Angel Hair® Stainless Steel

AMBIENT REFLECTIVITY FINISH ON STAINLESS STEEL FOR INTERIOR & EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS

Angel Hair is Zahner’s patented process for creating a soft, diffuse finish on stainless steel. By etching the metal with precision-controlled techniques, Angel Hair reduces the intense reflectivity of standard finishes while maintaining a refined, lustrous appearance. This smooth, uniform surface effectively scatters light, minimizing glare and heat concentration, making it ideal for architectural projects that require both functionality and elegance indoors or outdoors.

Parking garage facade designed by artist John Baldessari using ImageWall and Angel Hair Stainless Steel.
Architectural ribbons clad in Angel Hair stainless steel wrap around the Peterson Automotive Museum.
Photo of Detail of the Petersen Automotive Museum's Angel Hair® Stainless steel
Angel Hair façade designed by Jan Hendrix for The Mexican Museum.
George Mason University's Science and Technology building features a custom perforated facade, created using Zahner ImageWall technology.
Free-standing screen in Angel Hair Stainless Steel with a painted aluminum backing for office lobby.

Developed to address challenges with reflective stainless steel, Angel Hair offers light diffusion with consistency. Zahner’s innovative process eliminates common issues like striping and uneven textures, creating a velvety finish that endures decades of weathering. Angel Hair is a versatile choice for architectural applications, balancing aesthetics and practicality for timeless designs.

Angel Hair Products

Angel Hair is available with the following Zahner products and services.

Standard Products

Angel Hair Material

Order flat sheets of Angel Hair direct from Zahner. Click the button below to see available sizes, thicknesses, and other product details as well as options for submitting a quote request.

Flat Sheet Options

Standard Products

Moda Modular Wall Panel System

Moda combines Zahner’s metal craftsmanship with the convenience of modular design, making it ideal for transforming interior and exterior spaces with its clean lines and Zahner’s signature metal finishes.

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Versatile Systems

Flat Seam System

Flat Seam offers a uniquely flexible and affordable metal facade system utilizing interlocking panels that is compatible with most Zahner Materials.

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Versatile Systems

Flat Lap System

The aesthetic appearance of shingle or shake with the benefits of metal, Flat Lap is an easy to install, cost-effective shingle solution available in all Zahner Materials.

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View of the massive Solanum-clad doors on the Spaceport America

View of the massive Solanum-clad doors on the Spaceport America.

Photo © A. Zahner Company.
Versatile Systems

Plate Panel Facade System

The Plate Panel System by Zahner offers a large-panel option that mitigates oil-canning and improves material-yield.

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Restaurant facade and ImageWall screen in angel hair stainless steel with imagery of tree branches.

Restaurant facade and ImageWall screen in angel hair stainless steel with imagery of tree branches.

Versatile Systems

ImageWall® Perforated Metal Panel System

ImageWall perforated metal panel systems enhance lobbies, decorate parking garages, refresh aging exteriors, partition outdoor spaces, and more. Use ImageWall to bring patterns, logos, words, and images of all kinds to life in your designs through durable, affordable perforated metal.

Explore ImageWall

Close up of Petersen Automotive Museum

Close up of Petersen Automotive Museum

Custom Solutions

Collaborate & Innovate

Whether it’s intricate facades or complex metal artworks, we welcome your most ambitious designs and construction projects. Push the boundaries of what’s possible, turn architectural dreams into tangible success, and create something truly special.

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Documentation

Specs & InfoDetailsSustainability
TitleFile TypeLink
Angel Hair® Stainless Steel Safety Data Sheet (SDS)pdf
Download
Angel Hair® Stainless Steel Specs & Usagepdf
Download
Surfaces Instructions – Storage & Handlingpdf
Download
Surfaces Product Datasheetpdf
Download
Surfaces Rhino Material File – Angel Hairzip
Download
Surfaces Specificationdocx
Download
Surfaces Warrantypdf
Download
Zahner Product Warrantypdf
Download
Recommended ApplicationExterior and Interior
Base Metal (alloy)stainless steel (304 or 316)
Standard Thicknesses14 ga
12 ga
11 ga
Approx. Decimal (mm).0785” (1.99)
.1084“ (2.75)
.1233” (3.13)
Approx. Weight (lbs/ft2)3.15
4.41
5.04
COTE (in/in/°F)9.6 x 10-6
Standard Sizes4′ x 8’
4’ x 10’
4’ x 12’
5′ x 8’
5’ x 10’
5’ x 12’
Declare label for Angel Hair® Stainless Steel | GB-60™ Stainless Steel Zahner® Surfaces

Declare label for Angel Hair® Stainless Steel | GB-60™ Stainless Steel Zahner® Surfaces

Declare

Declare is a transparency initiative by the International Living Future Institute, providing an “ingredients” label for building products that enables design and build teams to make informed choices.

Red List Free

Products with the Red List Free label are complying with the Living Building Challenge goals of ingredient transparency and industry-wide elimination of all Red List chemicals.

