Split Lock Washers for Metric & Imperial Fasteners

A washer that costs cents can still hold up a maintenance job when its size, material or finish doesn't match the bolt beside it. Bremick Spring Washers give Australian fabricators, workshops, manufacturers, maintenance teams & commercial buyers a broad choice of metric spring washers, imperial spring washers, zinc spring washers & stainless steel spring washers for compatible bolted assemblies.

Also known as split spring washers or spring lock washers, these familiar split-ring fasteners are selected around the nominal bolt size & the requirements of the complete joint. When you're building or replenishing the fastening stack, Nuts & Washers provides related hardware, while  Hex Bolts is the natural next step when the mating bolt also needs replacing.

Size is only the first decision. An M10 zinc spring washer, M10 Stainless 304 spring washer & M10 Stainless 316 spring washer may suit the same nominal fastener diameter, but their materials & finishes serve different purchasing requirements.

What Are Spring Washers?

The split in the ring is what separates this washer from the flat hardware sitting beside it in the parts bin.

A spring washer is formed into a split, helical shape rather than remaining completely flat in its free state. Once installed, it forms part of the specified fastening arrangement beneath a compatible nut or bolt head.

Australian buyers commonly know this product category as:

► Spring washers
► Split spring washers
► Spring lock washers
► Split lock washers
► Lock washers
► Metric spring washers
► Imperial spring washers
► Stainless steel spring washers
► 304 stainless spring washers
► 316 stainless spring washers
► Zinc spring washers
► Galvanised spring washers
► M6 spring washers
► M8 spring washers
► M10 spring washers
► M12 spring washers

Bremick's range covers several combinations of sizing, material & finish rather than one universal washer. That allows workshops & purchasing teams to select the washer around the fastener system & operating environment instead of treating every split washer as interchangeable.

For a practical overview of where washers fit into the broader fastener system, read Fastener Guide Bolts Screws Anchors.

Why Choose Spring Washers?

Bolted connections work as assemblies, which means the smallest component still has to match everything around it.

Spring washers remain widely encountered across machinery, fabrication, construction, maintenance & general industrial fastening because they provide a compact split-washer format across common metric & imperial fastener sizes.

They may form part of compatible assemblies involving:

► Hex bolts
► Nuts
► Machinery brackets
► Equipment guards
► Fabricated frames
► Workshop equipment
► General mechanical assemblies
► Maintenance replacements

Don't treat “lock washer” as a promise that any loose bolt problem has been solved. Joint design, fastener preload, tightening method, vibration, thread condition, mating surfaces & the equipment specification can all affect whether a bolted connection remains secure.

Finish selection deserves the same attention as diameter. Zinc, galvanised, Stainless 304 & Stainless 316 options serve different assembly & environmental requirements.

For matching nuts across common bolted connections, browse  Hex Nut.

Common Applications

Maintenance stores usually consume spring washers as part of a fastening combination rather than as an isolated component.

Common uses can include compatible:

► Machinery assemblies
► Equipment brackets
► Fabricated frames
► Guards & covers
► Workshop repairs
► Agricultural equipment
► Industrial plant
► Production machinery
► Shed equipment
► Mechanical assemblies
► General bolted connections
► Maintenance replacements

Consider a missing M10 washer on a machinery guard. The useful question isn't simply whether another washer fits over the thread; it's whether the replacement is the correct M10 spring washer with the material or finish required by the existing fastening arrangement.

Fabrication creates a different purchasing challenge. Repeated assemblies may require hundreds of the same bolt, nut & washer combination, making consistent identification & replenishment important for production work.

Older machinery can mix imperial hardware into a workshop dominated by metric stock. Checking the existing bolt before reaching into the washer drawer prevents near-sized components from being mixed accidentally.

Outdoor or exposed equipment shifts the decision towards environmental compatibility. Stainless & galvanised options may become relevant where the project specification or surrounding fastening system calls for them.

Product Selection Guide

Begin with the bolt designation because that's how the spring washer should be identified.

Match The Washer To The Nominal Bolt Size

An M10 spring washer is selected for the nominal M10 fastener system—not because the washer itself measures 10 mm across the outside.

Common metric searches include:

► M4 spring washers
► M5 spring washers
► M6 spring washers
► M8 spring washers
► M10 spring washers
► M12 spring washers
► M16 spring washers
► M20 spring washers
► M24 spring washers
► M30 spring washers

Bremick currently documents Stainless 304 metric spring washers from M3 through M20 across selected diameters, while its Stainless 316 metric range extends from M3 through M30.

The available diameter sequence varies by range. Always check the particular Bremick product rather than assuming every material or finish is offered in every nominal size.

Compare Bremick Spring Washer Ranges

A quick range comparison makes the material decision easier before individual sizes are checked.

Range limits don't mean every intermediate diameter is necessarily stocked. Select from the actual variants available for the required material, finish & bolt size.

Separate Metric From Imperial Hardware

A washer that almost fits is still the wrong way to identify an imperial or metric assembly.

For an existing connection, confirm:

► Nominal bolt diameter
► Metric or imperial system
► Thread pitch or TPI where relevant to the mating fasteners
► Washer type
► Material or finish
► Existing nut specification

Imperial spring washers should be matched to the corresponding imperial fastening system rather than substituted with whichever metric washer appears closest.

