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Old 12-07-2016, 01:49 PM   #1
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Price for sheeted steel

Shopping around for hot press steel sheets to skin the windows and some other various areas today ... I need 4 pieces of 55" x 30", 2 pieces 84" x 30", two pieces 15"x7", 1 piece 32"x32", one piece 11"x12". All of this is 18 gauge. The first quote I received on Long Island was $450 plus tax. Does this sound about right?

Thanks,
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Old 12-07-2016, 02:31 PM   #2
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Depends, for me that would be expensive only because I have the tools to haul full sheets and cut it myself, I can get 22ga CR sheet 48 x 96 for about $35 a sheet before tax 16 ga CR sheet 48 x 96 is about $75 a sheet before tax

If you do not have tools and such that could be a great deal for you, shipping would be high on those since the are so long

Call some sheet metal and duct making companies and get a few more quotes, I wouldn't use hot rolled just because of the scale
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Old 12-07-2016, 02:31 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by warewolff View Post
Shopping around for hot press steel sheets to skin the windows and some other various areas today ... I need 4 pieces of 55" x 30", 2 pieces 84" x 30", two pieces 15"x7", 1 piece 32"x32", one piece 11"x12". All of this is 18 gauge. The first quote I received on Long Island was $450 plus tax. Does this sound about right?

Thanks,
Tom
I don't know metal prices very well, but this seems a little high but maybe reasonable because I think prices fluctuate a lot. I got 5 galvannealed sheets (which I believe to be a little more expensive than hot rolled) at around $65 a sheet (48" x 120") and an additional $35 for having them cut. Some half assed math suggests that you need about 4 sheets of 4"x10". For what I paid 4*65 = 260+35(cuts) = 295.

Some remnants of notes I took last July:
Metal Supermarket in Kent, WA
I was quoted 435.63 for 4 sheets of cold rolled 18g 4 x 10 @435.63 ($108 per sheet)
and 4 sheets of cold rolled 20g for 340.06 ($85 per sheet)

but these prices were a little high so I went with a different vendor Pacific Metals which quoted me 47.88 for a 20g sheet and 65 for 18g sheet.

Hope this helps, good luck!
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Old 12-07-2016, 02:35 PM   #4
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TAOLIK
for 22 ga that is still a good price for Galvanized here ~$65 (plus tax and shipping)
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Old 12-07-2016, 02:46 PM   #5
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Thanks Bansil, I'm sloppy with my money but I try and atleast get reasonable prices as I pour my money out through impulse.
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Old 12-07-2016, 03:03 PM   #6
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Hot rolled is cheaper (typically a lot) and is not difficult to "pickle". A 1:3 solution of muriatic acid and water will typically take the mill scale off in about 20 minutes or so. And if you don't have a bath big enough (I don't) you can use one of the PreVal sprayers to apply the solution. They have no internal metal parts and work great with this treatment.

