What is the maximum operating temperature for brass fasteners?

Brass is generally suitable for continuous service up to around 200 degrees C. Higher temperatures can reduce its mechanical strength.

Brass Fasteners: Properties, Uses & Buying Guide

Q: Are brass fasteners as strong as steel?

No. Brass typically has lower tensile strength than steel and is mainly chosen for corrosion resistance, conductivity, and non-magnetic properties.

Q: Can brass fasteners be used outdoors or in marine environments?

Yes. Brass performs well outdoors, while DZR brass is preferred for prolonged marine or saltwater exposure.

Q: Are brass fasteners food-safe or suitable for potable water?

Standard leaded brass may not be suitable. Lead-free grades such as CW510L and C27450 are used for drinking-water and food-contact applications.

Q: What is dezincification, and when should I use DZR brass?

Dezincification removes zinc from brass in aggressive water, weakening the material. DZR brass is preferred for chloride-rich, warm, or aggressive water conditions.

Q: Can brass fasteners be used with steel or aluminum?

Yes, but moisture can cause galvanic corrosion. Using an insulating washer or coating can help reduce this risk.

Q: Does Unifit Fastener supply solid brass fasteners?

Not as a stocked product line. Unifit currently offers Brass Tube Plugs and brass-plated finishes on selected steel bolts.

Brass fasteners come in different forms and types; some of the popular ones are screws, bolts, nuts, washers, and other materials. They are all made up of a copper-zinc alloy and contain 58 to 63 percent copper and zinc, and a small amount of lead increases the machinability of the fasteners. It’s commonly chosen for corrosion resistance, non-magnetic behaviour, electrical conductivity and a distinctive golden finish rather than for raw mechanical strength. This guide covers the properties that make brass a good or poor fit for a given joint, the common fastener-grade alloys and the standards behind them, a direct comparison against stainless steel and carbon steel, and the buying criteria that actually decide whether brass is the right material for your application, including two risks, dezincification and galvanic corrosion, that get little practical coverage anywhere else.

What are Brass Fasteners?

Brass fasteners are made of brass and they come in different forms such as screws, bolts, nuts, and other fasteners that have an important composition of copper-zinc alloy. The percentage of copper in brass fastener material is about 58% to 63%, while most of the remaining part is zinc. This composition provides a proper compromise of strength, machinability, corrosion resistance, and low price. An additional small percentage of some other materials, for instance, lead, can be included to improve the machinability of brass fasteners. These types of fasteners are preferred when the mentioned properties outweigh the greater strength of steel fasteners. They differ from the common bronze fasteners (the copper-tin alloys) and copper fasteners that are softer but are excellent conductors of electricity and heat.

Types of Brass Fasteners

The brass fasteners come in different forms and some of the most common ones are listed below.

Brass Machine Screws

Machine screws can be pan head, flat head, round head and cheese head in both metric and imperial size. They are usually utilized in electrical terminals, panel assemblies, instrumentation and light duty fastening applications requiring corrosion resistance and non-magnetic properties.

Brass Bolts

Mechanical and structural connections (where appropriate for corrosion resistance and conductivity) utilize brass in the form of hex bolts, carriage bolts, and flange bolts. Typical uses include marine hardware, outdoor assemblies and electrical connections.

Brass Nuts

Securely fastens compatible Brass bolts and screws for Hex nuts, lock nuts, wing nuts and coupling nuts. They are chosen for corrosion resistance, conductivity and non-magnetic properties for applications.

Brass Washers

Flat, spring and lock washers distribute the load of fastenings and ensure the secure connection. They are of particular use in applications involving grounding or electricity transmission where both corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity are needed.

Brass Anchors

Drop-in and expansion anchors are used to secure concrete and masonry. The corrosion resistance of Brass makes it suitable for pools, fountains and coastal installations.

Brass Threaded Rod and Studs

Brass threaded rods and studs are used for corrosion-resistant, though-bolting applications that need an adjustable fit. Common uses are electrical equipment, switchgear, transformer assemblies, and marine applications.

Brass Alloy Grades for Fasteners

The table below covers the fastener-grade brasses most commonly specified, with composition ranges independently verified against standard alloy references rather than taken from any single supplier's published figures.

