in short, corten steel is a rusted surface creating a protective layer for the steel underneath.

Corten is a type of steel that naturally weathers over time, developing an attractive and protective rust layer. Although somewhat counter-intuitive, the coating of rust is engineered to protect against further corrosion and keep the steel under-layer in good condition.

In other words, corten steel is allowed to rust in order to form a protective coating. This protective layer develops due to active elements in the alloys of the steel. It regenerates continuously when subjected to the influence of water and oxygen.

History of Corten Steel

The Barclays centre in Brooklyn has been causing a stir worldwide with its striking, organic, rusted look. It has been made using corten steel, a material which is being favoured by innovative and daring designers, architects and sculptors across the globe.

Created originally in the 1930s by United States Steel for use on ore wagons, its use has now expanded, with designers seeing the potential it possesses. It has been used to create bridges, rail cars, transmissions towers, shipbuilding and, of course, garden products.

This modern and contemporary material has really got people excited, creating discussion about how we design things and challenging the norm, which can only be a good thing.

Why corten steel?

Corten steel is for those who like an industrial aesthetic. Don’t think of abandoned gardens laid to waste, but instead think of ancient agricultural machinery, old factories and bygone machines put out to pasture.

Rust isn’t automatically bad, particularly if you like the orange hue it gives to otherwise sterile-looking metal. In this case, rust means it’s working as designed and intended.

If you’d like your water features and planters to have a certain sepia je ne sais quoi, you might just be a fan of corten steel.