The steel hex bolt has a chrome plated finish and an external hex drive. Steel is used in applications where strength is the primary consideration. The chrome plating offers corrosion resistance and a highly reflective appearance. The external hex drive has six flat sides that a wrench can grip to turn the screw from the side, enabling use when there is no space above the head for a driver.

Cap screws and hex bolts are threaded fasteners with thick hex-shaped heads that can be used with threaded nuts or in areas with limited clearance above the tapped (threaded) hole. Cap screws have slightly different dimensions than hex bolts and have a washer face underneath their unflanged hex head to act as a large bearing surface against the mating material.