Materials and Coatings Available for Wood Construction Connectors
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.
| Level of Corrosion Resistance | Coating or Material | Description | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connectors | Fastener Material or Finish | ||||
| Low | Gray or Black Paint | Organic paint intended to protect the product while it is warehoused and in transit to the jobsite. | Bright, Hot-Dip Galvanized, Mechanically Galvanized, or Double-Barrier Coating | ||
| Powder Coating | Baked-on paint finish that is more durable than standard paint. | ||||
| Galvanized | Standard (G90) zinc-galvanized coating containing 0.90 oz. of zinc per square foot of surface area (total both sides). | ||||
| Medium |  |
Galvanized (G185) 1.85 oz. of zinc per square foot of surface area (hot-dip galvanized per ASTM A653) total for both sides. Products with a powder-coat finish over a ZMAX® base have the same level of corrosion resistance. | Hot-Dip Galvanized, Mechanically Galvanized, or Double-Barrier Coating * Bright fasteners may be used with ZMAX or HDG connectors where low corrosion resistance is allowed. |
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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./ft.2 (per ASTM A123) total for both sides. Anchor bolts are hot-dip galvanized per ASTM F2329. | ||||
| High/Severe |  Type 316 Stainless Steel |
Type 316 stainless steel is a nickel-chromium austenitic grade of stainless steel with 2–3% molybdenum. Type 316 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 316 Stainless Steel | ||
| Fasteners | Applicable Products | ||||
| Low | Bright | No surface coating. | Nails | ||
| 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, low-corrosive applications. | Strong-Drive® SDWF, SDW and SDWV screws | |||
| Clear and Bright Zinc, ASTM F1941 | Zinc coatings applied by electrogalvanizing processes to fasteners that are used in dry service and with no environmental or material corrosion hazard. | SD8 Wafer Head Screw | |||
| Medium | Zinc Plating with Baked-On Ceramic Coating | A baked ceramic barrier coating applied over top of electroplated zinc provides increased protection in mildly corrosive environments. | Titen Turbo™ Concrete and Masonry Screw | ||
| ASTM A153, Class D |
Hot-dip galvanized fasteners 3/8" and smaller in diameter in accordance with ASTM A153, Class D. Hot-dip galvanized fasteners are compliant with the 2015, 2018 and 2021 IRC and IBC. | Strong-Drive SCN Nail | |||
| Type 410 Stainless Steel with Protective Top Coat | Carbon martensitic grade of stainless steel that is inherently magnetic, with an added protective top coat. This material can be used in mild atmospheres and many mild chemical environments. | Titen Stainless-Steel Concrete and Masonry Screw | |||
| Mechanically Galvanized Coating, ASTM B695, 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. | Strong-Drive SD Connector Screw | |||
| Double-Barrier Coating | Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Drive SDS Heavy-Duty Connector screws and Outdoor Accents® structural wood screws are manufactured with double-barrier coating that provides a level of corrosion protection equaling that provided by HDG coating. | Strong-Drive SDS Connector Screw Outdoor Accents Connector Screw and Structural Wood Screw |
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| High/Severe | ASTM A153, Class C |
Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Drive Timber-Hex screws are hot-dip galvanized in accordance with ASTM A153, Class C. These hot-dip galvanized fasteners have a minimum average of 1.25 oz./ft.2 of zinc coating and are compliant with the 2015 and 2018 IRC (R317.3) and IBC. | Strong-Drive Timber-Hex HDG Screw | ||
| Type 316 Stainless Steel |
Type 316 stainless steel is a nickel-chromium austenitic grade of stainless steel with 2–3% molybdenum. It provides a level of corrosion protection suitable for severe environments, especially environments with chlorides. Type 316 stainless steel fasteners are compliant with the 2015, 2018 and 2021 IRC and IBC. | Strong-Drive SCNR Connector Nail Strong-Drive SDS Heavy-Duty Connector Screw Strong-Drive SD Connector SS Screw Strong-Drive SDWS Timber SS Screw |
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