A metal pipe and a plastic pipe sit in different trademark classes even though they do the identical job. That's the organizing idea behind Nice Class 6: unlike most classes, which group products by function, this one is defined by material. Common metal, in whatever form, is Class 6 — 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.
Material First, Function Second
The moment you swap the material, the class usually changes too. A metal building frame is Class 6; a wooden or concrete one is Class 19. Metal cables, wire, and chains sit here; precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum — and jewelry made from them — belong instead to Class 14. And metal tools are classified by their function, not their material: powered tools are Class 7 and non-powered hand tools are Class 8, even though both are made of the metal this class is named for. Class 6 covers metal as a raw or fabricated material and the hardware built directly from it, not the tools used to shape it.
The pairing to remember: Class 19 is Class 6's mirror image, covering the same building-and-construction categories in non-metal materials — wood, concrete, plastic, stone. A building-products company with a broad catalog frequently needs both, because its range spans metal and non-metal versions of similar items. Our Class 19 guide covers that side in detail.
What a Filing Actually Needs to Cover
- Common metals and 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
A manufacturer producing a range across these categories should map each item to Class 6 individually rather than assuming a single registration covers the whole catalog — the classification runs by material and sub-category, not by the brand as a whole.
A Quiet, B2B Class
Like other industrial classes, Class 6 is sold mostly to builders, manufacturers, and trade buyers rather than consumers directly. Brand names here tend to be coined or arbitrary, so descriptiveness refusals are less common than in consumer-facing classes. The real clearance challenge is density — similar names cropping up across overlapping hardware categories — and the need to file in the correct class among the several a metal-goods catalog can touch. Distinctive names still register most easily and support stronger enforcement against copycats in fastener and hardware markets, where private-label knockoffs are common.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Class 6 and Class 19?
Class 6 covers building and construction materials made of metal; Class 19 covers the same categories in non-metal materials like wood, concrete, plastic, and stone. Companies producing both file in both classes.
Are metal tools in Class 6?
No. Tools are classified by function, not material — powered tools are Class 7, non-powered hand tools are Class 8, even though many are made of metal. Class 6 covers metal as a material and metal hardware like nails and screws, not the tools that work it.
Is metal hardware like screws and bolts in Class 6?
Yes, along with metal pipes, cables, chains, safes, and containers. The common thread is that the goods are made of common metal and aren't classified by another function.
Are precious metals in Class 6?
No — gold, silver, platinum, and jewelry made from them are Class 14. Class 6 covers common, non-precious metals like steel, aluminum, and iron.
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 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.