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Welding Electrode for Corten Steel 4

dik

Structural
Apr 13, 2001
25,967
What type of electrode would you use for fillet welding of Corten Steel? SMAW (stick) electrodes. I've heard of using E7018-W electrodes. What does the W stand for? Is there anything I should be careful of?
 
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Notwithstanding the incorrect spelling "corton" this article seems reliable.

 
Copy and paste from ASME BPVC section 2 Part C material
A7.1.11 EXX18-WX (Weathering Steel) Electrodes.
These low-hydrogen electrodes have been designed to produce weld metal that matches the corrosion resistance and
the coloring of the ASTM weathering-type structural steels. These special properties are achieved by the addition of
about 1/2% copper to the weld metal. To meet strength, ductility, and notch toughness in the weld metal, some
chromium and nickel additions are also made. These electrodes are used to weld the typical weathering steels, such
as ASTM A 242 and A 588.

The designation E7018-W ,

-70 stands for min. tensile str. 70 ksi,
- 1 stands for welding position ( 1 for all positions )
- 8 stands for coating type , 8 ;LOW HYDROGEN + IRON POWDER
- W stands for weathering steel .

1736677426575.png
 
What is the application? (structural welding on 50 ksi yield steel, or street furniture)
What are the requirements of the welded connections? (similar/identical corrosion resistance and appearance after welding, paint/HDG afterwards, ...)
What is the required throat thickness? sl or ml welds?

If this is about street furniture, you can use standard 70S-x wire.
If structural, heavy sections, ml welds, you'll need a dedicated filler metal.
Mind there's also a difference between CorTen A and CorTen B (at least in Europe), and some other things specifically related to design of CorTen structures (mitigation of water accumulation, protection of the transition zones where the colums "disappear" in the concrete tiles/asphalt/..., drain paths for the rusty water, ...)

The link MintJulep Posted contains quite a bit of interesting information. Nice read, even though I don't fully agree with the choice of FM. There are many, cheap but perfectly fine, filler metals available. Don't overcomplicate things.
 
Notwithstanding the incorrect spelling "corton" this article seems reliable.
I've spelled it wrong for 50 years... I'll take a gander at the article.


1736702741061.png
Do you know what the 'W' stands for (posted before seeing HTURKAK's response).
 
Last edited:
Thanks gentlemen... is there anything I should be concerned about? I've seen the electrodes denoted as W1 and W2. Does anyone know of the distinction?
 
What is the application? (s
This is an outside staircase. The main framing consists of HDG steel stair stringers. There is a decorative Corten steel guardrail bolted to this. The guardrail consists of a Corten 'spandrel' with Corten 'pickets' welded to it. The pickets are BAR 1/2x4@4"O/C. This is bolted to the HDG stringers. I've used Corten numerous times, but never welded Corten to Corten... I've always bolted. As below:

1736703660506.png

Thanks
 
If the governing document is AWS D1.1/D1.1M, it is permitted to weld weathering steels with single pass fillet welds or groove weld (per side) provided the size of the weld is limited. The thought is that there will be sufficient alloy "pick-up" via dilution to maintain the weathering characteristics. In the case of multiple pass welds, fillets or grooves, to use a filler metal with weathering characteristics. Electrodes with the "W" suffix as well as other electrodes with appropriate alloy additions also provide weathering characteristics. Again, if AWS D1.1/D1.1M is the governing document, it contains a table with the filler metals that meet the needed characteristics.
 
If the governing document is AWS D1.1/D1.1M, it is permitted to weld weathering steels with single pass fillet welds or groove weld (per side) provided the size of the weld is limited.
The fillet welds are either 3/16 or 1/4 which I would consider being limited. Do you know the distinction between W1 and W2? Is W2 for more corrosive environments? I will get a copy of the project spec to see what the welding specs are.
 
The W1 has 70ksi tensile strength and is for CorTen A and B. W2 has 80ksi tensile strength and can be used on A,B,C, and O.
 
Thanks... I'll use W1...
 
The W2 appears to have a special handling instruction in that it needs to be baked at 350-400°C prior to use. This is outside the range of a typical rod oven.
 
Is Canadian steel conforming to CSA G40.21-350A the same or similar to Corten by US Steel?
 
Thanks for the added info...
 

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