Materials and Coatings Available for Wood Construction Connectors
updated 5/17/2017
Simpson Strong-Tie® connectors, anchors and fasteners feature a wide range of materials and coatings designed to meet specific performance criteria. It is important to select a material and/or coating that is suitable for the intended application and environment based upon factors such as corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the material. For more information on selecting connectors, anchors and fasteners based upon corrosion resistance, please see General Corrosion Risks, Guidelines for Selecting the Proper Materials and Coatings, Materials and Coatings Available – Connectors, and Materials and Coatings Available – Fasteners for more information on selecting products based on corrosion resistance.
Not all products are available in all finishes. Contact Simpson Strong-Tie for product availability, ordering information and lead times.
| Finish/Material | Description | Level of Corrosion Resistance |
|---|---|---|
| Connectors | ||
| Gray Paint | Water-based paint intended to protect the product while it is warehoused and in transit to the jobsite. | Low |
| Powder Coating | Baked-on paint finish that is more durable than our standard paint and produces a better-looking finished product. | Low |
| Galvanized | Standard (G90) zinc-galvanized coating containing 0.90 oz. of zinc per square foot of surface area (total both sides). | Low |
 |
Galvanized (G185) 1.85 oz. of zinc per square foot of surface area (hot-dip galvanized per ASTM A653 total both sides). These products require hot-dip galvanized fasteners (fasteners which meet the specifications of ASTM A153). Products with a powder-coat finish over a ZMAX base have the same level of corrosion resistance. | Medium |
 |
Products are hot-dip galvanized after fabrication (14 ga. and thicker). The coating weight increases with material thickness. The minimum average coating weight is 2.0 oz./ft2 (per ASTM A123 total both sides). These products require hot-dip galvanized fasteners (fasteners which meet the specifications of ASTM A153). Anchor bolts are hot-dip galvanized per ASTM F2329. | Medium |
 Type 316L Stainless Steel |
Type 316L stainless steel is a nickel-chromium austenitic grade of stainless steel with 2-3% Molybdenum. Type 316L stainless steel is not hardened by heat treatment and is inherently nonmagnetic. It provides a level of corrosion protection suitable for severe environments, especially environments with chlorides. Type 316L stainless-steel fasteners are compliant with the 2012 and 2015 IBC and IRC. | High/Severe |
| Fasteners | ||
| Electrocoating (E-Coat™) |
Electrocoating utilizes electrical current to deposit the coating material on the fastener. After application, the coating is cured in an oven. Electrocoating provides a minimum amount of corrosion protection and is recommended for dry, non-corrosive applications only. | Low |
| Type 410 Stainless Steel with Protective Top Coat | Carbon martensitic grade of stainless steel which is inherently magnetic, with an added protective top coat. This material can be used in mild atmospheres and many mild chemical environments. | Medium |
| Mechanically Galvanized Coating, Class 55 | Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Drive® SD Connector screws are manufactured with a mechanically-applied zinc coating in accordance with ASTM B695, Class 55 with a supplemental overcoat. These fasteners are compatible with painted and zinc-coated (G90 and ZMAX) connectors. | Medium |
| Double-Barrier Coating | Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Drive SDS Heavy-Duty Connector screws are manufactured with two different finishes that together provide a level of corrosion protection that equals that provided by the previous HDG coating. | Medium |
ASTM A153, Class C |
Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Drive Timber-Hex screws are hot-dip galvanized in accordance with ASTM A153, Class C. Hot-dip galvanized fasteners have a minimum average of 1.25 oz./ft.2 of zinc coating. Hot-dip galvanized fasteners are compliant with the 2012 and 2015 IRC (R317.3) and IBC. | High/Severe |