Not all steel sheet is the same, which is why we think it important to explain the differences to you first. What is generally understood by the term steel sheet? Are there different types? Where can you buy steel sheet? Are there specific sheet formats?
What is meant by steel sheet?
Sheet is thin-rolled metal. Characteristically, the width and length of sheets are always considerably greater than the material thickness. Sheets with a material thickness of 1 mm up to 12 mm are usual; anything above that is special steel sheet that is very hard to obtain.
The first sheets were made by hammering cast pieces: the heated iron workpiece had to be beaten into shape with a hammer again and again. This process was not only very lengthy but also not particularly accurate - it was almost impossible to produce absolutely uniform steel sheets with this manual method.
Today, sheets of steel and stainless steel are produced in large quantities in industrial rolling mills. This guarantees not only that the sheets are absolutely uniform but also that various material thicknesses are possible.
Which types of steel sheet are there?
A distinction is made between three groups of sheets. Decisive are the material thickness and the dimensions of the various sheets, which break down as follows:
- Thin sheet: all sheets up to a material thickness of 3 mm are called thin sheets. They can be made of various metals - there is thin sheet in stainless steel and steel. Thin sheets can be painted and foil-protected.
- Heavy plate: all sheets thicker than 3 mm are called heavy plate - which means most steel sheets are heavy plate. Up to a thickness of 32 mm, heavy plates are coiled after production and delivered as rolls.
- Strip: a further form of steel sheet is so-called strip - though it is debatable whether it really is a steel sheet. Strip refers to rolled products that are far longer than they are wide and thick.
Until the introduction of DIN 1543 in 1981, there was a further category of steel sheet: medium plate covered sheets between 3 mm and 4.75 mm thick. This term is outdated today and hardly used any more.
What is steel sheet best suited for?
The possible uses of steel sheet are very varied. Thinner sheets of steel or stainless steel are used for facade design or for roofing sheds and carports - trapezoidal sheets, which you probably know, are one example.
The thicker a steel sheet, the more stable and resilient it becomes. The construction sector relies on 10 mm stainless steel plates for building balconies and stairs. If you choose stainless steel, you get installations that can be resistant to both moisture and temperature fluctuations.
You can also use steel sheet for model making: there are almost no limits to steel sheet cutting - provided you have the right tools and the necessary skill.
Dangers of cutting steel sheet at home
At this point, however, we must warn you against taking the cutting of sheet formats to your own designs lightly. The first hurdle is buying steel sheet in the first place: it is not common merchandise, and unlike wood, you will not find a large selection of steel sheet even in well-stocked DIY stores.
Depending on how thick the sheet you want to cut is, you need different tools. For thinner sheets, tin snips suffice, although achieving a straight cut with them is difficult. From a material thickness of 3 mm, you should use a hacksaw or even an angle grinder. When cutting, always remember that every tool has a different kerf width, and take that into account when marking the cutting edge.
You must always be very careful when working steel sheet: the edges are always sharp, and if you are careless, you can easily injure yourself. Mechanical cutting with a saw or angle grinder can also generate considerable heat - so never touch the cut edge directly after cutting.
We are there for all customers
If you now have doubts about reaching for the tools yourself to create the right sheet formats, we have good news: you do not have to do it yourself, because we at ESC Burg have specialised in bringing stainless steel sheet to the right dimensions on our customers' behalf.
As a service provider for everything stainless steel, we offer you cutting, surface treatment and forming from a single source. Our professional machines are designed to handle smaller orders from private customers just as well as larger order volumes from industry.
Individual sheets instead of standard sizes
If you want to buy steel sheet from us, we impose no specifications on you: every sheet manufactured with us is an individual customer order. We can respond flexibly to your needs and offer various sheet formats.
Because computer-aided cutting processes are used with us, we can also cut out complex shapes with millimetre precision. Our forming department can produce various profiles and angles to your specifications - ensuring you have no problems during installation.
Personal advice is always part of our service. After all, we do not sell off-the-shelf steel sheet but individual products for our customers. That is why it is important to us to sell you the right sheet: we will ask you a few questions and can then recommend the right alloy to you. In parallel, we calculate the price for you, so that you can make a decision immediately.
For cutting stainless steel sheet to your specifications, we generally need no more than 48 hours. Securely packaged, your order reaches you within a few days - and you can always rely on us working with millimetre precision to your specifications.
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