What Is Nice Class 6?
Nice Class 6 is the trademark classification for common metals and goods made of metal. It covers raw and semi-finished common metals and their alloys, metal building and construction materials, metal hardware such as nails, screws, bolts, and fittings, pipes and tubes of metal, safes and strongboxes, and small metal goods and containers not classified elsewhere. It is the metals-and-hardware class — the structural and fastening backbone of construction and manufacturing.
The organizing principle of Class 6 is material. Where many classes group products by function, Class 6 is defined by what something is made of: common metal. A metal pipe is Class 6, but the same pipe in PVC is Class 19. A metal building frame is Class 6; a wooden or concrete one is Class 19. That material-based logic is the key to filing correctly.
What Class 6 Covers
- Common metals and their alloys, raw or semi-worked (steel, aluminum, iron)
- Metal building and construction materials, beams, and framing
- Metal hardware: nails, screws, bolts, nuts, and fittings
- Pipes and tubes of metal
- Safes, strongboxes, and metal security containers
- Metal cables, wire, and chains (non-electric)
- Metal containers for storage and transport
- Locks, keys, and small metal goods (in applicable cases)
Exclusions: non-metal building materials are Class 19; metal tools and machines are Class 7 (powered) or Class 8 (hand tools); metal furniture is Class 20; and precious metals are Class 14. The same product category — say, a fastener or a container — can land in different classes depending on material and function.
Boundary note: A metal pipe and a plastic pipe are in different classes. Metal pipes and tubes are Class 6; non-metal pipes are Class 19. A manufacturer producing both needs both classes, because classification follows the material, not the product type.
The Class 6 / Class 19 Boundary
The most important relationship for Class 6 is its mirror class, Class 19, which covers the same building-and-construction product categories made of non-metal materials — wood, concrete, plastic, stone. A building-products company with a broad catalog frequently files in both, because its range spans metal and non-metal versions of similar items. Our Class 19 guide covers the non-metal side of this pairing in detail. The tools made from these metals, meanwhile, fall under Class 7 or Class 8 — see our Class 7 guide.
Filing Strategy in Metal-Goods Categories
Like other industrial classes, Class 6 is largely B2B, sold to builders, manufacturers, and trade buyers. Brand names tend to be coined or arbitrary, so descriptiveness refusals are less common than in consumer classes. The main clearance considerations are the density of similar names across overlapping hardware categories and the need to file in the correct class among the several that a metal-goods catalog can touch. Distinctive names register most easily and support stronger enforcement against copycats in fastener and hardware markets.
Common Filing Mistakes
- Filing non-metal products in Class 6: non-metal building materials are Class 19.
- Filing tools in Class 6: metal tools are Class 7 or Class 8.
- Filing precious metals in Class 6: gold, silver, and platinum are Class 14.
- Single-class filing for a broad catalog: metal and non-metal ranges need both Class 6 and Class 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Class 6 and Class 19?
Class 6 covers building and construction materials made of metal, while Class 19 covers the same categories made of non-metal materials like wood, concrete, plastic, and stone. The classification follows the material: a metal beam is Class 6; a concrete or wooden one is Class 19. Companies producing both file in both classes.
Are metal tools in Class 6?
No. Metal tools are classified by function, not material. Powered tools are Class 7 and non-powered hand tools are Class 8, even though they are made of metal. Class 6 covers metal as a material and metal hardware like nails, screws, and fittings, not the tools used to work it.
Is metal hardware like screws and bolts in Class 6?
Yes. Metal hardware — nails, screws, bolts, nuts, fittings, and similar fasteners — is in Class 6. The class also covers metal pipes, cables, chains, safes, and metal containers. The common thread is that the goods are made of common metal and not classified by another function.
Are precious metals in Class 6?
No. Precious metals — gold, silver, platinum — and goods made from them, including jewelry, are in Class 14. Class 6 covers common, non-precious metals like steel, aluminum, and iron, and the hardware and building products made from them.
Search Class 6 Before You File
Metal-goods and hardware names crowd across overlapping categories and the Class 6 / 19 boundary, so clearance is worthwhile. Use tmarkmetric to browse registered Class 6 trademarks, see which names are taken, and search the broader registry before you commit. File across both Class 6 and Class 19 for a catalog spanning metal and non-metal products.