The　combination　of　steel　and　timber　in　different　positions　is　an　important　design　factor　for　steel　and　timber　composite　beams.　Stainless　steel,　characterized　by　its　high　strength,　ductility,　and　corrosion　resistance,　is　widely　used　in　construction　and　civil　engineering.　To　study　the　flexural　performance　of　stainless　steel-timber　composite　(SSTC)　beams　with　different　combination　forms　of　stainless　steel　bolted　connections.　Four　flange　combination　and　two　web　combination　I-shape　section　SSTC　beams　were　designed.　Four-point　bending　loading　tests　were　carried　out　with　different　flange　widths,　web　heights,　and　bolt　spacings　under　the　two　combination　forms.　Comparative　analyses　of　mechanical　characteristics　such　as　damage　modes　of　the　specimens,　load-deflection　curves,　combination　efficiencies,　bending　stiffness,　and　mid-span　section　strain　variation　laws　were　conducted.　A　finite　element　model　that　considered　the　nonlinearities　of　stainless　steel　and　timber　materials　and　constructed　local　geometrical　initial　defects　was　established.　The　findings　indicated　that　the　flange　SSTC　beams　demonstrate　enhanced　ductility　and　load-carrying　capacity　when　compared　to　the　web　SSTC　beams,　and　have　better　combination　effect.　The　increase　in　shape　section　parameters　(flange　width　and　web　height)　effectively　increases　the　flexural　stiffness　and　load　carrying　capacity　of　two　types　of　combined　beams.　The　increase　in　bolt　spacing　has　no　significant　effect　on　the　load-carrying　capacity　of　the　two　types　of　combined　beams.　An　increase　in　the　thickness　of　timber　beams　has　the　effect　of　enhancing　the　synergistic　ability　of　combined　beams　to　improve　their　bending　performance.　Finally,　the　bending　load　capacity　calculation　method　proposed　by　scholars　was　evaluated.　The　calculated　values　are　in　good　agreement　with　the　experimental　and　FE　values,　which　can　be　directly　used　for　calculating　bending　load　capacity　of　SSTC　beams.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd