What the numbers on a welding rod mean, when to use E6013 or E7018, how to store and redry low-hydrogen electrodes on humid Gulf sites, and which rods suit stainless steel and cast iron.
E6013 is a rutile, general-purpose welding rod for light fabrication, sheet and tack welds: easy to strike, smooth, with slag that lifts off. E7018 is a low-hydrogen, iron powder rod with higher minimum strength, used on structural steel, pressure vessels and pipe where cracking must be avoided, and it must be kept dry. Both are stocked by welding consumables suppliers in the UAE.
This guide is for fabrication supervisors, maintenance planners and buyers who order stick electrodes. It decodes the AWS classification on the box, compares E6013 and E7018 in detail, covers storage and redrying in humid Gulf conditions, and lists the rods for stainless steel and cast iron. For the machines that burn them, see our welding machine buying guide for the UAE and Saudi Arabia; Saudi buyers can compare sellers on the welding consumables page for Saudi Arabia.
Carbon steel stick electrodes are classified under AWS A5.1/A5.1M, Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc Welding. The current edition listed by the American Welding Society is A5.1/A5.1M:2025, which replaced the 2012 edition (now marked historical). It sets the chemistry and mechanical properties of the weld metal, usability tests, moisture tests for low-hydrogen coverings, sizes and marking, plus optional tests for improved toughness, lower absorbed moisture and diffusible hydrogen.
A code such as E7018 breaks down like this:
Kobe Steel uses the same logic to explain its LB-52-18, an AWS E7018 rod: "1" shows it can be used in all positions, and "8" is the designation for iron powder, low hydrogen.
| Last two digits | Coating | Current | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | High cellulose | DC reverse polarity only | E6010 |
| 11 | High cellulose | AC or DC reverse polarity | E6011 |
| 12 | High titania (rutile) | AC or DC straight polarity | E6012 |
| 13 | High titania (rutile) | AC or DC either polarity | E6013 |
| 14 | Rutile, iron powder | AC or DC either polarity | E7014 |
| 16 | Low hydrogen | AC or DC reverse polarity | E7016 |
| 18 | Iron powder, low hydrogen | AC or DC reverse polarity | E7018 |
| 24 | Rutile, iron powder (flat and horizontal) | AC or DC either polarity | E7024 |
| 28 | Iron powder, low hydrogen (flat and horizontal) | AC or DC reverse polarity | E7028 |
Many E7018 boxes carry extra letters. These are optional supplementary designators, not part of the basic classification, and they matter for coded work:
Projects written to European standards may specify EN ISO 2560-A codes instead. Magmaweld gives E 42 6 B 42 H5 for its E7018-1 H4R rod and E 38 0 RC 11 for one of its E6013 rods: the B and R letters mark basic and rutile coatings.
Neither is better in general. E6013 is easier to use and more forgiving of fit-up and surface condition; E7018 gives stronger, tougher, low-hydrogen weld metal but asks more of storage and technique. TWI's description of the coating families explains the difference: rutile electrodes ignite easily, run smoothly with low spatter and leave easily removed slag, with moderate mechanical properties; basic (low-hydrogen) electrodes give low-hydrogen weld metal with good mechanical properties and crack resistance, and their fast-freezing slag helps in vertical and overhead welding.
| Factor | E6013 | E7018 |
|---|---|---|
| Coating type | High titania (rutile) | Iron powder, low hydrogen (basic) |
| Minimum tensile strength | 60,000 psi (about 414 MPa) | 70,000 psi (about 483 MPa) |
| Current | AC or DC, either polarity | AC or DC electrode positive |
| Positions | All positions by classification; some products exclude vertical-down | All positions |
| Arc and slag | Easy striking and re-striking, smooth arc, slag lifts off easily | Short arc needed; slag harder to remove |
| Hydrogen and cracking | Not a low-hydrogen type | Low hydrogen; good crack resistance |
| Storage | Dry storage; redry only if damp | Heated holding oven once opened; redry at high temperature after exposure |
| Typical work | Light fabrication, sheet, tack welds, repair, light structures | Structural steel, bridges, pressure vessels, tanks, pipelines, ships |
Manufacturers position E6013 as a general-purpose rod. Magmaweld's catalogue describes one E6013 (ESR 11) as especially suited to sheets thinner than 5 mm, galvanised sheet and tube, primer-painted and slightly rusty steels, tanks and boilers, with easy arc striking that suits tack welding; another (ESR 13) as a general-purpose rod for light steel fabrication, iron works, agricultural machines and vehicle chassis, usable in all positions except vertical-down. Gedik Welding's GEKA LITE, also AWS A5.1 E6013, is described as a medium-coated rutile electrode with easy slag removal and good re-strike. These are the jobs where E6013 makes sense: non-critical joints, thin material and workshops with welders of mixed experience.
