Which are the best masonry anchors? Hot-Dip Galvanized vs Stainless Steel

In the United States, The TMS 402 building code allows for the use of Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel and Type 300 Stainless Steel for anchors in exterior walls. How does one decide which material they should employ in their construction project? Both are high-quality materials and provide an impressive amount of corrosion resistance, but each has its own vulnerabilities and strengths and both should be considered when specifying building materials.

The first difference between the two materials is the way that they are manufactured. Stainless is an alloy steel, which means that it contains between 16 to 24 percent chromium, up to 35 percent nickel, and small amounts of carbon and manganese. To create stainless steel, ordinary steel, chromium, and the other elements are blended in their molten state. To create galvanized steel, ordinary steel is coated by dipping the products in melted molten zinc, hence the name “hot-dipped."