Which Stainless Steel is right for me?

There are many different grades of Stainless Steel.  The most common are 304 and 316.  Some fasteners are also made in 303, 410, 420 and 430 as well as more corrosively resistant grades such as Bumax (2343) and 2205.  The following is an approximate guideline:

For Internal Applications:

• 304 (commonly available in almost all fasteners)
• 303 (used for some machined items, e.g Shaft Collars)
• 410 (used for some Hardened items, e.g some Self Drilling Screws)
• 420 (Used for some spring items, e.g Tension Pins)

Less demanding external applications (rural):

• 304 (commonly available with almost all fasteners)

Demanding external applications (Marine)

• 316 (commonly available with most fasteners)

Severe Marine or Industrial applications

• smooth frequently washed 316 (commonly available with most fasteners)
• Bumax 88 and Bumax 109 (some sizes available in Fasteners)
• Higher grade alloys such as 2205 (made to order) see our special alloys section

Cleaning Frequency

This will depend very much on the local environment the material will be in but experience indicates that the following frequency of cleaning is sufficient to maintain the good looks of stainless sheet.

For more information see our Cleaning & Maintenance Guide.