to your liking. All paneling has the industry-standard fire rating per elevator code. When using veneer paneling during an elevator interior remodeling project be sure to plan out lead times accurately. Wood veneer paneling often has longer lead times compared to other material types due to the manufacturing process. Please also keep in mind while wood veneer panels look fantastic, they offer little impact and vandalism resistance. Wood veneer wall panels can be fabricated with stainless steel panel binders which will offer vastly increased panel edge protection as well as a classy look.

Both glass and stone make highly decorative elevator surfaces. The look you get from having glass and stone elements inside your elevator cab is second to none. These materials are high end products that come with an expensive price tag. While both of the material types look fantastic there are some factors to consider during the design phase of the elevator interior remodeling project. Stone and glass are heavy materials. Cab weight is an extremely important factor to consider when remodeling an elevator cab interior. Elevators operate off of a counter balance system that functions similar to a scale. If too much weight is inside the elevator cab, then the elevator will be out of balance. If an elevator is out of balance, expensive rebalancing work must be completed to make the elevator safe for operation. While glass and stone look stellar inside an elevator cab interior, those looks come with a heavy price tag.