SPA-H Corten Steel Plate
SPA-H grade weathering plate for bare exposed and long recoating interval structures
Specifications
Alloy Steel Sheet
Corten Weathering Steel Plate for Bridges and Highway Structures
Atmospheric corrosion resistant plate that builds its own protective rust instead of paint
Corten steel plate, also called weather resistant or weathering steel plate, is a low alloy steel that sits between carbon steel and stainless steel and resists atmospheric corrosion. Ordinary carbon steel is given small additions of copper nickel and other corrosion resistant elements so that the first layer of rust turns into a dense protective film instead of continuing to eat into the section. It is specified by bridge and highway authorities sign and guard rail fabricators and architects who would otherwise commit to a repainting cycle for the life of the structure. Supplying it from 0.1mm to 10mm in Q235NH Q355NH SPAH 09CuPCrNi-A Grade K S235W and S355W means a thin cladding panel and a structural member can be ordered against one material family.
- Product Name — Corten Steel Plate
- Also Known As — Weather resistant steel plate atmospheric corrosion resistant steel
- Material — Q235NH Q355NH SPAH 09CuPCrNi-A Grade K S235W S355W
- Grade — Q235NH Q355NH SPAH 09CuPCrNi-A Grade K S235W S355W
- Standards — BS EN GB AISI ASTM DIN JIS
Why It Is Specified
Key Benefits of Corten Steel Plate
Rust That Stops the Next Layer of Rust
Bare weathering steel rusts at first like ordinary steel, then the alloy elements build a dense protective rust on the surface that inhibits further corrosion.
Weather Resistance Stated Against Carbon Steel
Weather resistance is stated at 2-8 times that of ordinary carbon steel, which is the figure that justifies leaving a structure uncoated.
Paintability Where a Coating Is Still Wanted
Paintability is stated at 1.5-10 times that of ordinary carbon steel and the coating film has a long life, so recoating intervals stretch out when paint is specified.
Thinner Sections for the Same Service Life
Corrosion resistance allows thinning and consumption reduction in the design, so the structure carries less steel for the same intended life.
Welded With Methods You Already Run
Welding is straightforward by manual or submerged arc welding, and thin material can also be spot welded, so no new equipment is needed.
Worked Like Ordinary Steel of the Same Strength
Cold working hot working and gas cutting behave much as they do on ordinary steel at the same strength level, which keeps shop practice unchanged.
Problems It Solves
What This Material Removes From Your Process
Repainting Structures That Are Hard to Reach
Bridge soffits gantries and tall poles cost more in access than in paint. A bare weathering plate removes the recoating task from the maintenance plan.
Corrosion Allowance Adding Weight to the Design
Designers add thickness to carbon steel to survive corrosion. Weathering steel supports thinning and consumption reduction while keeping the intended life.
Coating Failures in Aggressive Atmospheres
Paint on ordinary carbon steel breaks down and undercuts. The dense protective rust forms as part of the material rather than sitting on top of it.
Choosing Between Carbon and Stainless
Stainless is often bought simply to avoid painting. Weathering plate sits between carbon steel and stainless and covers exposed structural duty at a lower material cost.
Labor and Energy Spent on Maintenance
Reduced recoating cuts labor and energy over the service life, which is where the running cost of a painted structure actually accumulates.
Application Scenarios
Where It Is Used
Highway and Road Bridges
Girders and deck components on bridges where access for repainting is difficult and traffic closures make maintenance expensive.
Guard Rails and Barriers
Roadside guard rail sections exposed to weather and spray that would strip a paint system within a few seasons.
Sign Poles and Gantries
Sign poles and support structures along highways, left bare so the protective rust does the work of a coating.
Highway Structures and Street Furniture
Posts frames and enclosures on highway projects where the settled color of the protective rust is accepted as the finish.
Architectural Facade and Cladding Panels
Thin plate down to 0.1mm used bare for its sedate rust color where the aesthetic effect is part of the specification.
Structures With Long Recoating Cycles
Painted assets where the owner wants the long film life and reduced recoating cost rather than a fully bare surface.
Who It Is For
Buyers Who Specify This Product
- Bridge fabricators buying weathering plate for girders that will never be repainted
- Highway contractors buying guard rail and sign pole stock in a bare exposed grade
- Architects and facade subcontractors buying thin plate for its protective rust finish
- Structural steel shops quoting projects specified in S355W Q355NH or 09CuPCrNi-A
- Asset owners costing maintenance over the life of a structure rather than at first build
- Stockists carrying a weathering grade alongside ordinary structural plate
Technical Data
Specifications and Technical Features
Values below come from the product data published by Shandong Tianyu Metal Products. Confirm the exact grade and size against your order.