Mixed maintenance fleets deserve particular attention. Australian workshops servicing imported, older & locally manufactured machinery can encounter both systems within the same building.

Choose Zinc, Galvanised Or Stainless

Where the joint operates should influence what sits around the bolt.

Bremick spring-washer families include options across:

Material selection belongs to the whole fastening stack. Consider the bolt, nut, spring washer, any flat washer, adjoining materials & environmental exposure together.

Compare Stainless 304 & Stainless 316

Two stainless washers can look almost identical while carrying different material specifications.

Bremick's Stainless 304 metric spring-washer family includes:

► M3
► M4
► M5
► M6
► M8
► M10
► M12
► M16
► M20

Bremick's Stainless 316 metric family extends further:

► M3
► M4
► M5
► M6
► M8
► M10
► M12
► M16
► M20
► M24
► M30

Stainless 316 is commonly selected where greater corrosion resistance is required, but the environment, mating materials & complete assembly still need to suit the application.

Don't replace only the washer with stainless & assume the entire connection now has the same corrosion resistance.

Decide Whether A Flat Washer Is Also Required

Spring washers & flat washers aren't competing names for the same piece of hardware.

A flat washer provides a broad, flat bearing surface beneath a nut or bolt head.

A spring washer uses its characteristic split helical form as part of the fastening arrangement.

Depending on the assembly, the specification may call for:

► A spring washer
► A flat washer
► A specified combination
► Another locking arrangement entirely

For broader bearing support where the assembly requires it, compare  Flat Washer.

Match The Rest Of The Fastener Stack

Ordering an M10 washer correctly doesn't help if the bolt, nut or finish beside it is wrong.

Check:

► Bolt diameter
► Thread system
► Bolt grade or property class
► Nut specification
► Spring-washer size
► Flat-washer requirement
► Material & coating
► Available thread engagement
► Environmental exposure
► Tightening requirement

For wider bolt, nut & fastener purchasing across fabrication or maintenance stock, browse Bolts & Fasteners.

Spring Washer vs Flat Washer

Their jobs overlap around the same bolt, but their shapes & functions aren't interchangeable.

Follow the machinery drawing, project specification or established assembly where one exists. A flat washer shouldn't be replaced with a spring washer—or the reverse—simply because both fit over the same bolt.

M6, M8, M10 & M12 Spring Washers

Common workshop sizes deserve straightforward identification because they're also the easiest to mix in an unlabelled bin.

If the assembly uses an M6 bolt, select the appropriate M6 spring washer for that nominal fastening system.

An M8 bolt requires an M8 spring washer where the assembly specifies this washer type.

For an M10 bolt, choose the appropriate M10 spring washer rather than using the washer's outside diameter as the sizing reference.

An M12 connection should likewise use the corresponding M12 spring washer when required by the fastening arrangement.

The same nominal size can still leave several product choices. For example, Bremick documents M10 spring washers in Stainless 304, Stainless 316 & other spring-washer ranges, so finish & material remain part of the decision after diameter is known.

Spring Washers In Machinery & Fabrication

A workshop replenishment order becomes easier when the hardware is identified by assembly rather than thrown into a generic washer bin.

Useful stock descriptions might include:

► M6 zinc spring washer
► M8 spring washer
► M10 Stainless 304 spring washer
► M10 Stainless 316 spring washer
► M12 galvanised spring washer
► Imperial zinc spring washer

That approach helps maintenance crews distinguish parts quickly while also reducing accidental substitutions.

Fabricators benefit from the same discipline at larger quantities. Repeated bolt, nut & washer combinations can be stocked around the actual jobs being assembled rather than purchased as unrelated components.

For tightening & removal work around common hex fasteners,  Spanner & Wrench Sets provides related workshop tools.

Expert Tips

Label washer bins by nominal fastener size, type & finish. “M10 SS316 spring” gives the next technician far more useful information than “washers”.

Separate imperial hardware before it reaches the maintenance bench. Near-sized metric & imperial components are easier to confuse when stock has already been mixed.

Inspect the old washer rather than throwing it away immediately. Corrosion, flattening, distortion or unusual wear can provide clues about the condition of the previous connection.

Match materials deliberately across the assembly. Changing one washer without checking the bolt, nut & adjoining hardware can leave the original compatibility problem unresolved.

Treat repeated loosening as a joint problem worth investigating. Damaged threads, insufficient preload, vibration, movement or an unsuitable fastening arrangement may require attention beyond replacing the washer.

Check the equipment specification before modifying an established stack. Machinery manufacturers may specify particular washers, fasteners, tightening procedures or alternative locking methods.

Replenish the sizes your business actually consumes. Organised stocks of frequently used M6, M8, M10 & M12 hardware can save maintenance crews considerably more time than a large mixed assortment.

For more detail on selecting fasteners as part of a complete connection, read Why Good Fasteners Matter More Than the Tool You Drive Them With.

Maintenance crews working around heavy industrial equipment can also explore Quarry Crews Crusher Maintenance.

For another workshop perspective on everyday fastening tools, read Kincrome vs SP Tools: Workshop Hand Tool Showdown.