Galvanised vs Stainless Steel Brick Reinforcement: When to Specify Which
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Every bed-joint reinforcement product Spechunter stocks is available in two finishes: galvanised steel and stainless steel. The choice between them is the single most important material decision a specifier or contractor makes on a brick reinforcement order — and the wrong choice produces visible staining, premature failure, or unnecessary cost.
This article sets out when to specify galvanised, when to specify stainless, and what the Spechunter range supports for each. For the full background on bed-joint reinforcement, see the pillar guide: Brick Reinforcement Guide: Ladder, Coil Mesh & Murfor Compact. For a head-to-head between the three product families themselves, see Ladder vs Coil Mesh vs Murfor Compact: Choosing the Right Brick Reinforcement.
The simple rule from the product literature
The clearest single statement comes directly from the Spechunter own-brand stainless ladder reinforcement product description:
"Stainless Steel can be used on both inner and external bricks/blocks whereas galvanised is more suited to internal walls."
That is the working rule for nearly every routine specification. Internal leaf, sheltered application, no engineer specification overriding it — galvanised is fine. External leaf, parapet, coastal exposure, swimming-pool surround, or anywhere the engineer has called for stainless — specify stainless.
The rest of this article unpacks why, where the boundary sits in practice, and what the Spechunter range delivers in each finish.
What each material actually does
Galvanised reinforcement
Galvanised reinforcement is steel coated with a layer of zinc. The zinc layer protects the underlying steel from corrosion: when moisture and oxygen reach the surface, the zinc oxidises in preference to the steel. As long as the zinc coating remains intact, the steel beneath is protected. The Spechunter Murfor Compact I-50 and I-100 product literature describes the finish as providing "corrosion resistance for lasting durability" and "long-lasting performance."
The practical limit on galvanised reinforcement is the life of the zinc coating. Inside a masonry wall, the coating is shielded from direct weather, and service life can be long — but where moisture penetrates the mortar joint, the coating depletes faster, and once the zinc is gone the steel rusts and expands. Rust expansion within a mortar bed is what causes the horizontal cracking and spalling that occasionally appears on older walls with degraded galvanised reinforcement.
Stainless steel reinforcement
Stainless steel resists corrosion through its alloy chemistry rather than a coating: chromium in the alloy forms a thin, self-repairing oxide layer that prevents further oxidation. Because the protection is intrinsic rather than applied, stainless does not deplete the way galvanised does. The Spechunter stainless products are described as offering "excellent corrosion resistance for lasting performance" (Murfor Compact E-series) and "long-lasting durability and corrosion resistance" (Ancon AMR).
The Ancon AMR product range is manufactured from 3 mm stainless steel wire and is BS EN 845-3 compliant — the European specification for bed-joint reinforcement of steel meshwork. The flattened wire profile is designed to ensure full mortar coverage and tight bed-joint integration.
Which to specify, by application
These recommendations follow the principle in the Spechunter product literature — galvanised for internal, stainless for inner-and-external — combined with general industry good practice on exposure. Where a structural engineer has specified a material class by name, follow the specification.
| Application | Recommended finish | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Internal partition walls | Galvanised | No external exposure; coating service life is long in dry internal conditions. |
| Inner leaf of cavity wall | Galvanised | Shielded by the cavity and outer leaf; galvanised gives the right balance of cost and protection. |
| External leaf of cavity wall (sheltered) | Stainless | Even sheltered external exposure brings moisture cycling; product literature says galvanised is "more suited to internal walls." |
| External leaf, exposed or driven-rain site | Stainless | Repeated wetting accelerates zinc depletion; stainless protects across the design life of the wall. |
| Parapets | Stainless | Weather exposure on multiple faces; reinforcement near the wall surface is at highest risk. |
| Coastal sites | Stainless | Salt-laden air is aggressive to zinc; stainless is the standard specification. |
| Swimming pool surrounds, chemical environments | Stainless | Chlorine-rich atmospheres degrade zinc coatings; stainless is required. |
| Engineer-specified by name | As specified | Brand and material class on a designed structure are part of the calculation — do not substitute. |
The cost question — what the price difference actually looks like
The premium for stainless reinforcement is real but smaller in absolute terms than many specifiers assume. The cleanest like-for-like comparison in the Spechunter range is Vista V44 coil mesh, where the same product is sold in identical widths in both finishes:
| Product | Galvanised (£) | Stainless (£) | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista V44 65 mm × 20 m roll | £5.61 | £13.30 | +£7.69 |
| Vista V44 175 mm × 20 m roll | £19.64 | £39.76 | +£20.12 |
In absolute pounds, the premium for stainless on a single 20 m roll of coil mesh is between roughly £8 and £20 — a small line item on a panel that may cost several hundred pounds in masonry, mortar, and labour. The Murfor Compact pricing follows a similar pattern: the I-50 galvanised at £27.20 sits below the E-35 stainless at £42.48 (narrower, but stainless and closer to a half-brick course), and the I-100 galvanised at £41.09 compares to the E-70 stainless at £63.05. All prices ex-VAT at time of writing.
