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Steel is cut by several methods, each suited to different edge quality, thickness and material: mechanical sawing and shearing use no heat, while oxy-fuel, plasma, laser and waterjet each remove metal in their own way. The right method depends on how clean and accurate the edge must be, how thick the metal is, whether heat…

Structural steel sections are the standard hot-rolled shapes that frame buildings and machines: I-beams (IPE), wide-flange H-beams (HEA and HEB), channels (UPN and UPE), angles, tees and hollow sections, in grades S235, S275 and S355. Each shape puts steel where it resists load best, so the right section carries more for less weight. The beam…

Steel angle is an L-shaped hot-rolled section, made with equal or unequal legs to EN 10056, in structural grades S235JR, S275JR and S355J2 to EN 10025-2. Its right-angle shape makes it stiff and easy to bolt or weld, which is why it is one of the most widely used sections for frames, brackets, supports and…

Black steel is hot-rolled mild carbon steel, named for the dark blue-grey mill-scale surface it leaves the rolling mill with, and supplied in structural grades such as S235, S275 and S355. It is the everyday steel of construction and fabrication: strong, weldable, easy to work and economical, but it rusts if left unprotected, so it…

Stainless steel is used wherever corrosion resistance, hygiene, strength or appearance matters: food and pharmaceutical equipment, architecture and balustrades, marine and coastal work, chemical process plant, water treatment and transport. The grade follows the application: 304 for general and indoor use, 316 for chlorides and chemicals, and duplex 2205 where strength and corrosion resistance must…

A stainless steel balustrade is installed by fixing posts securely to the structure, adding the infill (glass, bar, wire or mesh) and topping it with a handrail, all in a grade matched to the location: 304 indoors, 316 outdoors and near the coast. The heights and loadings are set by local building rules and the…

Stainless steel is finished to a defined surface, from the standard mill 2B, through brushed satin, to a full mirror polish, and the choice affects appearance, corrosion resistance and hygiene, not just looks. European finishes are designated by EN 10088-2 codes such as 2B, 2R, 2G, 2J and 2P. A smoother surface holds less dirt…

Stainless steels divide into four families: austenitic (such as 304 and 316), ferritic (such as 430), martensitic (such as 420) and duplex (such as 2205). The family sets the balance of corrosion resistance, strength, formability and cost, and within each family the grade is defined by an EN 10088 number such as 1.4301 for 304….

Stainless steel is welded by TIG or MIG under an argon shield, with a low-carbon filler matched to the grade: 308L for 304, 316L for 316 and 309L for dissimilar joints. The challenges are distortion from stainless steel’s high thermal expansion, sensitisation that can rob the weld of corrosion resistance, and oxidation that must be…

Stainless steel rusts when its protective chromium oxide layer is beaten by chlorides, contamination or trapped moisture, not because the steel is faulty. The metal defends itself with a thin, self-healing passive film, and rust appears only where that film cannot form or is broken down: in salt-laden air, where carbon steel particles are pressed…