What Is Welding Bead and Their Types?

What Is a Weld Bead?

When creating a weld bead, the process starts by adding filler material to the joint where two metal pieces meet. This deposited filler metal resulting from a single welding pass is what we refer to as a weld bead.

As you work, the bead forms directly on or within the surface of your workpiece. This happens as the wire or electrode melts down and fuses into the steel. The type of bead you end up with depends a lot on your technique.

For example, a stringer bead is fairly narrow and forms when you simply drag the torch or electrode in a straight line, maybe with just a slight vibration. In contrast, a weave bead is wider and requires you to move with a more pronounced side-to-side motion.

You can usually tell a good weld just by looking at it. Ideally, the bead runs straight and even, with a clean appearance no cracks, holes, or leftover slag. The weld shouldn’t be thin, and you shouldn’t see any pits or craters along the bead.

One thing to keep in mind is how the way you move your torch or electrode makes a big difference. The movement not only guides the molten puddle but also determines the shape and type of bead that gets laid down in the joint.

MORE: What is Welding?

Types of Welding Bead

1. TIG Welding Beads

When you look at a well-executed TIG weld, you might notice the bead resembles a neat “stack of dimes.” This effect happens because, as the welder moves the TIG torch along the joint, they use their other hand to add small, evenly spaced drops of filler metal.

Each dab lands with a little circular pattern, and together, they pile up in a way that’s easy to recognize.

The rhythm at which these dabs are added plays a big role in how the finished weld appears. If the welder feeds the filler metal more quickly, the “dimes” stack up closer together; slow down, and you’ll see them spaced further apart. That’s one reason why a good TIG weld often stands out for its clean and attractive look.

But here’s something not everyone knows: not all TIG welds have that classic “stack of dimes” pattern. Some welders like to use what’s called the “with the cup” method.

In this approach, the welder actually rests the wire against the part and moves the TIG torch’s cup back and forth as they work along the joint.

Picture it like spreading cream cheese on a bagel—the motion helps melt the filler rod and evenly distributes it across the weld. This method is especially common among pipe welders.

Sometimes, to lay down more material, they’ll even use two or three filler rods at once, almost like using a few spatulas together. So, instead of a simple straight weld, it’s more like weaving the torch side to side for a broader, smoother finish.

2. Stick Welding Beads

Stick welding offers a range of seam characteristics depending on the electrode and technique used. The low hydrogen electrode group, particularly the 7018 rod, stands out for its versatility.

When running a 7018, it’s common to lay down what’s called a “stringer” bead a neat, narrow pass that gives a regular appearance to the weld.

This method is especially popular for flat, horizontal, and even overhead positions in stick welding. When tackling vertical welds with 7018, welders often find it helpful to use a weaving motion.

Moving uphill, you can experiment with different weave patterns to help spread the filler metal evenly along the joint. Weaving tends to be easier when welding vertically, although some welding inspectors (CWIs) will insist on stringer passes only, particularly in test situations.

For quick reference, take a look at our favorite welding symbols chart below. Each symbol tells you what type of weld is needed, and that in turn affects the bead size and style you’ll use.

When you’re working with cellulose-based electrodes like 6010 or 7010, there’s a unique “whip and pause” method involved. With this approach, the resulting bead tends to resemble a good TIG weld maybe not quite as polished, but you’ll notice the classic “dime” effect.

The process involves striking an arc, pausing to let a “dime” form, then whipping the rod away and returning to start the next “penny.” For open-root welds on pipe or plate, you can also drag a 6010 rod much like a 7018, and you’ll often get excellent results.

3. MIG beads

Hardwire MIG welding is surprisingly adaptable, with a range of techniques to achieve solid welds. Some welders like to push the puddle, while others are more comfortable pulling it. The debate over which method produces a stronger weld has been ongoing for ages.

However, one thing that sets hardwire MIG apart is that it doesn’t rely on flux coating—so there’s no need to drag your puddle as you would with flux-core methods.

In the world of welding, there’s an old bit of advice: “If there’s slag, you gotta drag.” The reason is pretty practical. With stick rods or flux-cored MIG guns, pushing the weld can trap slag right in the bead, leading to porosity issues.

The drag technique lets the slag settle behind the puddle and harden as you move forward, keeping the weld cleaner and stronger.