E7018 is the choice where the weld is structural or coded. Kobe Steel describes its E7018 rod as a low-hydrogen electrode for mild steel and 490 MPa high-tensile steel, used in machinery, steel structures, bridge construction and shipbuilding, and says it performs particularly well in all-position girth welding of pipe on DC. Magmaweld lists its E7018-1 H4R rod for steel structures, bridges, power plants, petrochemical plants, shipbuilding, high-strength pipelines, pressure vessels and tanks. Lincoln warns that moisture in low-hydrogen coatings can cause hydrogen-induced cracking, particularly in steels with a yield strength of 550 MPa (80,000 psi) and higher, which is where a dry E7018 earns its place.
Cellulosic rods (E6010, E6011) are the third common family. TWI describes them as giving a deep-penetrating arc, rapid burn-off and high speed, but with high hydrogen that brings a risk of cracking in the heat-affected zone. Magmaweld lists its E6010 for pipes and plates in all positions, especially root and fill passes welded vertically downward in pipeline construction, with DC electrode negative for roots and electrode positive for fill and cap passes; its E6011 runs on AC as well as DC. Pipeline procedures that use them are covered in the main welding guide; for general shop work the choice is between E6013 and E7018.
Coastal sites are where electrode storage goes wrong. Humidity in the UAE comes from evaporation off the sea, and The National, citing the National Centre of Meteorology, reports that humidity is worse in coastal areas such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with August's average maximum relative humidity at 72%. Kobe Steel publishes a moisture pickup curve for its E7018 rod measured at 30 °C and 80% relative humidity, and says the coating tends to pick up moisture from the air, causing spatter, porosity, irregular beads and cold cracking.
Basic coatings are largely calcium compounds that absorb moisture readily, Magmaweld explains, and moisture brings hydrogen into the weld and a high risk of hydrogen (cold) cracking. Unless the rods come vacuum packed, they must be redried at the manufacturer's time and temperature before first use.
Where figures differ between makers, follow the label and data sheet of the brand in use, and any limits in the project's welding procedure, which may be stricter.
These need far less heat. Lincoln says unopened cartons keep the right moisture content indefinitely in good storage; if opened rods pick up moisture, keep them in a heated cabinet at only 40 to 50 °C. For its E6013 (Fleetweld 37) group it gives a redrying temperature of 150 to 180 °C for 20 to 30 minutes, and Magmaweld lists 110 °C for 1 hour, if required, for its rutile rods. Lincoln does not recommend re-baking cellulosic E6010 and E6011 rods at all, and warns that longer drying times or higher temperatures can easily damage non-low-hydrogen rods, so never put them in the E7018 oven.
Stainless electrodes are classified under AWS A5.4 and named after the alloy they deposit, with a suffix for the coating: Magmaweld, for example, lists E316L-16 as a rutile type and E316L-15 as a basic type used on DC electrode positive. Match the rod to the base metal:
The "L" means extra low carbon. Magmaweld's tables give redrying at 350 °C for 2 hours for its stainless rods, so they need the same dry storage as E7018.
Cast iron rods are classified under AWS A5.15. The common repair rod is ENi-CI, with a pure nickel core:
Cast iron repair is sensitive to procedure, so send the casting grade and the service conditions with the enquiry.
Listed in no particular order; each makes the rods described above, according to its own documents.
