Plated finish is defined as which of the following statements?

• A. A woven cloth with a nap exceeding 1/8 inch.
• B. A cross-laminated wood sheet.
• C. A polymer similar to plastic.
• D. A finish created when base metal is coated by another metal via an electrolytic process; identified by the term deposit.

Answer: (D)

Plating finish means applying a thin layer of one metal onto a base metal through an electrolytic process. In electroplating, metal ions in a solution are deposited onto the substrate to form a continuous metal coating, with the coating referred to as the metal deposit. This is the defining idea because it highlights how the finish is produced (electrolytic deposition) and what it results in (a deposited metal layer on the base). The other options describe materials or constructions (woven fabric, cross-laminated wood, or a polymer) rather than a metal coating created by electrolysis, so they don’t fit the concept of a plated finish.