Brushed metal
![A piece of brushed aluminium](/Images/godic/202501/02/Brushed_Aluminium1313.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/02/Breville1313.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/02/Delorean_dmc12_front1313.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/02/St_Louis_night_expblend_cropped1313.jpg")
Brushed or dull polished metal is metal with a unidirectional satin finish. It is produced by polishing the metal with a 120–180 grit belt or wheel then softening with an 80–120 grit greaseless compound or a medium non-woven abrasive belt or pad.
Commonly brushed metals include stainless steel, aluminium and nickel. Brushed finishes are popular in both small appliances and whiteware, and feature in architecture and automotive design. The Gateway Arch and DeLorean DMC-12 are both clad in brushed stainless steel. The intensity of the brushed finish is specified as a surface roughness and is typically 0.5–1.5 micrometres Ra.