On the external leaf of a typical residential cavity wall, specifying stainless over galvanised is rarely the line that breaks the masonry budget. The avoided risk — visible rust staining, spalling at the bed joint, and the cost of opening the wall to replace reinforcement under warranty — is the larger number over a fifty- or hundred-year service life.
What's available in each finish across the Spechunter range
| Product family | Galvanised widths | Stainless widths |
|---|---|---|
| Ancon AMR (ladder) | — | 60 mm, 100 mm |
| Spechunter own-brand (ladder) | 60 mm | 60 mm, 100 mm |
| Vista V44 (coil mesh) | 65 mm, 115 mm, 175 mm | 65 mm, 112 mm, 175 mm |
| Bekaert Murfor Compact | I-50, I-100 | E-35, E-70 |
The Ancon AMR range at Spechunter is stainless-only — Ancon specify stainless across the AMR product line, reflecting its typical use in designed reinforcement applications where exposure class matters. For galvanised ladder reinforcement on inner-leaf work, the Spechunter own-brand range is the right choice. Bekaert split the Murfor Compact range across two clearly-named series: I-series for internal (galvanised), E-series for external (stainless) — the codes are not a guess at exposure, they are a deliberate part of the product naming.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing finishes in the same wall without isolation. Avoid placing galvanised reinforcement at one course and stainless at another in the same panel unless there is good reason; differing electrochemistry can drive accelerated corrosion at points of contact.
- Substituting galvanised for stainless on an engineer's specification. If the structural engineer has called out a material class, follow it. The substitution may look like a cost saving on the order but creates a non-conformity against the structural calculation.
- Specifying galvanised on a parapet or coastal wall. Both are external exposures where the product literature — and conventional practice — points to stainless.
- Assuming all stainless is the same. Where the engineer has specified a particular grade by name, follow it. If unsure of grade requirements for an aggressive environment, call our technical team and we will check with the manufacturer.
- Ignoring the BS EN 845-3 declaration. Every roll or bundle should come with documentation confirming conformity. Keep the certificate with the project records.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use galvanised brick reinforcement on an external wall?
The Spechunter product literature states that galvanised is "more suited to internal walls" and stainless "can be used on both inner and external bricks/blocks." For external use in genuinely sheltered locations galvanised is sometimes specified, but for the external leaf of a typical UK cavity wall, parapet, or any site with significant rain or wind-driven moisture, stainless is the correct choice.
What does the "I" and "E" mean in Murfor Compact codes?
In the Bekaert Murfor Compact range, I indicates the galvanised series (designed primarily for internal and sheltered exposure), and E indicates the stainless steel series (designed for external and aggressive exposure). The codes appear in the product name — for example, Murfor Compact I-100 is the 100 mm galvanised roll, and Murfor Compact E-70 is the 70 mm stainless roll.
Does BS EN 845-3 cover both galvanised and stainless reinforcement?
Yes. BS EN 845-3 is the European specification for bed-joint reinforcement of steel meshwork, and covers both galvanised and stainless variants. The Ancon AMR product description on Spechunter confirms BS EN 845-3 compliance for the stainless ladder range, and the Spechunter own-brand and Bekaert Murfor Compact ranges are manufactured to the same standard.
How much more expensive is stainless than galvanised?
For the cleanest like-for-like comparison — Vista V44 coil mesh in the same widths — the Spechunter prices show stainless at roughly twice the price of galvanised for the same product. In absolute terms that's £8–£20 extra per 20 m roll. On a per-panel basis the difference is small relative to the cost of masonry, mortar, and labour, and on the external leaf it protects the design life of the wall.
Will galvanised reinforcement stain my brickwork?
Once the zinc coating depletes — which happens faster in repeatedly wet conditions — the steel beneath rusts, and the rust can migrate through the mortar joint and stain the wall face. This is the failure mode that drives the recommendation to specify stainless on any external wall subject to driven rain or repeated wetting. The Spechunter own-brand stainless ladder description confirms that stainless is the appropriate material for external bricks and blocks.
What lap should I use with bed-joint reinforcement?
The Ancon AMR product description specifies a minimum 225 mm lap between lengths of ladder reinforcement, fully embedded in mortar. Designed reinforcement to Eurocode 6 may require longer laps depending on the calculated tensile demand — always confirm against the manufacturer's data sheet for the specific product on a designed structure.
Related reading
- Brick Reinforcement Guide: Ladder, Coil Mesh & Murfor Compact — the pillar guide to bed-joint reinforcement
- Ladder vs Coil Mesh vs Murfor Compact — head-to-head comparison across the three product families
- The Ultimate Guide to Wall Ties — material selection for wall ties follows similar principles
- A Complete Guide to Damp Proof Courses (DPC) — DPC selection and its interaction with reinforcement
Need help with material selection? Browse the full Spechunter brick reinforcement range, or call our technical team on 0118 922 7941 — we will match galvanised or stainless to your project. Order before noon and spend £200 ex-VAT for free next-working-day delivery to most UK sites.