Stainless Fasteners

Premium Stainless Steel Marine Fasteners Supply

In the challenging marine environment, your boat's hardware is constantly exposed to saltwater, humidity, and chemical residue. Using standard hardware is a recipe for catastrophic corrosion and failure. Fawcett Boat Supplies provides a comprehensive inventory of high-quality stainless fasteners designed for longevity and structural integrity. Whether you need specialized bolts, nuts, washers, or Sheet Metal Screws, trust our selection of stainless steel marine screws to secure your vessel for years to come.

The True Marine Grade Difference

While there are many grades of stainless steel, only one is recognized as the standard for continuous marine exposure: Type 316 (or A4).

• Type 316 Stainless Steel: This is the gold standard for stainless boat screws. It contains molybdenum, which provides superior resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion—the two most common forms of failure when exposed to chloride ions (saltwater). When searching for the best stainless steel screws for marine use, always specify 316 grade.
• Type 304 Stainless Steel: Commonly sold as "stainless steel," 304 lacks molybdenum and is highly susceptible to corrosion in saltwater environments. We strongly recommend against using 304 grade for anything below deck or permanently mounted on deck.

Our stock focuses on providing genuine marine stainless steel screws and hardware, giving you confidence in every installation.

Preventing Galvanic Corrosion in Aluminum

A critical consideration in boat building and repair is the interaction between dissimilar metals. Fastening with stainless fasteners in aluminum requires special care to prevent rapid galvanic corrosion, where the aluminum will sacrifice itself to protect the stainless steel.

To ensure safe, durable joins when working with aluminum:

1. Isolation: Always use non-conductive materials, like specialized isolating washers, sleeves, or bedding compounds (such as Tef-Gel or polysulfide) between the stainless steel fastener and the aluminum surface.
2. Sacrificial Anodes: Ensure your vessel's overall corrosion prevention system, including sacrificial anodes, is properly maintained to protect critical aluminum structures.

Comprehensive Inventory and Specialty Hardware

We supply every type of stainless steel fastener necessary for boat maintenance, deck hardware installation, and rigging:

• Sheet Metal Screws: We stock a full range of self-tapping and wood-penetrating Sheet Metal Screws in 316 stainless steel, essential for securing panels, instruments, and lightweight fittings without pre-tapping.
• Machine Screws and Bolts: Available in all common threads, lengths, and head types (hex, flat, binding, carriage).
• Nuts, Washers, and Lock Hardware: Complete your secure assembly with flat washers, split lock washers, nylon lock nuts (nylock), and wing nuts, all available in marine-grade 316 stainless steel.

Shop Fawcett Boat Supplies for the strongest, most resilient stainless fasteners available on the market.