If the surface you are plating onto is not listed on this chart, please reach out via email: tech@goldplating.com

Pre-Treatment Solutions Needed to Activate & Prepare Surface of Metal Is the metal Magnetic?
Metal Type Step 1 Pretreatment Step 2 Pretreatment Step 3 Diffusion Barrier Step 4 Final Plate
Stainless Steel Electro-Cleaner Wood’s Nickel Strike or TriVal Gold Strike N/A Final Desired Plating Solution YES
Carbon Steel / Steel Electro-Cleaner Copper Strike, Wood's Nickel Strike, or TriVal Gold Strike Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution YES
Chrome Chrome Stripper in proper mode Surface Activator N/A Final Desired Plating Solution Chrome is not, but the Nickel under is
Nickel & Palladium Electro-Cleaner Surface Activator N/A Final Desired Plating Solution Nickel - YES Palladium - NO
Lead Electro-Cleaner Surface Activator N/A Final Desired Plating Solution NO
Bronze, Copper, Brass, Silver, German Silver Electro-Cleaner Surface Activator Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution NO
Solder Electro-Cleaner Surface Activator, Copper Strike if tin-based Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution NO
Tin Electro-Cleaner Copper Strike Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution NO
Pewter Electro-Cleaner Copper Strike Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution NO
Zinc Plated Steel Strip Zinc, then Electro-Cleaner Copper Strike or Wood's Nickel Strike Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution YES
Zinc Die Cast Electro-Cleaner Copper Strike Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution NO
Iron Electro-Cleaner Copper Strike or Wood's Nickel Strike Bright Nickel or Palladium Final Desired Plating Solution YES
Inconel Electro-Cleaner TriVal Gold Strike N/A Final Desired Plating Solution NO
Tungsten & Tungsten Alloys The plating process may differ depending on tungsten purity. Tungsten Carbide cannot be plated with our chemicals or machines. Contact us at tech@goldplating.com for more information. NO
PVD Cannot plate onto PVD unless it has a specialized additive or coating. NO
Aluminum Cannot perform at an amateur level. Please seek professional plating company to apply nickel onto aluminum for proper adhesion. Once nickel is applied correctly, follow pre-treatment recommendations. NO
Titanium Cannot be plated onto with our solutions. NO
Compounds and alloys can also be magnetic if they contain iron, cobalt, or nickel.