5 TOP TIPS
CHOOSE A STEEL AND FINISH THAT LASTS
FIVE TOP TIPS
CHOOSE A STEEL AND FINISH THAT LASTS
BY URBAN STREET DESIGNS
Choosing materials is an important consideration in all well designed products, for structural stability, finish and longevity. When it comes to steel and
its properties we at Urban Street Designs have a vast knowledge and often get queries about corrosion and the life expectancy of our steel
architectural products, below are five of our top tips to help you when specifying steel for a product or project.
1. STAINLESS STEEL GRADES –
PICKING THE RIGHT GRADE
When specifying a material grade in
architectural stainless steel products it
is easy to be over cautious. The two most
common grades speciied in the designs
we receive are 304 and 316, the only real
diference between the two being 2-3% of
molybdenum which gives 316 an increased
corrosion resistance to chlorides like sea
water and de-icing salts. If there is one
piece of advice we give to our customers
it is that unless your product is going in a
coastal area or in areas with high chloride
exposure then 304 is aesthetically identical
and more than suitable, leaving you with
more resources to allocate elsewhere in
your projects.
2. HOT DIP GALVANISING –
AVERAGE CORROSION RATES
We all know the beneits of Hot Dip
Galvanising with its long life expectancy
and zero maintenance, but how long does
it actually last? This is a question we get
asked quite a lot. Hot Dip Galvanising
has an average coating of 85 microns and
depending on its environment depends
on it corrosion resistance, for example
the majority of Central London has an
average corrosion rate of 1 micron per year,
meaning its average life span is 85 years.
The website www.galvanizing.org.uk has a
corrosion map which will tell you the exact
corrosion rate of your projects location;
this is a great tool for everyone in the
industry to have.
3. CORTEN – THE NATURALLY
WEATHERING STEEL
What is not to love about Corten, it’s a high
strength, low alloy, weldable structural
steel, possessing excellent weathering
resistance. Its corrosion resistance builds
up when it oxidises and forms a coherent
patina that adheres to the surface, creating
a reddish brown hue. When speciied in a
project it is often because the designer likes
the aesthetics of the Corten patina, which
in normal weather conditions can take 18
to 36 months to stabilise. Urban Street
Designs use a special in-house process to
help speed the patina up, we also encourage
good ventilation to be designed into the
product as the patina relies on the surface
being routinely dried.
which is a pre-coated mild steel. We can
also put a zinc rich primer on any product
and with a layer of powder-coat on top
you can give your product up to a 25 year
life span. This is a great cost efective
alternative to galvanising.
5. JUST ASK!
No one can be an expert in everything,
talking to people in the industry is the
fastest way to increase your knowledge.
We pride ourselves on being experts in our
industry, so when specifying material to a
product or project, Urban Street Designs
have a full team of designers and engineers
to give advice and discuss any queries
you have.
4. ZINC RICH PRIMING AND
POWDER-COATING
If your product is made from 3mm thick
material or less we can use zintec steel
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Urban Street Designs have over 35 years of engineering skill and expertise and have been providing a first class service within the industry since 1985. Our customers include architects,
construction companies and local government to name but a few. All of our products are manufactured on site in the UK.
www.urbanstreetdesigns.co.uk
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Landscape Insight | December 2017