Stainless steel

Stainless steel is available in different grades to suit different purposes. The most common are grade 304 for internal use and grade 316, commonly known as marine grade, for external use. Other grades are used for more specialist metalwork projects.

Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as mild steel, but it is not stain-proof. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment the alloy must endure. Stainless steel is used where both the properties of steel and resistance to corrosion are required.

Some of our stainless steel projects

Stainless steel differs from mild steel by the amount of chromium present. Unprotected mild steel rusts readily when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels contain sufficient chromium to form a passive film of chromium oxide, which prevents further surface corrosion and blocks corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure.

A wide variety of finishes for stainless steel are available - take a look at our finishes page for full details.