6 Frequently Asked Questions About Owning Weathering Steel Planters

Whether you hire someone to do your landscaping or you do it yourself, there is no doubt that you want a beautiful yard and garden to complement your home. Unfortunately, the ceramic, fiberglass, and terracotta planters at big box stores look cheap and don’t hold up over time. You need a planter that makes a statement, looks and feels high-end, and lasts for years.

One option that fits these criteria is weathering steel planters. These planters arrive to you in a grayish, unweathered color. Over the course of about a year, the metal on the planter evolves into a beautiful rust-colored patina. Not only will these planters turn heads and give your home the look you want, but they are also built to last a lifetime. Get your high-quality weathered steel planter box from PlanterCraft today!

1. Is Weathering Steel the Same as Corten Steel?

Yes, weathering steel is generic for the brand name COR-TENÒ Steel. COR-TENÒ is the United States Steel Corporation’s trade name for atmospheric corrosion-resistant steel. “Corten” comes from its two primary properties—CORrosion resistance and TENsile strength.

After the Corten Steel box of your planter finishes its weathering, it becomes resistant to oxidation and moisture. Additionally, planters made of Corten Steel from PlanterCraft are made with thick, 11-gauge steel, giving them high tensile strength. Tensile strength is the resistance of a material to breaking down under tension.

At PlanterCraft, we refer to Corten Steel as weathering steel and vice versa. Since the two are identical, we use them interchangeably on our products. So, your Corten steel planter boxes will undergo the same rusting process as weathering steel ones.

2. How Does the Weathering Process Work?

When we make our weathered steel planter boxes, we make them with an alloy of steel, added phosphorus, copper, chromium, and nickel-molybdenum. This unique combination allows the steel to safely and beautifully weather into a rust-colored patina.

Weathering steel planters undergo a unique process that gives them their beautiful rustic finish. When the steel is exposed to moisture, it begins to rust, and the added metals in the alloy helps stabilize and adhere the rust to the metal as it dries. This process repeats itself until a full layer of resistant and protective metal oxide forms, known as a patina.

You’ll be able to watch the grayish color of your Corten metal planter slowly transform into a gorgeous rust color, ranging from brown, dark orange, or a unique combination of both colors. Depending on precipitation and temperature, some climates will quicken the weathering process compared to others.

3. How Long Do Corten Steel Planters Last?

Leading homeowners, business owners, and landscape designers favor weathering steel planters over all others. Their modern appeal and interesting weathering process give a unique, fashionable, and high-end look to garden décor, front yards, and businesses. What makes these rusted steel planters truly exceptional is their long life.

When you purchase weathering steel planters from PlanterCraft, you can expect them to be the last planters you buy. Our American-made metal planters are designed to last longer than other planters because of the thick, 11-gauge steel used to manufacture them. You can expect your Corten Steel planters to last 10 or more years with proper care and maintenance.

4. If Weathering Steel Rusts, How Is It Corrosion Resistant?

It may sound like an oxymoron, but as weathering steel rusts, it becomes corrosion-resistant. Unlike layers of rust on regular steel, the patina developed on weathering steel planters is stable. Once fully weathered, it acts as a protective barrier against oxygen, moisture, and pollutants.

5. How Long Does It Take for Corten Steel to Weather?

We often get this question about our steel planters. The weathering process is dependent on cycles of wet and dry weather. Depending on where you live, it may take anywhere from six to 12 months to fully develop the protective patina. For example, the patina will likely develop quickly if you live near the coast, thanks to the frequent saltwater exposure and wet and dry spells. However, it may take longer for the rust to develop if you live in Arizona or New Mexico deserts.

6. Can You Keep Corten Steel from Rusting?

If you prefer the grayish, unweather steel color or something in between for the finished look, you can prevent weathering steel planters from rusting further with an anti-rust coating. If you feel particularly creative, you could blend oxidized areas of your Corten steel with unoxidized areas for a unique design.

Order Stunning Weathering Steel Planters Today!

Now that you understand how weathering steel planters work and how exceptional they could look in your outdoor space, it’s time to order yours! We have various planter shapes: corner, rectangular, round, tapered, square, and planter beds. Each shape also comes in various sizes, allowing you to find the right planter for your space.

Don't waste your time with cheap, fragile planters from the big box store that everyone has. Instead, enter the elite community of home and business owners who choose weathering steel planters for their landscape design and beyond.