What is Corten Steel?

Corten steel‘s unique properties make it a popular choice across various industries, including architecture, construction, and landscaping. It’s often seen in large structures like bridges and iconic sculptures such as the Angel of the North. However, Corten steel isn’t limited to grand structures alone. Recently, it has become increasingly popular for creating outdoor garden products like steel planters, artwork, edging, water features, and street furniture, adding a natural and rustic aesthetic to any outdoor space. 

Wide Range of Uses: Weather-resistant steel, or Corten steel, doesn’t rust in the air, eliminating the need for paint in many structural and architectural applications. It is used in bridges, open-frame buildings, transmission towers, and sculptures. Its ability to handle high temperatures makes it ideal for flues, chimneys, and ducting.

Practical Advantages: Weathering steel offers several benefits for structures exposed to the weather:

• Very Low Maintenance: Structures require minimal checks and cleaning, making weathering steel ideal for bridges and other hard-to-access or dangerous locations where minimizing future disruptions is crucial.
• Initial Cost Benefits: Eliminating the need for protective paint systems can save money. For example, the cost of weathering steel can be about 5% less than painted steel options in bridges using a HA Type 2 paint system.
• Whole-Life Cost Benefits: Reduced maintenance requirements lower both direct maintenance costs and indirect costs such as traffic delays or rail possessions.
• Speed of Construction: Without the need for shop painting and on-site painting, overall construction time is reduced.
• Appealing Look: Mature weathering steel has an attractive appearance that harmonizes well with its surroundings, improving as it ages.
• Environmental Advantages: Future maintenance avoids issues with paint’s volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the disposal of blast-cleaning debris.
• Safety Benefits: Eliminates initial painting-related health and safety issues and reduces risks associated with maintenance.
• Benefits at High Temperatures: Weathering steels resist rusting at temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius. Even in the absence of water, a protective patina forms. Performance improvement depends on the heating cycle and environment, typically showing a 50-degree Celsius increase over the same loss in carbon manganese steels. 

Corten B is a durable weathering steel designed for large, heavy structures.

• Self-Protecting Layer: Corten B develops a protective rust layer when exposed to the elements, which prevents further corrosion and eliminates the need for painting.
• Low Maintenance: The natural rust finish typically requires minimal upkeep, offering a cost-effective alternative to other structural steels.
• Considerations for Wet Environments: In consistently wet conditions or where parts of the building are submerged or in contact with the ground, regular painting and maintenance are necessary, as the protective layer may not form effectively.