In this research, cloisite incorporated silane sol–gel coatings cured at different conditions were applied on 304L stainless steel to control its corrosion in 3.5% NaCl solution. At first step, the electrochemical noise data revealed the superior barrier function of the silane coating with cloisite compared to the neat one. As confirmed by the surface analysis, this was attributed to denser structure and increased coating thickness in the presence of cloisite nanoparticles. Then, the study focused on the impact of curing procedure on the performance of the hybrid silane film. The electrochemical data and results of FTIR, water contact angle and FESEM surface analysis showed that the heat treatment at sufficient temperature and time may lead to developing a reticulated coating which functions as an effective barrier to the diffusion of aggressive species.