SMAW Electrode Selector

An educational guide to help you choose the right SMAW (Stick) electrode for your welding job based on common requirements.

Job Requirements

Select your material, desired position, and penetration to get an electrode recommendation.

Base Material

Welding Position

Penetration Requirement

Decoding Electrode Numbers

The numbers on a welding electrode are not random; they tell you everything about its properties. For an electrode like **E7018**:

**E:** Stands for Electrode.
**70:** Indicates the minimum tensile strength in thousands of psi (70,000 psi).
**1:** Represents the welding position. '1' is for all positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead). '2' is for flat and horizontal only.
**8:** This digit indicates the type of coating and the current to be used (e.g., AC, DCEP, DCEN).