Best Exterior Door Closer: Is 304 or 316 Stainless Better?

Consistent quality of heavy duty exterior door closers across all conditions is always a must. To that end, a strictly adhere to ANSI standards by crafting all closers with stainless steel to ensure corrosion resistance, as well as durability, longevity, and functionality. Stainless steel closers tend to cost more, however, they are much more reliable, particularly in rugged environments. Heavy-duty 304 and 316 stainless steels, like the ones we use on our exterior door closers at Waterson, are much more weather resistant and less affected by chemical exposure due to their chromium, nickel, and molybdenum elemental properties.

Best Exterior Door Closer Option

Waterson stainless steel exterior door closers go beyond standard salt tests by performing at a high level in rugged seaside commercial environments. A common stainless steel quality verification procedure is to conduct a salt spray test according to ASTM B117, which Waterson easily satisfies the A156.7 standard for over 200 hours in a 5% salt concentration.

Deep dive in Waterson weatherproof closers here.

 

Furthermore, Waterson has a proven track record of performing reliably in commercial seaside exterior applications for over 5 years. As manufacturers, we control the investment casting process. This ensures that all Waterson stainless steel heavy duty exterior door closers maintain a consistent and stable ratio in accordance with high-quality 304 and 316 standards.

High Quality Stainless Steel

Due to its numerous properties and, specifically, its corrosion resistance, stainless steel is used for many commercial and residential applications. High-quality stainless steels (ie. 304 & 316) are those with a chromium content of approximately 18.0%. The higher the chromium content in addition to other alloys like nickel and molybdenum, the greater the corrosion resistance.

304 & 316

304 and 316 stainless steels, also known as CF8 and CF8M respectively are the industry standard for high-quality stainless steel. The key components in these alloys are chromium and nickel. However, unlike CF8, CF8M contains 2% to 3% molybdenum, so CF8M tends to cost more. Nevertheless, through the investment casting process, Waterson is able to ensure that the required chemical composition is accurate and in accordance with acceptable ratio guidelines. In addition, we record specific batch ratios, which allows for accurate door closer traceability.

Stainless Steel Highlights

• 304 is recommended for general outdoor use
• 316 is recommended for harsh environments
• 304 and 316 material ratio varies by only 2-4%
•  Closer traceability ensures high-quality material
• Waterson stainless steel outperforms standard salt tests with over 200 hours in use and a 5% salt concentration.
• In-house investment casting ensures accurate material composition
• Optimal product performance achieved through rigorous material testing

Waterson Stainless Steel Exterior Door Closers

Waterson Door Closer combine an overhead closer and hinge into one attractive component with optional hold-open and door stop features. These closers are ideal for commercial openings, gates, and glass doors. The closers are easily installed and adjusted to comply with ADA & ICC A117.1 requirements for opening force and to assure quiet, secure closing. Made with stainless steel, Waterson stainless steel door closers meet NFPA 80 and are UL 3-hour fire-rated, as well as being one of the best exterior door closers for both interior and all-weather exterior openings. See all our features. 

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Please note that Waterson Closer Hinges start from a size of 4″x4″. If you’re in need of smaller self-closing hinges, we’d recommend checking out some other resources! Also, we only provide single acting closer hinges. Thank you.

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