CORTEN Steel which is also called COR-TEN or weathering steel is one of the most popular materials in building and construction industry. The COR part of the word refers to metal’s property of corrosion resistant and the TEN denotes the material’s tensile strength. This material is very applicable and widely used in landscaping, exterior cladding and other outdoor applications such as garden sculptures, stairways, artificial fountains, storage etc. This product is a steel alloy which contains zinc after having galvanization process.

This material is perfect for creating an architectural masterpiece for roofing and cladding projects and it can allow the designer to combine the best of the old with modern innovation and create something extremely aesthetic. COR-TEN offers an age-old rustic look which can add stunning contrast to the appearance of the building. This cladding material is extremely robust metal which provides high structural strength despites its thickness which is ¼ inch. In addition, it is a lighter weight material and need lower maintenance in comparison to other metal materials in market. The texture, color and its specifications quality such as having ability to be bent, laser cut and weld, make it suitable for any application which demands a spectacular and unique visual statement. From gardens to office buildings and mentions or holiday homes, this material can deliver function and image in one package.

CORTEN Steel has the ability to form a protective layer of rust after being exposed to moisture, humidity and oxygen for approximately six months. Since the created rust layer protects the material from the further damage and corrosion, additional painting or weatherproofing is not required. In addition, this ability can bring unique and rustic look to the cladding. It is important to note that in order to have this protective layer, this steel requires exposure to wet-dry cycles. If this material is buried in a wet grounds or submerged in water, it cannot form the additional rust layer. Areas which are close to ocean may also prevent the forming of the protective film. However, the anti-corrosion characteristic of this material is superior to those of ordinary and general steels in many applications including industrial projects exposed to exhaust products from fuels which contain Sulphur or scaling at high temperature.

Sealing CORTEN Steel

There are variety of CORTEN steel profiles available which include interlocking panel, standing seam, traditional corrugated and snap lock. These cladding profiles are strong architectural lines which are very eye catching with their rich earth colored patina. There are other industrial products which are made from this material such as CORTEN plate, flat sheets, coil, flat bar, tube, pipe, angle, channels, beams, perforated panels etc. However, in some cases, sealing CORTEN steel will be necessary in order to avoid extra damage and expenditure. Here are the important things to know about corten steel sealing method.

  • Finding the best coat sealant which is compatible with the CORTEN steel is the prior task to do for both small residential and big commercial facilities.
  • Clearing sealants are not 100% accurate sealer. It is a fact that this steel is a natural weathering metal, however it does always react differently depending on many factors such has batch, profile, thickness, shape of fabricated item, location in which the façade is installed, chemicals or residue on the existing sheet, the time period in which the sheet has been weathered before clearing apply and many other.
  • Using a clear coat sealer which is utilized for numerous times on screens, claddings and other fabricated product and has very high success rate and other costumer’s satisfaction is recommended.
  • As a standard corten steel sealing method, all CORTEN products must receive a minimum of one or two coats. This depends on the factors which were told earlier.
  • Each coat of applied clear adds extra protection to the CORTEN steel panel. This definitely increases the limitation and elimination of the rust run off and leach. Thus, in areas which have high humidity level, adding more than two coating layers could be helpful. In general, each layer of clearing material cause additional cost once the standard amount of coats has been already used.
  • Every time a coat of clear is utilized, the CORTEN Steel will change it colors and will appear more dark. It can even have brownish or reddish, as opposed to the powdery orange color finish.
  • It is important to have in mind that once this steel is sealed, it will not weather anymore and it will remain the way it is arrived.