Electrode comparison

E6010 vs E7018

E6010 digs deep for root passes on dirty steel; E7018 is the low-hydrogen structural rod for fill, cap and code work. Most pipe joints use both.

E6010 vs E7018 at a glance

	E6010	E7018
AWS specification	AWS A5.1/A5.1M	AWS A5.1/A5.1M
Process	Stick (SMAW)	Stick (SMAW)
Form	Covered electrode	Covered electrode
Tensile strength (min)	60 ksi	70 ksi
Yield strength (min)	48 ksi	58 ksi
Elongation (min)	22%	22%
Impact toughness	20 ft·lb at -20 °F (27 J at -29 °C)	20 ft·lb at -20 °F (27 J at -29 °C)
Polarity	DCEP	DCEP, AC
Positions	Flat, Horizontal, Vertical, Overhead	Flat, Horizontal, Vertical, Overhead
Penetration	Deep	Medium
Deposition rate	Low	High
Coating / core	High-cellulose sodium	Low-hydrogen potassium with iron powder
Slag	Thin, light, easy to remove	Heavy, brown-glassy, releases cleanly when run correctly
Shielding gas	None — self-shielding	None — self-shielding
Storage	Store at room temperature. Do not bake E6010 — the cellulose coating needs its moisture to work.	Low-hydrogen rods must be kept dry. Hermetically sealed until opened, then held in a rod oven at 250–300 °F (120–150 °C).
Primary use	Open-root passes on pipe, both shop and field	Structural steel erection, bridges and buildings

Which should you use?

These rods are not competitors so much as partners. E6010's cellulosic coating gives a digging arc that reaches through an open root and burns through rust and mill scale, but it deposits relatively high diffusible hydrogen and only 60 ksi weld metal. E7018's low-hydrogen coating gives 70 ksi tensile, 20 ft·lb toughness at -20 °F, and the crack resistance that thick or restrained joints require — but it will not tolerate a dirty joint and it demands rod oven storage. The classic pipe procedure runs an E6010 root and hot pass, then fills and caps with E7018.

Choose E6010 when

Open-root passes where penetration through the gap matters
Rusty, painted or contaminated steel
Field repair where rod oven storage is impractical

Choose E7018 when

Structural steel, bridges and any code work requiring low hydrogen
Thick or highly restrained joints where cold cracking is a risk
Fill and cap passes that need 70 ksi and low-temperature toughness

Amperage compared

Diameter	E6010	E7018
3/32 in (2.4 mm)	40–80 A	70–120 A
1/8 in (3.2 mm)	70–130 A	110–165 A
5/32 in (4.0 mm)	110–165 A	150–220 A
3/16 in (4.8 mm)	140–215 A	200–275 A
7/32 in (5.6 mm)	170–250 A	260–340 A

Ranges are typical starting points. Diameters listed for only one electrode are shown as — for the other.

E6010 vs E7018 — common questions

Can you weld E7018 over an E6010 root?

Yes — that combination is standard practice on pipe and on many structural procedures. Clean the root thoroughly and remove all slag before the fill passes go in.

Is E7018 stronger than E6010?

Yes. E7018 is rated at 70,000 psi minimum tensile against E6010's 60,000 psi, and it carries a low-temperature impact requirement that E6010 also meets at -20 °F but with much higher weld hydrogen.

Why not just use E7018 for everything?

It has shallow-to-medium penetration and no tolerance for contamination. On an open root or on rusty steel it will leave lack of fusion and porosity where E6010 would have made a sound weld.

Full specifications

E6010

AWS A5.1/A5.1M

E6010 is a DC-only cellulosic stick electrode with the deepest penetration of any common rod, used for open-root pipe passes and dirty or rusty steel.

E7018