Are Your Plastic Fasteners Ready for Winter? A Technical Review of Weather‑Proof Materials

Can plastic fasteners withstand harsh winter conditions?

While many of Craftech’s fasteners spend their entire service life indoors, a significant portion is routinely exposed to the elements. Craftech’s high‑performance plastic fasteners are critical components in automobiles, marine vessels, aircraft, and even satellite assemblies. Drawing on our prior analysis of the top five materials for plastic fasteners, we evaluate each material’s resilience to the most severe winter stresses.

To determine which plastics remain reliable during Canada’s February blizzards, we examined three key criteria:

• Water Absorption Percentage: Snow, hail, and freezing rain introduce substantial moisture. A fastener’s strength can deteriorate if it absorbs too much water.
• Compatibility with Sodium Chloride (Rock Salt): Salt is a ubiquitous de‑icing agent that can corrode or degrade plastic components.
• Low Service Temperature: The material must retain toughness and avoid cracking at temperatures that drop well below freezing.

Below is an expert assessment of Craftech’s five most common plastic fastener materials and their performance in winter conditions.

1. Nylon (Nylon 6/6)

Nylon 6/6 is renowned for its mechanical strength and wear resistance. Although its water absorption is higher than some alternatives—ranging from 0.6% to 1.2% over 24 hours—it remains substantially water‑repellent compared to many non‑plastic options. This characteristic makes nylon suitable for outdoor applications such as ski jacket fabrics and car tire components. Importantly, nylon’s exposure to sodium chloride is negligible, and it can operate down to –75 °F. Thus, nylon fasteners remain dependable except in extreme polar environments.

2. Teflon (PTFE)

Teflon’s water absorption is less than 0.01%, making it the most water‑resistant plastic on our list. PTFE coatings protect snow‑blower parts from rust and are used on windshield wiper blades. With a service temperature tolerance of –454 °F, Teflon remains robust even in the harshest Arctic climates and exhibits excellent resistance to sodium chloride.

3. PEEK

PEEK offers a balance of low water absorption (0.15%) and strong salt tolerance, with a service temperature down to –65 °F. It is widely used in aerospace, exemplified by its application in the Airbus A380’s fuel manhole covers. These attributes make PEEK an ideal choice for components that must endure both moisture and salt.

4. Ultem™ (Polyetherimide)

Ultem™ 1000 and Ultem™ 2300 exhibit water absorption rates between 0.18% and 0.25% and demonstrate strong resistance to sodium chloride. Their low service temperature of –40 °F ensures that automotive headlight reflectors and other electrical components remain crack‑free throughout winter.

5. Kynar® (PVDF)

PVDF’s exceptional water absorption rate of only 0.03% and its tolerance to sodium chloride—paired with a service temperature as low as –148 °F—make it ideal for protective coatings on architectural fabrics and water‑filtration membranes. Structures coated with PVDF can confidently face winter’s challenges.

In summary, each of these five materials can produce winter‑proof plastic fasteners. Below is a quick comparison chart:

Do you know of another material that excels in wintery conditions? Share your insights in the comments below.

For deeper mechanical properties and chemical resistance data, download our free Material Guide.