A Timeless Luxury Material

Drummonds hand-casts brass pieces using the ancient lost-wax technique, which still produces the finest detailing and unsurpassed quality and longevity. Because each piece is made individually, expect some variation in colour across components on unboxing; this applies especially to towel rails which are manufactured with both cast and tubular brass.

We do not lacquer our brassware, allowing the live surface to age and wear naturally in the traditional way. A thin layer of oxidisation creates a beautiful patina; this aging is part of the charm of natural luxury materials and authentic to traditional brassware. We strongly recommend that all customers read the details below before purchasing a live finish because products will change appearance during storage, installation and use. The speed of this change depends on the environment (heat, moisture and limescale) and how often the piece is handled.

As per our terms and conditions, all of our products are made to order to each customer’s specifications and cannot be returned if a customer does not accept the variations and patination typical of these natural materials.

Care & Maintenance

Live Finishes:

Polished Brass:

Unlacquered Polished Brass has a high and luxurious shine when first installed, which will quickly age and patina. Regular hand-polishing with a brass cleaner such as Brasso will restore the shiny finish; a traditional and time-consuming process.

Brushed Finishes:

An unlacquered, polished finish, hand brushed to create a more modern, matte appearance. Brushed Brass and Brushed Nickel will quickly be rubbed smooth with regular polishing and may diminish the intended appearance. For this reason, polishing with products such as Brasso is not advised. Allowing the natural patination to develop on the surface will mean very little maintenance is required other than washing the surface of the product with soapy water and gently drying with a soft cloth or towel.

Brushed finishes may be restored with a light abrasive pad such as a household scourer, moving in the same direction as the existing brush marks to ensure an even finish. Never use any kind of sand or glass paper on the surface of brass.

Antique Finishes:

Antique Brass, Antique Brushed Brass, Antique Bronze and Antique Nickel finishes have been oxidised in the Drummonds foundry to give an aged appearance, which will continue to develop with use. In this instance, products such as Brasso are not recommended as they will remove the special finish that was applied by our artisans.

We recommend allowing the ageing and patination process to continue, in which case there is very little maintenance required other than washing the surface of the product with soapy water and gently drying with a soft cloth or towel. We do not recommend bathroom cleaners on live surfaces as they will likely remove the surface patination in a patchy and unsightly way. The occasional application of a suitable wax such as Briwax will enhance the aged surface without removing it.

Despite the above recommendations, if a live brass surface has developed a significant area of patination or limescale, this may be remedied with cautious hand polishing using a product such as Brasso. It is not possible to reapply aging solutions to installed brassware, however, the natural patination process will begin again and blend in any treated areas over time.

Plated Finishes:

Polished Nickel, is a good option for customers seeking an easier to maintain luxury finish. Although natural nickel will patina and age over time, the effect is more subtle and will require less careful maintenance.

Finally, our Polished Chrome plated finish is the most robust and unchanging option for customers not seeking an aged appearance. Simply clean plated finishes with mild soap and a soft damp cloth.

Chrome and nickel plating may offer more resistance to limescale cleaners but always check the instructions on the bottle.

Clean Shower Roses (or shower heads) on a regular basis, paying particular attention to the water outlet holes to ensure they don’t become blocked; we recommend occasional cleaning with a suitable brush. Remove and clean the thermostatic cartridge on a periodic basis to prevent permanent damage from limescale.

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Traditional Craftsmanship

Combining the traditional techniques from the last century with cutting-edge technology, it takes 20 hours to cast each bath or shower tray in the furnace. A further 24 hours is needed to finish the interior with dry frit vitreous enamel; a flawless glass-like surface which is very hardwearing and durable. Finally, depending on your specification, 16 hours of polishing will transform the raw cast iron exterior into a mirror finish or perfectly smooth painted surface. Please note polished cast iron retains the subtle markings and pitting of the foundry, giving a characterful finish reminiscent of antique silver.

Care & Maintenance

Interiors

Our enamelled interiors are durable and easy to maintain; simply rinse out the bath or shower tray after each use to remove any gritty deposits, then dry with a cloth or towel to keep a soft shine and help prevent limescale build-up or water marks. To remove dirt, use a non-abrasive bathroom cleaner intended for use on enamelled surfaces. The Vitreous Enamel Association website has guidance on suitable cleaner). Finally, ensure that a dripping or leaking taps are repaired immediately to prevent the enamel being permanently stained or damaged.

Exteriors

Simply wipe down bath or shower tray exteriors with a soft cloth; do not use bathroom cleaners and do not to allow floor cleaner to splash against the surface; these products may damage the lacquer or paint which protects the piece from rusting.

Be careful to avoid scratches, particularly when first moving the bath or shower tray into position. Should the exterior become scratched, exposing the cast iron below, please call Drummonds immediately so that we can advise on the best course of action. Damage to cast-iron surfaces can be remedied with a suitable rust inhibitor, followed by a metal primer and paint finish or lacquer to seal the exterior. Only treat the damaged area; while repairs can minimise any damage, a visible mark will likely remain on the surface. Where we have painted the exterior for you, a touch-up pot will be supplied.

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Flawless Attention to Detail

Drummonds’ chinaware offers unprecedented durability, low porosity, and density. Our signature off-white glaze works with any interior style and gives a clean, uniformly smooth finish. We spend ten days making each of our hand-poured chinaware basins and WC suites. It takes three hours to correctly fill each cast, before it is kiln-fired for 13 hours and air-dried for seven days before being hand-glazed and quality checked.

Care & Maintenance

Clean Clay Chinaware on a regular basis with a mild, non-abrasive soap or bathroom cleaner to prevent the buildup of dirt and limescale. Ensure that dripping taps are repaired quickly to avoid the surface of the chinaware becoming stained.

Clean Wooden Loo Seats with a damp soft cloth and dry immediately. Never use a bathroom cleaner on your loo seat as this is likely to strip off the varnish and invalidate the guarantee. A high quality furniture wax polish such as Mylands Wax – Natural should be applied occasionally in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions. Replace the bumpers on the underside of the loo seat when perished as these can mark and stain the natural wood. Under no circumstance stand on your loo seat.

Formed over Thousands of Years

Sourced from the finest quarries in Italy, each marble slab is unique with veining that takes thousands of years to form. Pre-cut to accommodate our brassware components, dimensions are fixed.

Care & Maintenance

Marble is a natural material and should be carefully maintained. A Drummonds’ marble vanity basin is a natural product which is hand polished and sealed in the factory. Clean the surface of the marble after use with a soft cloth, drying the surface to prevent water marks developing on the marble.

We would recommend Lithofin MN Easy-Clean which is a daily cleaner / conditioner designed for natural We stones. Under no circumstances use any kind of bathroom cleaner, or limescale remover, on the surface of the marble. To prevent staining, it is important to ensure that any cosmetics, including shampoo, are wiped off the surface of the marble immediately. We would also strongly recommend drying the marble surface after each use to prevent limescale deposits which are very difficult to remove from natural stone.

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