Most of us wouldn’t be blamed for not knowing the immediate difference between stainless steel and mild steel off the top of our heads. However, with only a few moments of careful consideration, the differences become quite apparent. First though, it’s important to remember that both use the same base material as their main building block – steel. When it comes to heat resistant materials – steel is one of the best on the market for it’s relative cost. This is what makes it ideal for use in the creation of fireplaces. However, what is the difference between choosing a fireplace made from mild steel over stainless steel and is it important to understand in making your decision?
Mild Steel
Firstly, let’s take a look at mild steel. Mild steel is basically normal steel that has been mixed with carbon as an alloy. Carbon is a cheap and abundant material that offers additional heat resistance and some structural strength to the regular properties of steel. The two materials are blended together at high temperatures to form the final product – mild steel. This final product is then usually treated with a variety of different coatings to ensure that it’s better suited to the harmful effects of weathering, heat damage and other structural stresses.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel, on the other hand, is blended with chromium as it’s main alloy. Chromium is known for it’s high heat resistance, better weathering and stronger structural integrity. This makes stainless steel ideal for things like high temperatures, high structural stresses and outdoor implementation. Unlike mild steel, stainless steel doesn’t require much in terms of coatings or special treatments. Directly after being forged, this stuff is basically ready to go!
As you can imagine, a fireplace tends to undergo a lot of heat damage. This means that you need a material which can withstand the effects of heat well. If the fireplace is situated outdoors or near the ocean, you can imagine it would need additional protection against the harmful effects of corrosion and weathering. So, when considering whether to opt for a mild steel or stainless steel braai or fireplace, it’s important to consider these kinds of things.
Here at Lava Fires, we put the utmost effort into ensuring that our products are of only the highest quality. We make sure that every product, regardless of the material is designed and created to ensure that it can withstand a great deal of heat damage and corrosive damage. This is why we offer one of the best guarantee’s in the market – hands down. However, as you can imagine, a material is still limited to it’s capabilities. So when deciding on either stainless steel or mild steel, our helpful staff will recommend the correct material for your installation.
