A Summary of Lintel Steel Properties

This is a Ferritic Stainless Steel, commonly found in industry and particularly good where there is a mixture of abrasion and corrosion.

304 Stainless Steel An Austenitic Stainless Steel, 304 has been a staple of the construction industry for a long time. It retains a good finish in most building environments.

Steel This is S280 steel, coated with 600g of zinc (inc. both sides) from the mills. When fabricated, the damaged zinc coating is locally repairs with zinc-rich paint.

This is the regular structural steel we use when structural sections are incorporated into our lintels, or when we manufacture for hot-dip galvanising.

SS370 Strength

With an average yeild strength of 370 N/mm2, it is stronger than the other steels, with the exception of LDX 2101. All the products in the LDX catalogue may also be manufactured in SS370 and the load tables apply.

304 Strength

With a minimum yeild strength of 210 N/mm2, it is not very strong at all. The loads in the LDX catalogue do not apply to 304, so care should be taken when specifying 304 for our lintels.

G600 Strength

With a minimum yeild strength of 280 N/mm2 it is stronger than many other manufacturer's pre-galvanised lintels, but the LDX 2101 catalogue loads do not apply - it is still relatively weak.

S275JR Strength

With a minimum yeild strength of 275 N/mm2 it is a typical structural steel. Some LDX lintels feature S275JR inner elements, in which case the published loads take this into account.

SS370 Price

Generally SS370 is more expensive than G600, but can be cost competitive with hot dip galvanising. It's around half the cost of 304 stainless steel.

304 Price

304 usually ends up the most expensive steel for a lintel (excluding grade 316).

G600 Price

This is usually the cheapest option we offer for our lintels, other manufacturers will sometimes use thinner zinc coatings, but they must be painted.

S275JR Price

Regular structural steel is the cheapest option for the basic fabrication, but subsequent corrosion protection elevates the price beyond that of G600.

SS370 Corrosion Resistance

304 Corrosion Resistance 304

We would use 304 where the client specifically requests (possibly so the finish matches other 304 items present), or where the lintel is required to integrate with other 304 components such as windposts.
Otherwise LDX 2101 generally proves a better alternative to 304.

G600 Corrosion Resistance

G600 meets the british minimum standards for lintel corrosion protection, but there is a weak point at any welds and cut edges. These must be appropriately protected.

S275JR Corrosion Resistance

The corrosion resistance of structural steel is generally inadequate for most construction applications, it should be protected by an appropriate coating system.

SS370 Application

We usually specify SS370 where the customer has requested G600 but there is a significant amount of welding involved, which would compromise the corrosion resistance of the G600 product. In these cases, SS370 usually becomes similar in price due to it's more efficient fabrication.
We also specify SS370 for high strength applications where the corrosion resistance of LDX is not required.
Some products (ie anything in the LDX catalogue) are only available in LDX or SS370.

304 Application

We would use 304 where the client specifically requests (possibly so the finish matches other 304 items present), or where the lintel is required to integrate with other 304 components such as windposts.
Otherwise LDX 2101 generally proves a better alternative to 304.

G600 Application

G600 lintels are the cheapest alternative that meet british standard requirements.
We tend to sell G600 into applications that have cost as the overriding factor.
They are suitable for interior use, or exterior in mild environments.
Care should be taken when specifying G600 for exterior use if there are welds on the front face of the lintels.

S275JR Application

S275JR is normally used in the form of structural sections to give structural advantages to our lintels than cannot be economically obtained using folded sheet stock.
they must then be appropriately protected from corrosion, depending on the type of lintel and the steel used for the rest of the lintel.

What About Grade 316 Stainless Steel?

Yes. We manufacture lintels from grade 316 but there is little call for 316 lintels because of their high cost and the low strength of the material. 316 is generally more corrosion resistant than LDX 2101 and finds application in harbourside projects where the lintel is required to retain its nice finish for aesthetic appeal.
Note that the minimum yield strength of 316 is 205N/mm2 (weaker than any of our other steels) so please consult our technical department for loading advice regarding 316 lintels.