What’s the difference between stainless steel and carbon steel?
Whilst the fasteners on a project only account for a small percentage of the overall cost, the failure of a fastener due to corrosion can have major implications for everyone involved, from the initial specification to final installation.
There is however confusion over which fasteners best guard against corrosion. So what is the difference between stainless steel and carbon steel fasteners?
Carbon steel fasteners have no natural protection against corrosion. In order to guard against corrosion they must be protected with an anti-corrosion layer, such as paint or plastic films. These protective coatings only offer temporary resistance against corrosion and can be easily damaged, especially during installation.
Whereas austenitic stainless steel fasteners have an inbuilt Chromium Oxide layer that seals the metal surface, dramatically reducing corrosion. They need no further protection in all but the most aggressive environments.
Ensuring that you have specified the right fastener for the job can be tricky but by using stainless steel fasteners you are genuinely reducing the chance of corrosion and the failing of a building.
Our products use austenitic stainless steel to ensure that the buildings they are used on won’t fail due to corrosion. Our ‘Rusty Screw’ brochure contains further details about how corrosion occurs and the serious implications it can have on the specifier. A link to which can be found on the left.
We also run regular CPDs that highlight the issue of corrosion with the fasteners used for the building. To book one of our CPDs click on the link to the left.
How can we help you?
For more information on the difference between stainless steel and carbon steel contact our technical consultants.