Appliance panel with stainless steel look

An appliance selected from the group consisting of refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, ice makers, water dispensers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers, comprising:

• a panel formed of a magnetizable material forming at least a substantial portion of a side of said appliance;
• and
• a polyester lamination film adhered directly to an entire outer surface of the panel, the polyester lamination film comprising:
• a transparent polyester film layer with a brushed backside surface;
• a vacuum metallized aluminum layer deposited on the brushed backside surface of the transparent polyester film layer,
• a layer of adhesive on a side of said polyester lamination film applied to said appliance panel, and
• a tinted coating layer provided on a front side of said polyester film layer, the tinted coating layer being colored to provide a color rendition of the metalized aluminum layer as stainless steel, as seen through the transparent polyester film layer;
• wherein said polyester lamination film provides a stainless steel appearance to said entire panel.

An appliance panel comprising:

• a magnetizable sheet material;
• and
• a polyester lamination film adhered directly to an entire outer surface of said material, the polyester lamination film comprising:
• a clear polyester film layer with a brushed backside surface;
• a vacuum metallized aluminum layer deposited on the brushed backside surface of said polyester film layer,
• a layer of adhesive on a side of said vacuum metallized aluminum layer opposite of said polyester film, and
• a tinted coating layer provided on a front side of said polyester film layer, the tinted coating layer being colored to provide a color rendition of the metalized aluminum layer as stainless steel, as seen through the clear polyester film layer;
• wherein said polyester lamination film provides a stainless steel appearance to said entire panel.

A method of making an appliance panel comprising the steps:

• providing a flat sheet of magnetizable material,
• adhering a polyester lamination film directly to an entire surface of said material while said material is in a flat form to provide a stainless steel appearance to the entire panel, said polyester lamination film comprising:
• a substantially transparent polyester film layer with a brushed backside surface;
• a vacuum metallized aluminum layer deposited on the brushed backside surface of said polyester film layer;
• a layer of adhesive on a side of said vacuum metallized aluminum layer opposite of said polyester film;
• and
• a tinted coating layer provided on a front side of said polyester film layer, the tinted coating layer being colored to provide a color rendition of the metalized aluminum layer as stainless steel, as seen through the substantially transparent polyester film layer;
• bending said sheet into a shape to form a finished panel for a substantial portion of a side of an appliance selected from the group consisting of refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, ice makers, water dispensers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.