Zinc Plated Fasteners

What zinc plating is for

Zinc plating is a thin coating over steel. Standard zinc plating is best suited to indoor, dry conditions. For outdoor or wet exposure, choose hot-dip galvanized steel, which has a much thicker zinc coat, or stainless steel. Zinc plated parts are not rated for outdoor or deck use.

Choose the zinc finish

• Zinc: the standard bright silver finish, and by far the most common here. Mostly low carbon steel machine, self-tapping, thread-forming, thread-cutting, self-drilling and wood screws.
• Zinc yellow: a yellow/gold tint, mostly on Grade 8, Grade 5 and Class 10.9 hex cap screws, plus matching nuts and washers. Many titles mark it CR+6, a hexavalent chromate finish. Check the title if your project restricts CR+6.
• Zinc black: a black zinc finish on low carbon steel machine, tapping and self-drilling screws.
• Zinc bake: a zinc finish on alloy steel socket head, flat head and button head cap screws and set screws. "Bake" is the supplier's process name.
• Mechanical zinc: a matte gray zinc coating mechanically deposited (ASTM B695) on alloy steel socket cap screws. Parts are tumbled with zinc powder and glass beads; no electric current is used.
• Also listed: zinc green, zinc phosphate (slotted spring pins) and zinc nickel (self-drilling and deck screws).

Base material and grade

Zinc goes on steel. Most zinc parts are low carbon steel. Graded parts include SAE Grade 2, Grade 5 and Grade 8, metric Class 8.8 and 10.9, and alloy steel socket screws. The grade is in the title, before the finish. Shop Grade 5 or Grade 8.

What's stocked in zinc

Screws make up most of this page: machine, self-tapping, self-drilling, thread-forming, wood and SEMS screws, plus hex cap screws. Zinc bolts, nuts and washers include carriage bolts, hex nuts, flat and lock washers, and you'll also find anchors and rivets.

Reading the finish in a title

The finish comes after the material and grade, near the end of each title. For example, #10-32 x 1" Flat Head Cap Screws, Full Thread / Alloy Steel / Mechanical Zinc. Some titles add CR+3 or CR+6 after the finish name. Use the finish filter to see one zinc finish at a time, or switch to black oxide for a dark finish without zinc.

Matching nuts and washers

Choose nuts and washers in the same finish for a consistent look and similar corrosion behavior. Don't mix zinc plated parts with hot-dip galvanized parts in one joint. For the wrench size of a zinc hex bolt and nut, see the wrench size chart.

Packages and bulk boxes

Most zinc finish fasteners come as a Package or a Bulk Box. Each variant shows its piece count. Need volume pricing? See wholesale.