Stainless steel vs. aluminium hinges

Stainless steel or aluminium hinges?

The material you choose to support doors, panels or lids helps determine the performance of your hinge. This guide is designed to help you make the right decision for your application, covering the issues you need to know:

• Choosing the right hinge material
• Stainless steel hinges: pros and cons
• Aluminium hinges: pros and cons
• Hinge applications: examples
• Heavy-duty hinges
• Types of stainless-steel hinges
• Types of aluminium hinges

Choosing the right hinge material

First, you need to think about the type of hinge you need when it comes to comparing stainless steel hinges vs aluminum hinges. You can learn more about your choices in our guide, Types of hinges and where to use them. Once you’ve chosen the type, you need to consider what you want from your hinges. This will, of course, have helped you determine the best hinge type for your application, but it also plays a role in helping you decide if you should choose a stainless steel hinge or an aluminium hinge.

• Will the door, panel or cover they’re adjoined to open and close frequently, creating a high amount of wear and tear
• What is your application’s maximum working load?
• What about environment? Will the hinges resist corrosion? Will they be used outdoors?
• Is aesthetic appeal important?
• Should the material offer good workability? It’s not uncommon to have to cut or weld a hinge.

And of course, budget will always be a consideration. Once you determine your priorities, you’ll have a better idea of the right material for your needs.

Stainless steel hinges: pros and cons

Stainless steels come in different grades. This has nothing to do with quality, but rather, each grade is formulated differently. You can learn more in our guide, Understanding stainless-steel grades.

Pros:

● Corrosion resistance

Stainless steels are iron-based alloys with a minimum of 10.5% chromium. The more chromium, the more corrosion resistance. Over time, corrosion can form in crevices. Surface pitting can also develop, but this can take years to happen, depending on the grade.

● Strength-to-weight ratio

Stainless-steel door hinges can be thinner than other metal hinges, yet still maintain its strength while providing greater load-bearing capabilities. This can be reflected in the cost of the hinge, as you’re paying for less material.

● Temperature resistance

The chromium that makes stainless steel corrosion resistant also helps it stand up to high temperatures. Stainless steel also contains nickel and manganese, which helps the material withstand sub-zero temperatures. It does risk becoming brittle, but still, stainless steel hinges are ideal for outdoor applications.

Cons:

● Upfront cost

While the strength-to-weight ratio means thinner material can do the job, stainless steel can still be expensive compared to other metals. The cost, however, is upfront. Given the advantages of stainless steel, it offers good value for the money.

Aluminium hinges: pros and cons

Durable aluminium has low tensile strength, so it’s typically alloyed with other metals to improve its performance. This means that not all aluminium hinges are created equal. So much depends on the mechanical properties of the alloys used. Still, we can make some generalisations.

Pros:

● Lightweight

Pure aluminium is a lightweight material. Even with the addition of alloys, it remains light. Steel hinges are around 40% heavier than aluminium, which in turn weigh about a third of stainless steel hinges. This is why aluminium is so popular for components in industries such as automotive and aerospace.

● Long lasting

Don’t mistake these hinges’ light weight for lack of durability. These are long lasting. You can even find heavy-duty aluminium hinges.

● Resistance to cold temperatures

While aluminium doesn’t compare to stainless steel for withstanding hot temperatures, it does do a better job of resisting the cold. As already mentioned stainless steel can become brittle in freezing cold, while aluminium’s tensile strength increases.

● Corrosion resistance

As there is no iron in aluminium, hinges made from this material don’t rust – even when exposed to moisture. This is why aluminium hinges for boats are commonplace. Like stainless steel, aluminium hinges are ideal for outdoor applications.

● Workability

Stainless steel hinges are abrasion and wear resistant, while aluminium is a softer material. This makes aluminium hinges easier still to drill, for example.

Cons:

● Stainless steel vs aluminium strength is no contest. If toughness is your first priority, choose stainless steel over aluminium door hinges.

Hinge applications: examples

Both hinge materials serve many of the same applications. The differences between these materials are therefore more nuanced than distinct. For example, aluminium shutter hinges and those made of stainless steel both perform well outdoors. Your choice therefore might come down to cost, or if you need the toughest material. Below are examples of common applications for each material.

Heavy-duty hinges

These are needed to support and provide stability to frequently used heavy doors and gates. For interior doors, heavy-duty steel hinges are the norm while stainless-steel hinges for doors are used outside. Generally, grade 316 stainless steel exterior door hinges are considered suitable for heavy duty applications.

Another definition is simpler: heavy-duty stainless steel hinges and aluminium heavy-duty hinges use a thicker gauge of material than their everyday counterparts. Nearly every hinge has a heavy-duty version, such as heavy-duty stainless-steel lift-off hinges.

Types of stainless-steel hinges

Below are examples of stainless-steel and hinges, along with their uses.

Types of aluminium hinges

Examples of aluminium hinges include the following:

Download free CADs and try before you buy

Free CADs are available for most solutions, which you can download. You can also request free samples to make sure you’ve chosen exactly what you need. If you’re not quite sure which solution will work best for your application, our experts are always happy to advise you.

Whatever your requirements, you can depend on fast despatch. Request your free samples or download free CADs now.

Questions?

Email us at sales@essentracomponents.co.uk or speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application 0345 528 0474.