What Is Weathering Steel

Weathering steel is a type of alloy steel, which can form a relatively dense rust layer on the surface after several years of outdoor exposure, so it does not require paint protection. Weather-resistant steel is best known as "COR-TEN" with the abbreviation of "Corrosion resistance" and "Tensile strength", so it is often referred to as "Corten Steel" in English.

Corten steel, also called Cor-Ten steel, is a weathering steel that resists corrosion but is not rust-proof. This steel alloy is widely used in landscaping and other outdoor applications because it forms a protective layer of rust after approximately six months of exposure to moisture and oxygen.

Weathering steel is a family of low carbon steels that have additional alloying elements mixed in with the carbon and iron atoms. These alloying elements give weathering steel better strength and more corrosion resistance than typical low carbon steel grades. As a result, weathering steel is commonly used in outdoor applications or environments where normal steel would be inclined to rust.