Blackened Mild Steel

NES Fabricate and finish blacked steel cladding panels. Both hot-rolled mild steel and cold-rolled steel are available.

For Internal Applications only:
• Cold rolled mild steel is grey. We offer a blackened version of this. Cold-rolled steel is hot rolled steel that has been reheated, rolled, and pickled in acid to remove the mill scale and then oiled to reduce rust in transit and storage. The oil gives a slight blue tint in some lights. You tend to get interesting colours from the mix of the elements in the alloy. The way the oil sits on the surface also creates unique coloration effects. The steel is porous absorbing different amounts of oil depending on temperature and the mix of the alloy. You can even get some sheets that have rust pockets on. It is also smoother and flatter due to the secondary processing that brings in some of the tolerances. During the processing there is a degreasing process however, this only takes off the oils that are on the very surface. The max thickness of cold rolled steel is typically 3mm.
• Hot rolled steel is also grey. The cooling process causes a hard mill scale to form on the surface of the metal. This is highly unique to the panels. This surface is rough with a lot of texture. The thickness of hot rolled steel is greater typically 2mm 30mm.

• Finishing:
• NES offers a clear beeswax top coat of this as standard. This just stops fingerprints.
• We can apply a more robust solvent lacquer for high-traffic areas. This has a class 0 surface spread of flame certificate from Warrington Exova . The thickness of the solvent lacquer can detract slightly from the surface quality (it looks a little glossy due to the layer thickness of ~100 microns). The ability of this surface to absorb quite large scratches is impressive.
• We can also offer a clear mat nano lacquer. This is a ~ 5 micron layer and therefore, almost invisible.

How do we install blackend steel wall panels?
NES provides a range of standard and customised fixing systems to suit your requirements:
• "Through face fixing" is an economical choice. We have a countersinking tool for our CNC punch. This allows the fixings to be flush to the surface of the steel and therefore, far less visually intrusive. The fixings can also be blackened to match. In some instances, making a feature of these fixings with pig nose of low profile hex head screws can be a positive element of the finished product.
• "Invisible fix" with a hook-on system is our premium solution. We spot weld 10mm thick split aluminium "Z" baton to the reverse of the sheet on approximately 600mm vertical centres. This allows for the unit to be quickly and seamlessly installed, adjusted, and removed. Generally, we would have 15mm folded return to all edges. This allows the split baton to remain hidden when the sheet is viewed from the edge. Additionally, the folds provide more rigidity for the larger panels.
• "Bonding" can be considered for the thinnest of panels that are going onto a well-prepared surface. Due to considerable negative experiences in the past with differential expansion of metal compared to other materials, we do not recommend this solution. However, with the correct diligence and preparation, it can be a way of achieving a more cost-effective invisible fix.