ABOUT CORTEN
Corten or (COR-TEN) steel is an architectural weathering steel that develops a protective and attractive rusty appearance when exposed to weather. Corten can also be referred to as Atmospheric Corrosion Resistant Steel.
Corten is resistant to rain, snow, ice, and general weather, making the need to use painted or powder-coated finishes obsolete. When forming an oxidised layer Corten will produce a dark brown to orange brown appearance when fully weathered.
GRADES A588 & A606-4
Corten A588 and A606-4 are both Weathering Steel.
A588 is available in Steel Plate and starts at 5mm and above, while A606-4 is generally for thicknesses below this.
CAN CORTEN BE WELDED?
Yes, Corten and Weathering Steel can be welded using the welding wire or rod with the same tensile strength of the base metal. The typical tensile strength of Corten is 68-78 KSI. Only welding Weathering Steels of the same type and grade is recommended to avoid a reaction between metals of differing types.
CORTEN vs GALVANISED AND PLASTICOAT ROOFING
Corten contains Copper, Chromium, Manganese, and Nickel which makes this material more expensive, however Corten resists the corrosive effects of weathering by forming an oxidised coating producing a dark brown patina over the metal which inhibits corrosion into the Corten material and negates the requirement for painting or applying other protective coatings, which would need to be re-applied or require further maintenance over coming years.
Corten roofing can be supplied as complete Corten Coils or Flat Sheets, or in pre-formed corrugated Corten Panels.
UNDERLAY FOR USE WITH CORTEN ROOFING AND FACADE
A high temperature underlay is recommended for use with Corten material.
WILL THE RUST CAUSE STAINING TO THE SURROUNDING AREA?
Yes, rust run-off can cause staining during the oxidation process and run-off control should be allowed for.
COLOUR MATCHED FIXINGS
Screws, Bolts and Fixings for Corten can be colour coded with powder-coated heads to match in with chosen Corten Weathering finish.
CORTEN SHEET & PLATE
Corten sheet can be supplied from 0.7mm to Corten Plate of thicknesses including and above 127mm (5”), according to your design requirements.
CORTEN COIL OR FLAT SHEETS?
Corten Coil is generally used where a thinner gauge is required to allow the material to be formed into panels. Corten Flat Sheets have wide uses from Landscaping to Architectural and Construction.
CLEARCOAT FINISHES FOR ARCHITECTURAL USE
Corten sheets and other Corten sections can be treated with Clearcoats or various forms. Some that we offer range from 2-pack and Cellulose Clear Coats to Crystal Epoxy.
Before applying a Clear Coat, the oxidation of the Corten patina must be fully formed, and any moisture from the Corten allowed to dry out naturaly or be removed, as this can affect the adhesion and finish of the clearcoat.
We would always recommend testing your Clear Coat on spare material before applying to finished products.
DOES IT COME PRE-RUSTED?
No, Corten comes as a standard black/grey finish that will oxidise naturally over time. For architectural use this can be accelerated with a finishing accelerant, which can be useful on architectural Corten for internal use.
WHAT IS THE LIFESPAN OF CORTEN & WEATHERING STEEL?
There is no specific answer as it depends on the surrounding environment, the installation, thickness of material etc.
CORTEN A & B
A 242 grade is referred to as CORTEN A, while A 588 is referred to as CORTEN B.
ARE CORTEN SECTIONS AVAILABLE?
Yes, Corten is available as:
- Corten Tube
- Corten Box
- Corten Channel
- Corten Bar
- Corten Beam
- Corten Column
BESPOKE CORTEN & PERFORATED CORTEN
Corten can be supplied in Perforated and Mesh forms, along with Corten Expanded Metal. All of these can be supplied as standard dimensions or to bespoke requirements.
Please refer to our ranges of:
- Corten Mesh
- Corten Perforated Sheet
- Corten Expanded Metal Sheet
- Corrugated Corten