Stainless Steel v Galvanised Steel
Hot dip galvanising involves immersing clean steel into molten zinc to obtain a coating that is metallurgically bonded to it. The process has been perfected over 150 years and provides a cost-effective way to protect steel from corrosion in the medium and long term.
Stainless steel is created by mixing a minimum of 10% chromium with carbon steel when both are in a molten state. This mixture of metals creates a composite that therefore can provide a greater overall corrosive resistance.
Benefits of Stainless Steel
Durability: If galvanised steel is scratched or damaged it can prematurely compromise the integrity of the surface, resulting in rust forming and the potential failure of surface finishes such as powder coating.
By contrast, stainless steel retains its anti-corrosive properties for much longer, even when scratched, as the important chromium is an intrinsic part of the material itself.
Chemical resistance: Stainless steel in general is highly resistant to chemicals. There are various grades available that further enhance this resistance.
Easy to clean: Stainless steel does not breed bacteria easily and is easy to wipe clean, making it ideal for hygiene-sensitive applications.
Appearance: Stainless steel is most often supplied with a satin brushed finish. It can however also be fully mirror polished, or even embossed with various patterns. Wherever it is used, it is guaranteed to add a prestigious look and feel to any project.
Which Stainless Steel Grade Should You Choose?
Many varying grades of stainless steel are produced for specific requirements by altering the recipe of other alloyed additive elements. Austenitic stainless steel is the most common and within this family the two most popular defined grades are 304 and 316.
Grade 304 stainless steel has a 18-20% chromium along with 8-10.5% nickel. It’s probably the most common grade used in manufacturing and therefore most widely available. It provides excellent corrosion resistance making it suitable for use in a variety of applications:
• Kitchen appliances
• Commercial food preparation areas
• Heat exchangers
Grade 316 has a similar composition but with the addition of 2-3% molybdenum. The introduction of this provides an event greater corrosive resistance, notably from chlorides and seawater. Typical applications include:
• Marine equipment
• Architectural building panels
• Chemical storage and manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical industry
Metador choose Grade 304 stainless steel as standard for the Defender Inox doorset to provide the best balance of performance against cost, however we also offer Grade 316 for customers who require the ultimate corrosion resistance and durability.
Stainless Steel and Maintenance
It’s important to implement a schedule of regular cleaning & maintenance to avoid build up of harmful deposits that could cause staining and ensure your doorset continues to look great throughout its complete lifespan.
Fire Resistance
Metador have successfully completed a 120 minute fire test to BS EN 1634 on a large double Defender Inox doorset in ‘unlatched’ configuration. The tested doors also incorporated substantial vision panels with custom-made stainless steel glazing cassettes.
What More Do You Need?
Our doors are all bespoke and therefore made to your unique requirements.
For external use a variety of threshold options are available, and for internal doors we can add a fully concealed automatic drop-down seal to control the spread of smoke and provide improved acoustic performance.
A full range of complementary hardware options are available in stainless steel to enhance the performance and operation of the Defender Inox doorset, for example door closers with full stainless steel covers, designer pull handles and signage, electronic & mechanical locking options.
As well as a standard astragal edged door, square-edged door leaves (non-fire rated) are available and are suitable for internal doors in infection-control/wash-down applications.
Peace of Mind
Our commitment to innovation allows you to have peace of mind, and whether you choose to install the Defender Inox internally or externally, it will be sure to deliver superlative durability and security in stunning style.