A lot of MIG welders stick to straightforward stringer beads without weaving or fancy patterns. This approach usually works just fine and results in a sturdy weld.

Still, weaving or working in a patterned motion can really help with wider joints or when you’re welding vertically. It spreads the filler metal more evenly and produces a flatter, more attractive bead.

Recently, there’s been a surge of interest in what folks are calling the “MIG like TIG” trend. This is where specific MIG settings can mimic the look of those classic TIG “dimes.” Usually, this effect is achieved by lowering the wire speed with some new tech built into certain machines.

It’s worth noting, though, that these “show” beads aren’t always as strong as they look. The lower heat involved means the weld doesn’t penetrate as deeply into the metal. Despite that, you’ll see them all over the off-road scene because the results are so clean and eye-catching.

MORE: What is MIG Welding?

4. Flux Cored MIG Beads

Flux core MIG welding particularly when using dual shield enables welders to deposit large amounts of filler metal very quickly. Typically, most flux-cored welds are laid down using straightforward stringer beads.

However, when working in the vertical position, it’s common to use a weaving technique to better control the weld puddle.

Employing a weave pattern with flux-cored welding helps to avoid what’s known as a “drip,” where excessive heat causes the molten metal to fall off the workpiece and onto the floor.

This weaving approach allows for improved heat management and results in a more controlled, consistent weld, especially on vertical surfaces.

MORE: What is Flux-Cored Welding?

Types Of Weld Beads Techniques

When it comes to torch manipulation, the basics remain quite consistent, regardless of whether you’re using a separate filler rod, a wire that’s fed mechanically, or even a stick electrode.

The fundamentals of how you move and control the torch don’t change much from one approach to another. That said, certain techniques tend to be associated with specific welding processes, so it’s important to recognize these nuances.

Main welding bead techniques:

• Stringer beads
• Weave beads

1. Stringer beads

When it comes to welding stainless steel pipes, stringer beads are often laid parallel to the joint. The main reason for this is that it helps minimize the risk of carbide precipitation, which can be a real headache if not controlled. In fact, stringer beads are generally recommended for welding all carbon and low alloy pipes, especially when you’re working in the vertical-fixed position.

So, what exactly do you do to create a stringer bead? It’s pretty straightforward: just drag the electrode directly across the seam—no need for weaving or any side-to-side motion. Basically, you’re just pulling or dragging along in a straight line.

It’s worth noting that stringer beads are quite different from weaving beads. With weaving beads—especially when you’re surfacing—the process actually leads to less dilution. That’s because the weld puddle is mostly in contact with the previously laid bead during each pass, rather than interacting as much with the base metal.

2. Weave Beads

When it comes to welding carbon and low-alloy steels, especially in the rolled or horizontal-fixed positions, weave bead techniques can really come in handy.

The basic idea is pretty straightforward: instead of moving the torch in a straight line, you move it side-to-side in a weaving motion across the joint. This isn’t just a stylistic choice it’s actually a time-saver for completing welds in these positions.

What makes weave bead welding stand out is how it lets you cover a wider area with each pass. Think of it as layering, almost like painting with broader strokes. This technique is often used to create a cover pass over previously laid stringer beads in multi-pass welding, particularly when you’re stacking two or more welds on the same seam.

But weaving isn’t just about moving the torch any which way. If the technique is off, you might end up with undercut edges or poor fusion along the bead both issues that can weaken the weld.

That’s why there’s a rule of thumb: your weaving width should be limited to about two-and-a-half to three times the diameter of your electrode. For example, if you’re working with a 3.2 mm electrode, you shouldn’t be weaving more than about 9.6 mm across, sticking to the standard procedure.

It’s natural to wonder if there’s room for new approaches in our welding routines, and that curiosity keeps the craft moving forward.

When done right, weaving doesn’t just make things look neat; it also prevents slag from getting trapped and gives gases a bit more time to escape the molten pool before it solidifies.

This, in turn, helps minimize porosity and improves fusion at the weld’s edges. The way you weave also allows you to build up or reinforce the metal exactly where it’s needed.

That said, it’s important not to overdo it. Too much weaving especially beyond that 2.5 to 3 times the electrode diameter guideline can actually lead to porous welds. And for alloy steels in particular, excessive weaving tends to weaken the bond between the weld metal and the base metal, so it’s best kept to a minimum.

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