What’s the difference between A847 and A588 steel?
Short Answer
A847 is the number of the spec for weathering steel structural tubing – meaning pipe, rectangular tubes, and square tubes. A847 and A588 are both weathering steels, but A847 is tube, and A588 is plate and other shapes. If you’re looking for tube, you need A847.
A847 vs. A588
ASTM A847:
Tubing
A847 is a weathering steel spec that is specifically engineered for hollow structural tubing.
ASTM A588
Plate, Bar, and other Shapes
A588 is also weathering steel, but the spec describes plate, beams, and other solid structural shapes.
Why does this matter?
Corten tube and Corten plate are made from the same underlying material. But it behaves differently when it’s formed into tube versus flat plate. The specs describe these differences and the standards that must be met.
What Tubeco Supplies
Tubeco specializes in A847 Corten steel tube, which is the standard and trusted choice for weathering steel tubing applications.
If you need help choosing the right material for your project, give us a call.
Availability
Tubeco keeps a wide range of Corten steel tube sizes in stock, and ships across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico from our warehouse near St. Louis, Missouri. We also offer laser cutting services for custom lengths.
If you have a specific size or timeline in mind, we can help confirm availability.