Material Grade	Chemical Composition	Key Properties	Typical Applications
CW614N / CZ121	Cu 57–59%, Pb 2.5–3.5%, Zn balance	Excellent machinability, moderate strength	General-purpose screws, bolts, and nuts (most common fastener brass)
CW602N / CZ132 (DZR)	Cu 61–63%, Pb 1.6–2.5%, small arsenic addition, Zn balance	Resists dezincification in aggressive water	Plumbing and potable water fittings, coastal and marine hardware
C36000	Cu 60–63%, Pb 2.5–3.7%, Zn balance	US equivalent to CW614N, free-cutting	Screw-machine parts, general fasteners (US-spec projects)
CW510L (Lead-Free)	Cu 58–64%, Pb < 0.1%, Zn balance, silicon or bismuth addition	RoHS and potable-water compliant	Food-contact and drinking-water fittings, RoHS-restricted markets
C27450 (Lead-Free)	Cu 63–67%, Pb < 0.25%, Zn balance, bismuth or selenium addition	Low-lead, NSF/ANSI 61 style compliance	US potable-water fittings under lead-reduction legislation

Brass Fasteners Standards and Specifications

Brass fastener types are covered by the same DIN and ISO dimensional standards used across steel and stainless fasteners, with ASTM standards covering the raw brass rod and bar stock itself.

Standard / Specification	Description & Scope
DIN 84	Slotted cheese head screws
DIN 931 / DIN 933	Hex bolts — partial thread (DIN 931) and full thread (DIN 933)
DIN 934	Hex nuts
DIN 125	Flat washers
ISO 4032	Metric hex nuts (dimensionally aligned with DIN 934)
ASTM B16	Free-cutting brass rod, bar, and shapes — the base material standard for machined brass fasteners
ASTM B455	Copper-zinc-lead alloy rod and bar used in extruded brass fittings and hardware

For the full standards library referenced across Unifit's fastener range, including DIN, ISO and ASTM equivalents beyond brass-specific items, see ourDIN fastener standards page and ourfastener standards guide.

How to Choose the Right Brass Fastener

Environment and Corrosion Exposure

Consider the application for the fastener. Depending on the type of water service, marine environments, or aggressive chemicals, different grades of brass from CW614N to DZR brass can be required.

Electrical or Magnetic Requirements

When electrical conductivity or non-magnetic properties are required, or where the connection is nearby sensitive instrumentation, brass is a suitable material to use. These properties may cause it to be a favorite choice over carbon steel or other materials.

Mechanical Load

Tensile strength of brass lies within the range of 340 MPa to 500 MPa, which is lower than certain types of structural steels. In cases where the loading on the structural joint is very high, use of other materials like stainless steel or carbon steel may be preferable.

Budget

Brass tends to be more expensive than carbon steel, due to the copper content, and may be more or less expensive than stainless steel depending on the market value of the metals.

Standard and Mating Compatibility

Ensure that the fastener is selected according to the appropriate DIN, ISO or ASTM standards and has the correct thread and dimensions for the complementary part. There should also be a check of the materials for the possibility of galvanic corrosion in both parts.

Lead-Free or RoHS Requirements

Conventional leaded brass may not be used for applications related to potable water, food contact, or EU RoHS.

Application and Industrial Uses of Brass Fasteners

Electrical

Brass fasteners are mostly used for terminal screws, grounding bolts and panel mounting hardware that require electrical conductivity and non-magnetic characteristics.

Marine

Brass has satisfactory corrosion resistance for marine hardware, e.g., deck hardware, hull fittings, and dock cleats. The fasteners exposed to the sea water for a long time are generally made of DZR brass.

Architecture

It is not uncommon to see brass used for its warm golden appearance on brass screws, hinge pins, door hardware and furniture hardware. They are good if the fastener is exposed and integral in the design.

Plumbing and HVAC

Valve bonnet bolts, flange connections, and pipe clamp hardware are all examples of hardware that can use brass fasteners. Suitable grades of DZR or lead free brass may be needed for potable water systems.

Oil & Gas and Non-Sparking Environments

In some non-sparking applications where there is a need to minimise the risk of ignition, brass fasteners can be chosen. But, the type of fastener and installation should conform to the requirements of the hazardous area and project.

Frequently Asked Questions