How do I max out an equipment's armor rating (without cheats or mods)?

[TheBreakerofBads]

What are the best possible "improve smithing" enchanted equipment, potions, standing stone bonuses etc. do we have to have equipped before we create and refine a helmet, boots, or whatever.

For example, let's take a Daedric helmet, which has a base armor rating value of 23. What is the best possible armor rating and how do we create and refine it to that point?

[Willow Rivers]

Max out your enchanting skills then drink a Enchanters Philter potion (25% better enhancements for 60 secods) and enchant Fortify Smithing on the items you can.

Max out your smithing. craft your armour, wear the Fortify Smithing gear, drink a Philter of Smithing, use the workbench to improve your armour.

I am not sure of the exact number you can get that helmet too but this will be the highest you can attain without cheats and mods.

[gnewna]

Your AR will also, I believe (been a while since I've played a character with armour), get higher if you increase your relevant armour skill (and perks). So for example the exact same un-improved Daedric helmet will show a much higher AR for your character if you have 100 Heavy Armour skill and all relevant perks. On the other hand, if you have 100 Light Armour skill and all LA perks, the Daedric helmet will actually be weaker for your character than a glass helmet, and probably also Elven. (I remember being very disappointed in one playthrough when I got given a lovely set of enchanted Ebony armour as a quest reward, then realised that it was not as good compared to my moderately improved Vampire Armour because I'd got quite a high LA skill.

Oh, also, time passes when you're smithing, so make sure you drink the smithing potion then immediately improve the thing you want to improve most, as the potion will eventually wear off.

[Zsrai]

From http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Smithing - "With a base smithing skill of 100, the relevant armor smithing perk, four 29% fortify smithing enchantments, and a 130% fortify smithing potion, the effective skill equals 874.84 (item quality = Legendary 26), which yields a bonus of +92 to armor and +46 to other items." That should all be self improved gear, without looping. It looks like the highest found or bought potion is +50% and the highest enchantment is +25%, so a little lower if you don't get all crafting skills up.

Note, that number still isn't taking into effect any weapon or armor skill bonuses or perks. UESP has the formulas in each relevant skill, so you can grab a calculator. I still need my morning coffee.