Zinc

 Zinc is a pure metal that darkens over time.  Zinc changes color and shows a white or dark gray mark when exposed to fingerprints, moisture, acids, and foods,  This color change is an inherent property of zinc.  We can patina the zinc to hurry up the darkening process and we can apply a layer of carnauba wax to the bare or patina zinc to reduce fingerprints and protect the finish.  After installation, we suggest an occasional application of wax, similar to the way you would maintain fine wood products.  If you are expecting the zinc to retain the original color and polish,  please consider a different material.  With the softness and the color patterns, zinc can look like it has been around for decades after only a few weeks.

How to clean:  Generally, clean it as you would any other countertop with a soft rag or sponge and mild dish soap. 

Applications:  Zinc is great for range hoods, countertops, bars or tabletops.

Zinc Pricing:  the price per square foot can vary greatly and here are a few of the reasons.  Primarily it is down to labor, installation, and how many details are spread across how many square feet of the project.  For example a countertop that is 24″ deep is about the same amount of labor as one that is 18″ deep.   Thus the 18″ deep countertop will have a higher per square foor cost than the 24″ deep countertop ( same labor spread over more square feet)  Likewise, if we are finishing around an opening for an undermount sink, that work adds to the cost and changes the price per square foot greatly.   This is why we prefer to give prices on a per project basis rather than per square foot.