Lincoln Electric makes carbon steel stick electrodes across the families covered here, including its Fleetweld E6010, E6011 and E6013 rods and low-hydrogen E7018-type rods, and publishes the storage and redrying guide cited in this article.
Kobelco, the welding brand of Kobe Steel, makes the FAMILIARC LB-52-18 (AWS E7018), which it says was developed around 1962, and the LB-52 low-hydrogen rod for mild and 490 MPa steel, which its Thai licensee lists with ship classification approvals.
Magmaweld of Turkey lists rutile, basic and cellulosic carbon steel rods (including E6013, E7018 H8 and E7018-1 H4R), low-alloy, stainless (E308L, E309L, E316L) and cast iron (ENi-CI) electrodes in one catalogue, with redrying data for each.
Gedik Welding, also Turkish, makes the GEKA LITE E6013 rutile rod and the ELNIKEL ENi-CI cast iron rod among its electrode range.
Nippon Steel Welding and Engineering lists stainless covered electrodes including the S-309L R (AWS E309L-16) for dissimilar joints and clad steel.
When your list is ready, post your welding consumables requirement and let suppliers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia quote against it. Stick machines themselves are listed under arc welding machines, and complete setups under welding equipment.
More in this series: MIG vs TIG vs Stick Welding, Welding Helmets and PPE, Welder Qualification and Certification in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Laser Welding Machines.
E means arc welding electrode. The first two digits give minimum weld tensile strength in thousands of psi: 60,000 or 70,000. The third digit is position (1 is all positions). The last two digits together give coating and current: 13 is rutile for AC or DC either polarity, 11 is high cellulose for AC or DC electrode positive, and 18 is iron powder low hydrogen for AC or DC electrode positive.
It depends on the job. E6013 is easier to strike, runs smoothly and suits thin sheet, tack welds and general light fabrication. E7018 gives stronger, tougher low-hydrogen weld metal with better crack resistance, so it is the rod for structural steel, pressure vessels, tanks and pipe. If a welding procedure names E7018, an E6013 cannot be substituted.
E7018 is used where weld quality and crack resistance matter: structural steel, bridges, shipbuilding, pressure vessels, tanks, machinery and all-position pipe welding. It deposits low-hydrogen weld metal with 70,000 psi minimum tensile strength. Variants such as E7018-1 add low-temperature toughness, and H4 or H8 suffixes indicate the diffusible hydrogen level.
E6013 is a general-purpose rutile rod for mild steel: light fabrication and iron works, sheet thinner than about 5 mm, galvanised or slightly rusty steel, vehicle chassis and tack welding. It runs on AC or DC, strikes and re-strikes easily, and leaves slag that lifts off. It is not a low-hydrogen rod, so it is not used where a procedure demands one.
Yes, unless they come in vacuum packs or sealed tins and are used straight from them. Opened rods are held at 120 to 150 °C, and rods exposed to air are redried at the maker's temperature, for example 340 to 400 °C for one hour in Lincoln's guide or 300 to 350 °C for 30 to 60 minutes in Kobe Steel's. Follow the brand's label and the procedure.
No. Rutile rods are damaged by low-hydrogen redrying temperatures. Lincoln gives 150 to 180 °C for its E6013 group and recommends storing opened rutile rods at only 40 to 50 °C. Cellulosic E6010 and E6011 rods should not be re-baked at all. Keep separate ovens or settings for each family.
An E309L-type electrode is the usual choice. Its higher chromium and nickel content (around 24% Cr and 13% Ni in Nippon Steel Welding's E309L-16) tolerates dilution from the carbon steel side. Use E308L for Cr-Ni stainless to itself and E316L for Cr-Ni-Mo grades.
Featured image: Photo: Prowelder87, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How welder certification works on UAE and Saudi projects: WPS, PQR and WQTR, which code applies, what the test involves, 1G to 6G positions, how long qualifications last, AWS and CSWIP, and third-party witnessing.
Which filter shade each welding process needs, what to check on an auto-darkening helmet, the standards for helmets, jackets and gloves, respirators for fume, and PPE rules in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
How MIG, TIG and stick welding differ in metals, thickness, speed, finish, wind tolerance and skill, and which process fits shop, site and pipe work in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
