Why Should You Apply Finishes to Fasteners?

So often, engineers pour a great deal of time, thought and effort into which type of fastener would be the best fit for a certain design, and then proceed to overlook the importance of which finish is being applied to that fastener. Finishes perform a variety of functions, not only affecting appearance, but also determining performance capabilities in some circumstances. The following factors should be considered when deciding which is the best fastener finish for your particular application:

Appearance
Create a cohesive and pleasing appearance with paint, black oxide, chrome and more.

Identification
Avoid confusion with specific finishes. Color coding has become an important part of the finishing process.

Friction
Fastener finish is important for joints assembled using torque control, which requires a predictable and repeatable clamp load. 

Improve Corrosion Resistance
Some thought should be give to the desired service life of the fastener and the environment in which it will it be operating. The proper finish can extend the life of the fastener against various corrosive environments.

Still have questions about when and why finishes should be applied to fasteners? Check out our finishes overview page or contact us to ask a question.