Of the many types of steel alloys, stainless steel is the most widely used and durable. A ferrous alloy containing chromium, stainless steel is the ideal material for environments with corrosive, toxic, or moist conditions. There are a countless number of products, implements, and tools made from stainless steel with screws being one of the most important and widely used. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Ford Fasteners, Inc.
Fairfield, NJ | 800-272-3673Our company has a reputation for superior products, customer service, and dependability. All our fastener products are built to last, and we know that our customers appreciate our dedication to using the best materials and manufacturing techniques. If you would like to learn more about us, contact us by phone or email, or stop by our website today!
Southern Fasteners & Supply, Inc.
Winston-Salem, NC | 800-642-0921From our inventory of over 130,000 different fasteners, we know precisely which ones are right for your application. We test them for material composition and measurement accuracy. With our Vendor Management Inventory service (VMI) our Service Technicians monitor your needs and keep you fully supplied at all times. Our ISO 9001 and AS9120B certifications helps us maintain system standards that ensure the fasteners we supply are the highest quality parts available.
Affordable Fastener Supply Co.
Yorktown, VA | 757-988-8099Affordable Fastener Supply Company has worked for over 18 years to ensure that we are bringing you the most committed and quality fasteners to emphasize the manufacturing process. We make a variety of products, including our signature line of fasteners! Affordable Fastener Supply Company is SWaM and DBE Certified small minority business specializing in stainless, exotic and DOMESTIC materials! All of our trademarked products are designed to bring quality to you. For more info, call today!
G-Fast Distribution, Inc.
Highland Park, IL | 847-926-0722G-Fast brings you precision components and fasteners that are designed for commercial and military applications. We specialize in precision machined components, special fasteners, cold-formed bolts, studs and shoulder screws, deep drawn parts, metal spinning, wire forming and a whole host of other services. We’ve been doing this since 1990 and would love to see you be our next customer!
Engineered Components Company
Elgin, IL | 847-841-7000Engineered Components Company is a world-class, full-line fastener distributor offering resources to help your company compete in the market place. We promise to improve and maintain the supply of fasteners to your manufacturing facilities, eliminate downtime, and reduce your overall cost of fasteners.
Fastener Technology Corp.
North Hollywood, CA | 818-764-6467FTC is regarded by many aerospace leaders as a preferred supplier of industrial fasteners. We make a variety of innovative standard & custom high-strength aerospace fasteners & captive fasteners, such as our Magic Groove™ fully retractable, structural captive screw. World class quality in record time.
Stainless Steel Screws
Stainless steel screws have the same shape, configuration, and structure of all other screws. What sets them apart from the common screw is their exceptional durability.
What is a Stainless Steel Screw?
A stainless steel screw is a threaded tool designed to connect two surfaces made of varying types of materials. Much like all other screw types, stainless steel screws come in many different shapes, designs, and sizes. The varying types include self-tapping, wood, metal, self-drilling, and several other varieties.
Though stainless steel is a widely used term, it is a generic term that refers to several different kinds of screw materials. Stainless steel is divided into grades, each of which is manufactured for a specific application. There are grades of stainless steel for use in salt water, toxic conditions, extreme temperature applications, and many other harsh and critical conditions.
Screw Grades of Stainless Steel
Over the century, since it was first developed, stainless steel has rapidly evolved into an essential material for modern manufacturing. Every year, new and more resilient stainless steel alloys are being developed.
Stainless steel is divided into five groups or families according to its chemical and metallurgical composition. The alloys that are most used are 304 and 316; these are classified as austenitic stainless steel. Stainless steel grades 303, 304, and 316 are a combination of carbon steel, chromium, and nickel and are the two alloys used to make stainless steel screws.
Characteristics of Stainless Steel Grades 303, 304, and 316
Stainless steel grade 304, also referred to as 18-8, contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. It is highly resistant to corrosion and rust but is softer than other grades of stainless steel. Self-drilling screws for use in soft materials such as wood or plastics are made of 18-8 stainless steel.
Grade 303 is widely used in the production of screws and is similar to grade 304. It is an exceptionally machinable stainless steel; this has made it a popular choice as a screw manufacturing material. Stainless steel grade 316 is a hardened form of stainless steel and is used to produce larger screws for extremely harsh and severe weather conditions. Grade 316 has higher corrosion resistance than grades 304 and 303 and is used to produce hex cap screws, self-drilling screws, and U-drive screws.
Screws Made of Stainless Steel
There is a very long list of screws types that are made of stainless due to its high resiliency and durability.
Stainless steel decking screws are used for more than securing the deck on a house. The corrosion and rust resistance of stainless steel screws make them ideal for fastening decking material on ships and boats. They are widely used in the shipbuilding industry.
Self-drilling screws made of stainless steel are used in construction due to their resistance to corrosion, rust, and wearing. The ease with which self-drilling screws can be applied to fastening projects is the second reason for their use. Several varieties of stainless steel are used to make self-drilling screws, including 304 and 316.
Hex cap screws are bolts that have a hexagonal top or drive. They are used for wood and metal projects and have small, tiny threads; this makes them ideal for home improvement projects or for securing exterior surfaces. Hex cap screws have a built in washer located just below the drive head.
Stainless Steel Screws
The few screws listed here are just some of the many hundreds of screws that are made of stainless steel. Fastener engineers and manufacturers use stainless steel to produce their products because of its stability and other characteristics. The versatility of stainless steel and its ability to withstand severe and harsh conditions has made it the number one choice for manufacturers of durable, resilient, and long lasting fasteners.
