Mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Mirror-polished stainless steel - the reflective, high-impact public piece.
- Shanghai Xionglan Culture Communication Co., Ltd. (brand: Xionglan Art)
- Shanghai-based workshop · delivery in 67 Chinese cities
- 10 capability groups / 102 individual techniques · design, fabrication and installation in-house
- Phone +86 156 0163 6249 · Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00 (CST)
Mirror stainless reflects its surroundings, so the piece changes with weather, season and time of day. Polishing to a true mirror finish is the most labour-intensive part of the job, and it is what separates a good piece from a dull one.
Commissioned work in mirror-polished stainless sculpture normally runs from 6 to 30 m², with 12–23 working days in production from approved drawings. The reference range for this technique is CNY 0+ per m², quoted itemised. It sits within our Sculpture Fabrication capability, alongside 13 related techniques, and the 4-point deliverable below is what a commission includes as standard.
When mirror-polished stainless sculpture is the right answer - and when it is not
Mirror stainless steel is chosen when the sculpture should reflect its surroundings and effectively disappear into them, contributing pure form and distortion rather than colour. It suits civic and corporate pieces in visually rich settings with something worth reflecting. It is a poor choice where the surroundings are indifferent, because a mirror in front of a car park is an expensive way to show a car park, and where fingerprints and scratching are unmanaged.
How the work is actually carried out
The form is modelled and the fabrication method chosen against the geometry - panel beating for organic shapes, fabricated plate for faceted ones. Welds are ground and polished in stages through progressively finer abrasives, because a mirror finish exposes every stage of the process that preceded it. Polishing is done under the light the piece will actually live in, since defects invisible under workshop light appear in sunlight. The finished surface is protected and handled with gloves and film until installation is complete.
Typical applications
Typical specifications
| Material | 304 or 316L stainless steel (316L for coastal or marine) |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 1.5-4 mm sheet over an internal steel armature |
| Finish | Mirror polish, grade agreed against a physical sample |
| Sizes | From 1 m to over 15 m tall |
| Capability | Sculpture Fabrication |
| Reference range | CNY 0+ per m² |
| Techniques in this capability | 14 |
| Coverage | Shanghai base, nationwide delivery, overseas projects on request |
Reference price bands for Mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Indicative only, based on the scope normally quoted for mirror-polished stainless sculpture. A firm price follows a site survey and an itemised quotation split into material, labour, finishing, packing and freight.
| Pricing basis | Priced per piece or per project rather than per square metre |
|---|---|
| Reference range | CNY 0+ per m² |
| How we quote | Itemised: material, labour, finishing, packing and freight shown as separate lines |
Build tiers for mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Mirror-polished stainless sculpture is not one product at one size: the table below is the same scope ladder we quote on, so you can see where your project sits before asking for a price.
| Build tier | Typical area | Production days | What changes at this tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 6–30 m² | 30–60 | Up to 30 m², one substrate and one access setup, 30–60 days in the workshop. |
| Tier 2 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 3 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 4 | 6–30 m² | 30–45 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 30–45 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 5 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 6 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6 m² and above, multiple substrate types and phased access, 3–8 days with a join and numbering plan. |
What we deliver
- Concept sketches and a scaled maquette for sign-off
- Structural calculation and internal armature where required
- Fabrication, welding, surface finishing and protective coating
- Delivery, on-site assembly and foundation coordination
Faults we see most often in mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Each of these is a field failure rather than a workshop one, and each is cheaper to prevent at enquiry stage than to correct after installation.
- Polishing under workshop lighting, so defects pass inspection and appear the moment the piece is outdoors.
- Handling the finished surface without protection, since a mirror finish records every touch and cannot be spot-repaired invisibly.
- Building a mirror piece on a panel-welded armature without planning the weld positions to land away from dominant reflections.
What to settle before an overseas project starts
| Setting and reflections | Tell us where it will stand and what surrounds it. Mirror work is a decision about context as much as about form. |
|---|---|
| Maintenance and access | Mirror surfaces need regular cleaning and occasional re-polishing. Confirm who does it and how they reach the surface. |
| Public or private | In public settings, consider whether a mirror finish invites touching. Sometimes a satin finish is the better answer. |
Working with us from overseas
Enquiry to installation, one point of contact. Export packing, shipping, commercial terms and quality control →
Design intent and what drives the cost
| Technique | Mirror-polished stainless sculpture |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Mirror-polished stainless steel - the reflective, high-impact public piece. |
| Floor area normally quoted | 6–30 m² per commission |
| Typical production window | 12–23 working days from approved drawings |
| Main cost drivers | Area and repetition; substrate preparation; detail and modelling time; surface finish; access and working hours |
| What we quote separately | Material, labour, finishing, packing, freight and site measures - each as its own line |
Representative work
Sculpture Fabrication projects photographed on completion.
Sculpture Fabrication — Cast bronze sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Animal & mascot sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Stone sculptureCommon questions
How is a mirror finish maintained?
Which grade of stainless should we choose?
How long does a large sculpture take end to end?
Discuss mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Send photographs, drawings or a 3D file with approximate dimensions. You will get a technique recommendation, a reference price band and a production schedule.