Learn About Declare Reading the Label
TitleFile TypeLink
Angel Hair® Stainless Steel Safety Data Sheet (SDS)pdf
Download
Angel Hair® Stainless Steel Specs & Usagepdf
Download
Surfaces Instructions – Storage & Handlingpdf
Download
Surfaces Product Datasheetpdf
Download
Surfaces Rhino Material File – Angel Hairzip
Download
Surfaces Specificationdocx
Download
Surfaces Warrantypdf
Download
Zahner Product Warrantypdf
Download
  • Recommended Application: Exterior and Interior
  • Base Metal (alloy): stainless steel (304 or 316)
  • Standard Thicknesses: 14 ga, 12 ga, 11 ga
  • Approx. Decimal (mm): .0785” (1.99), .1084“ (2.75), .1233” (3.13)
  • Approx. Weight (lbs/ft2): 3.15, 4.41, 5.04
  • COTE (in/in/°F): 9.6 x 10-6
  • Standard Sizes: 4′ x 8’, 4’ x 10’, 4’ x 12’, 5′ x 8’, 5’ x 10’, 5’ x 12’

Declare label for Angel Hair® Stainless Steel | GB-60™ Stainless Steel Zahner® Surfaces

Declare

Declare is a transparency initiative by the International Living Future Institute, providing an “ingredients” label for building products that enables design and build teams to make informed choices. Learn how to read the label here.

Red List Free

Products with the Red List Free label are complying with the Living Building Challenge goals of ingredient transparency and industry-wide elimination of all Red List chemicals.

Get Started

Use Angel Hair in Your Project

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Angel Hair Stainless Steel Manufacturing, Properties, and Applications

Angel Hair is a Zahner material process developed to soften the high-reflectivity of standard grain finishes. The patented process uses precision-controlled machinery to etch stainless steel with a fine grain and a dual surface, with one level of texture below another. The tiny circular scratches applied to the metal alloy will disrupt symmetry to produce a consistent luster, eliminating striping and scalloping effects. Available on a variety of metal alloys, this is the finest, smoothest, and most uniform light-diffusion metal surface available for architectural metal.

This surface was first developed as a custom product by Zahner as a solution to the reflective nature of standard finishes on stainless steel. Working with Frank Gehry on a number of projects, the Zahner team recognized that these parabolic shapes combined with the intense reflectivity of stainless steel would result in concentrated heat and blinding light. Angel Hair scatters the light, providing the most diffused surface while maintaining the metal’s reflective appearance.

The Angel Hair Difference

Since first developing this product years ago, other manufacturers have begun to offer variant polishes and “vibration-finishes” which attempt to replicate the Zahner Angel Hair. When compared to other metals from up close, you can see striping patterns and heavy marks in the “vibration” surfaces offered by other manufacturers.

ANGEL HAIR® STAINLESS STEEL BY ZAHNER.

Angel Hair® Stainless Steel by Zahner.

PHOTO © A. ZAHNER COMPANY.
"VIBRATION" FINISH OFFERED BY INDUSTRY MANUFACTURERS.

"Vibration" finish offered by industry manufacturers.

PHOTO © A. ZAHNER COMPANY.

Dimensions and Material Data

This surface is available in sheet and plate in any thickness. The sheet materials come in 48″ and 60″ typical maximum widths, and are available in several alloys based on performance in different environments. Custom shapes and three-dimensional forms are possible with the material. See product information and specifications here.

To understand the reflectivity, take a look at the comparative gloss readings when compared with standard reflective or GB-60 finishes. This data shows Angel Hair Process applied to a base material with a 2B finish. If applied Angel Hair to a No. 8 polished base material or a bright annealed base material, you can achieve a variety of ambient reflective properties and appearances.

Related Surface

GB-60™ Stainless Steel

DIFFUSE STAINLESS STEEL FINISH FOR INTERIOR & EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS GB-60 is Zahner’s innovative stainless steel product featuring a non-directional, mechanically achieved finish with ambient reflectivity. Created through precision glass bead blasting, GB-60 produces a soft, satin-like appearance that shifts subtly with light. Its crystalline surface offers a modern alternative to highly reflective finishes, making it ideal for architectural applications that balance aesthetics and functionality.

Maintenance for Angel Hair on Stainless Steel

Angel Hair on stainless steel is easily maintained. Stainless steel, if properly detailed and installed, will outlast most materials by a great margin. The polish provided by Angel Hair furthers this longevity by providing the metal surface with a greater ease of repairability. Should the metal get damaged, scratched, or abraded, the material can be easily polished by a Zahner technician using a field-version of the Angel Hair polishing system.

Learn More About Angel Hair and How it Compares to Other Stainless Steels

Read our educational series on the history, manufacturing, and application of stainless steels and Zahner Angel Hair:

Part 1

Designing, Fabricating, & Building With Stainless Steel

Few materials can match the versatility and durability provided by stainless steel.

Read the Post

Part 2

The Finishes, Colors, and Light Waves of Stainless Steel

No other metal offers the vastness and variety of options of stainless steel.

Read the Post

Part 3

The Latest Innovations and Applications of Stainless Steel

An exploration of the advanced applications and immense possibilities of stainless steel.

Read the Post

Get Inspired

Featured Projects

See Angel Hair in application through a selection of Zahner projects.

WORKS FEATURING Angel Hair® Stainless Steel

Angel Hair® Stainless Steel
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