| Product Name | Corten Steel Plate |
|---|---|
| Also Known As | Weather resistant steel plate atmospheric corrosion resistant steel |
| Material | Q235NH Q355NH SPAH 09CuPCrNi-A Grade K S235W S355W |
| Grade | Q235NH Q355NH SPAH 09CuPCrNi-A Grade K S235W S355W |
| Standards | BS EN GB AISI ASTM DIN JIS |
| Thickness | 0.1-10mm |
| Thickness Customized | 0-100mm |
| Width | Customized as required |
| Size | Customized |
| Technique | Q+T hot rolled normalized |
| Surface | Nature or painted |
| Application | Bridges guard rails sign poles highway structures |
| Place of Origin | China |
| Processing Service | Bending welding decoiling cutting punching |
| Certificate | Mill test certificate |
Technical Features
- Low alloy atmospheric corrosion resistant steel between carbon steel and stainless steel
- Grades Q235NH Q355NH SPAH 09CuPCrNi-A Grade K S235W and S355W
- Standards BS EN GB AISI ASTM DIN and JIS
- Thickness 0.1mm-10mm or customized as required
- Technique Q+T hot rolled or normalized
- Copper and nickel additions to form the protective rust layer
- Weather resistance stated at 2-8 times ordinary carbon steel
- Processing service bending welding decoiling cutting and punching
Materials
- Low alloy weathering steel based on ordinary carbon steel with corrosion resistant additions
- Copper and nickel alloying that builds the dense protective rust layer
- Chinese grades Q235NH Q355NH and 09CuPCrNi-A
- European grades S235W and S355W and Japanese grade SPAH
- Plate supplied in Q+T hot rolled or normalized condition
Certification
- Mill test certificate supplied with each shipment
Manufacturing
How It Is Made and Processed
Steelmaking with copper nickel and other corrosion resistant additions
Hot rolling to plate thickness
Normalizing or quenching and tempering depending on the grade ordered
Cutting to plate size including gas cutting
Optional cold or hot forming to the required profile
Bending welding decoiling and punching on request
Marking packing and loading for export
Quality Control
Checks Before It Ships
- Mill test certificate issued against the ordered weathering grade
- Thickness verified within the ordered range before cutting
- Plate surface inspected for rolling defects and handling damage
- Cut sizes checked against the cutting list before packing
- Grade marking applied so bare plate can be identified on site
- Edge and corner protection checked before loading
Customization
What We Can Change on Your Order
- Thickness selected from 0.1mm for cladding up to heavier structural plate
- Grade matched to the national standard used in the project specification
- Plate cut to the fabrication drawing before shipment
- Bending and forming to profile for guard rail and post sections
- Bolt hole punching to your drawing
- Supplied bare for natural weathering or painted where a coating is specified
Comparison
Corten Steel Plate Against the Alternatives
| Ordinary carbon steel plate | Weather resistance is stated at 2-8 times that of ordinary carbon steel and paintability at 1.5-10 times, so both bare and painted service life improve. |
|---|---|
| Galvanized structural steel | There is no zinc layer to burn off at welds or to repair after cutting, and plate up to the ordered thickness is handled on ordinary shop equipment. |
| Stainless steel plate | Weathering steel is a low alloy series between carbon steel and stainless, giving exposed service without the alloy cost of a stainless section. |
| Painted carbon steel with a recoating program | The protective rust forms as part of the steel, which removes the access scaffolding and traffic management that each repaint cycle needs. |
Use Guide
Specifying Handling and Welding Notes
- Design drainage so water runs off rather than sitting on the plate while the protective rust forms
- Expect the bare surface to change color through the first weathering period before it settles
- Weld with manual or submerged arc methods and spot weld only on the thin materials
- Use gas cutting and cold or hot working in the same way as on ordinary steel of the same strength level
- Where paint is still specified take advantage of the long film life and set a longer recoating interval
- Ask for the mill test certificate so the weathering grade is documented for the project file
Questions Buyers Ask
Corten Steel Plate FAQ
What thickness range do you supply in Corten plate?
From 0.1mm to 10mm as standard, and customized sizes are available up to heavier plate. Send the fabrication drawing and we will confirm what can be rolled and cut.
Does Corten steel really need no painting?
With bare specifications the plate rusts first like ordinary steel, then a dense protective rust forms and inhibits further rusting, so it can be used without any coating.
How much better is the corrosion resistance than carbon steel?
Weather resistance is stated at 2-8 times that of ordinary carbon steel. Paintability is stated at 1.5-10 times, which matters where a coating is still required.
Which grades are covered?
Q235NH Q355NH SPAH 09CuPCrNi-A Grade K S235W and S355W. Tell us the standard the project is written to and the certificate will be issued against that grade.
Can we weld and cut it in our normal shop?
Yes. Manual and submerged arc welding both work, thin material can be spot welded, and cold working hot working and gas cutting behave as on ordinary steel of the same strength level.
Can you cut plates to our sizes before shipping?
Yes. Processing covers cutting bending welding decoiling and punching, so plates can arrive cut to the fabrication list rather than as full sheets.
Is a sample plate available?
Samples are available. Give the grade and thickness you want to weather test and we will confirm what can be released.
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