In today’s market, the quality of the screws you buy is vitally important. In general, screws are made from low to medium carbon steel wire, but this is not always the case. In some instances, other metals can be used including the likes of brass, steel, stainless steel and aluminum alloy. Choosing the wrong metal screw for the job will only result in the material cracking, splitting or the fastening being unreliable. It’s best to now which metal screw is best suited for the fastening job at hand, before you get started. If a finish is applied to the screw, it’s important to ensure that it is compatible with the screw metal and of course the material that the screw is fastening. Steel screws are very often plated or coated with cadmium, nickel, chromium or zinc – all of which provide additional protection for the screw.
Let’s take a quick look at the different material types to choose from:
Stainless Steel Screws
Stainless steel screws are popular for their corrosion resistance. They consist of low carbon steel and chromium and are considered to be highly durable. There are various grades of stainless steel screws on the market including 18-8, 316 and 410.
Steel Screws
Steel screws are typically available plain or with a surface treatment such as galvanizing, chrome plating or zinc plating. There are 4 main steel screw grades on the market which are grades 2, 5, 8 and alloy steel. To improve on corrosion resistance, grade 2, 5 and 8 are often plated with zinc and appear blue or yellow in color as a result.
Brass Screws
Brass screws consist mainly of copper and zinc alloys. Brass as a material is extremely resistant to corrosion and is also a good conductor of electricity. Brass screws are unfortunately quite soft when compared to other fasteners. As such, they are more an aesthetic screw than an actual fastener.
Aluminium Screws
Aluminium screws are lightweight and corrosion resistant which makes them a popular choice. If the screw is scratched and nicked during installation, it will not lose its corrosion resistance. To increase strength and melting point, aluminium screws often have other elements added to them such as silicon, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and so on.
Buy best quality metal screws at Marsh Fasteners
If you’re looking for top quality metal screws as fasteners, find them right here at Marsh Fasteners. We have a wide selection of stainless steel screws and other metal screws for you to choose from. For more information and advice, simply contact us via email or telephone at Marsh Fasteners today.
