Weathering Steel (Corten Steel) Coatings
Weathering / Corten Steel is a type of steel coating with a slow rate of corrosion.
The corroded surface offers a protective self-regenerating coating to the underlying material, similar to how oxides form on the surface of bare aluminium protecting the material underneath.
(Left) MDF board, (Middle) Corten Metal Sprayed Coating on MDF, (Right) Weathered Corten Sprayed Coating on MDF
Weathering steel often finds use in outdoor sculptures & architecture due to its ability to withstand wind, salt and water: the Leeds broadcasting tower (below), the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford upon Avon and the famous Angel of the North (above) all use this material for its distinctive colouring and protective features.
Weathering steel is also popular in the construction of Intermodal Shipping Containers.
Due to the slow rate of corrosion (when compared to other steels), in some environments it may take up to 6 months for the rusted appearance to form. When used for architectural or decorative purposes it may be beneficial to use a chemical catalyst to speed up this process to achieve the required finish in as little as a few hours. The beauty of this material is the natural inconsistencies in the final finish.
