STEEL-IT® protective paint for metal is exceptionally durable. Lasting admirably for 10+ years in most environments, it withstands scratching, denting, abrasion, corrosion, high water or air pressure, turbulent and harsh climates, rough factory conditions, and UV radiation. STEEL-IT®’s durability saves property owners money by significantly prolonging the life of metal structures and machinery. This is largely thanks to our unique, proprietary 316L Stainless Steel micro flake component, lab designed and field tested, which gives STEEL-IT® the enduring toughness of high quality stainless steel and makes it the champion in its class of industrial coatings. Locate a STEEL-IT® distributor in your area now! You can also browse this site for product and application details; use our decision helper feature to find the right product for your needs; request a free sample; or contact the STEEL-IT® team with questions or comments via the form on this page.
USA-made and trusted worldwide since 1976, STEEL-IT® saves its customers money by prolonging the life of equipment and properties. It is a cost-effective way of protecting and improving metal surfaces (as well as a range of nonmetals), often in harsh or demanding environments. STEEL-IT® puts a durable protective shield on food processing, chemical lab and pharma equipment, various types of machinery, racing auto parts, service structures, railings, bridges, above-water and internal ship parts, and rugged architectural designs that thrive on the aesthetics of stainless steel. The range of industries we serve is rapidly expanding, with new markets opening every year. The high durability and resistance of STEEL-IT® meet with a high demand and confer a competitive advantage. Find a distributor near you or use the contact form to message our team for more information.
STEEL-IT® durable paints are of two types, with their distinct sets of properties, benefits, and applications:
Visit our product pages, or go to this page if you need help deciding.
Why Is STEEL-IT® So Durable?
The durability of STEEL-IT® comes from its uniquely engineered 316L stainless steel leafing pigment. In fact, once it has been applied to a sandblasted metal surface, STEEL-IT® is 50% stainless steel on drying.
Stainless steel is well known for its ability to withstand wear and tear, abrasion and corrosion. This is largely due to its chromium content, since pure iron is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal prone to rusting. All stainless steels contain at least 10.5% chromium. On contact with oxygen and water molecules in the air, chromium forms an ultra-thin (2-3 nanometres) protective oxide film that covers the entire steel surface, preventing its oxidation. Furthermore, this so-called “passive” or “boundary layer” of chromium displays an amazing self-repairing property: when abraded, the passive layer completely and instantly rebuilds itself as chromium in the steel again reacts with atmospheric oxygen and moisture. Increasing the chromium content above 10.5% and adding a minimum of 8% of nickel further improves the relevant properties of a steel. Adding molybdenum likewise enhances a stainless steel’s anticorrosive properties, and nitrogen boosts both its resistance to pitting and its mechanical strength. Performance can be fine-tuned by alloy adjustment.
Stainless steels are classified into a few types based on their chemical composition and crystalline structure. The largest and most diverse group among these, the so-called austenitic stainless steels (consisting of the 200 and 300 series) are the most common and display outstanding durability and resistance. Depending on grade, they contain as much as 16-26% chromium, and their respective atomic lattices are determined by the addition of stabilizing elements: nickel (6-25%), manganese, and nitrogen. 316L, lower on carbon than the similar stainless steel grade 316 resists intergranular corrosion better. (The “L” in “316L” stands for “low.”)
Indeed, 316L steel, a high-end grade popular in industry, has proven to be the optimal choice for STEEL-IT®, the #1 stainless steel coating for metal surface applications where high corrosion resistance and durability are a must. Having experimented with other alloys, we at Stainless Steel Coatings Inc. decided on 316L stainless steel as the metallic component for STEEL-IT®. This original development of the mid-1970s has led to the several decades of our continuing success as the world leading provider of the most durable protective paint for metal. Our chemists were able to take advantage of the character of 316’s atomic lattice structure for the most effective integration into our coatings, unlocking the protective powers of steel. Our manufacturing methodology ensures that every time STEEL-IT® is applied, the microscopic, individually invisible flakes of stainless steel will settle in an exceptionally tight overlapping pattern, bonding hard to form a most enduring protective shield that lasts much longer than the competition. Although other paint companies have made similar claims, their stainless steel paints are no match for the high performance and robust durability of STEEL-IT®.
If you own metallic equipment or properties that need reliable protection against the effects of their environment, or if you are an architect or a machinery manufacturer, our durable paints will accomplish their job with authority and will last longer than any others. Typically, occasional light touch-up suffices.
Select the right coating; request a free sample; find your local STEEL-IT® distributor; or contact us for advice.
Also see:
