Weathering steel is a group of steel alloys which were developed to eliminate the need for painting, forming a stable rust-like appearance after several months exposure to weather.
Weathering refers to the chemical composition of these steel alloys, allowing them to exhibit increased resistance to atmospheric corrosion compared to other steels. This is because the steel forms a protective layer on its surface under the influence of the weather.
The corrosion-retarding effect of the protective layer is produced by the particular distribution and concentration of alloying elements in it. The layer protecting the surface develops and regenerates continuously when subjected to the influence of the weather. In other words, the steel is allowed to rust in order to form the protective coating.