But...you do need to use a stop bath of water and baking soda as a rinse or it will rust in a heartbeat.
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Old 12-07-2016, 03:32 PM   #7
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Good info Tango!
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Old 12-07-2016, 05:17 PM   #8
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I am a retired steel fabricator, I no longer get scrap from work, but I find new steel and sheet metal prohibitively expensive, I only buy scrap steel. I would also consider fiberglass panels and plywood to fill windows due to the cost of steel. At work creating a bill of materials and estimated cost was the first thing for any shop project. Also check fab shops and buy their scrap
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Old 12-07-2016, 05:42 PM   #9
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about the only way to get a "good deal" for anything close to scrap price is to befriend your local fab shop.
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Old 12-07-2016, 06:13 PM   #10
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Find a sheetmetal/ductwork fab shop in your area and work a deal with them or buy full sheets and cut them yourself with a jig saw or a skillsaw with the blade turned backwards.
If you do use galvanized sheetmetal/ductwork metal which is fine. before you put primer/paint on it you need to wipe it down with vinegar because it has an oily film on it and the paint won't stick or get a primer paint that is self etching (specialty stuff) but only use that on the galvanized cause it will create a mess on the rest of the bus and probably etch itself right into fibreglass. The vinegar works fine just before primer or prime the pieces before you install them that way you know both sides are covered and you only have touch up at the fasteners.
Have done sheet steel and sheetmetal for along time and don't know prices cause the company I work for buys so much of it. I guess you can call it dumpster diving but I get to pick and choose on demolition jobs what pieces go with me cause I am the one tearing it out? I guess it's still dumpster diving?
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Old 12-07-2016, 06:37 PM   #11
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I had to reskin my bus exterior all the way around. I found a very nice local steel company that charges by weight. I was able to get a 8x4' 20g sheet for about $23 each. 16g was about $30 and the 10g 4x8' sheet for flooring was about $100. I made a total of three orders, 6 sheets of 4x8 20g, 3 - 24' 1x1 tubing 1/4 thick, 2- 20' 1.25 x 1.25 1/4th tubing for ribs and the 4x8 10g sheet for about $400 with a $30 delivery charge. Each time I had a different driver deliver the steel and all three times the driver gave me good advice on my bus and what to do on certain things.

Shop around, local places are your best bet.
IF you find a nation wide company they will take you for a pretty penny.
The local places are pretty down to earth and fair.

Note that I have spent about $1,500 on steel alone so far but, I am done and going to begin interior work this Friday. So, my days of grinding, welding, riveting, cutting are rapidly drawing to a close and I couldn't be happier.
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Old 08-08-2017, 03:25 PM   #12
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Have sheet metal prices changed that much in less than a year or is it a regional thing or am I just not looking in the right places?

I have been pricing stock sizes (4x10, 5x10) of 16 and 18 gauge galvannealed sheet steel in the Tampa Bay area. The lowest price I am finding is nearly twice the highest prices that are being mentioned here. So far I am finding prices from $105 to a little over $200 per sheet (and everything in between). Again, this is for 16 and 18 gauge and I realize that some of the prices mentioned here are for 20-22 gauge.

Anyone know of a good source in the Central Florida area?
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Old 08-08-2017, 06:09 PM   #13
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Hot rolled sheet is likely to be cheapest, followed by cold rolled. Thinner stuff (maybe 16 gauge and thinner?) will probably be offered only in cold rolled.

Surface treatments add to the cost -- I'd guess that in order of increasing cost you'd have hot-dip galvanized, galvanneal, and electrogalvanized.

Today I got a price of about $60 for a 4x10 foot sheet of 20 gauge electrogalvanized steel in Salt Lake City UT. That's from a sheet metal fabrication shop where they're willing to just sell me a sheet from their inventory; it's not a retail steel store.

20 gauge is about .036 thick and 16 gauge is about .060 thick. I'd expect the 16 gauge to cost about twice as much as the 20 gauge because there's about twice as much steel, so if you had ~$100 for a 4x10 of 16 ga it would be comparable to the pricing I see here. $200 seems pretty steep.
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Old 08-08-2017, 07:28 PM   #14
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Have sheet metal prices changed that much in less than a year or is it a regional thing or am I just not looking in the right places?

I have been pricing stock sizes (4x10, 5x10) of 16 and 18 gauge galvannealed sheet steel in the Tampa Bay area. The lowest price I am finding is nearly twice the highest prices that are being mentioned here. So far I am finding prices from $105 to a little over $200 per sheet (and everything in between). Again, this is for 16 and 18 gauge and I realize that some of the prices mentioned here are for 20-22 gauge.

Anyone know of a good source in the Central Florida area?
4x10's of 18ga here are 45-65 a sheet.
I'm in central fl.
What you need? A lot of our steel comes from Tampa. Have you tried Tampa Bay Steel? IDK if they sell to the public but they're a wholesaler and you may get a good deal.
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:30 PM   #15
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4x10's of 18ga here are 45-65 a sheet.
I'm in central fl.
What you need? A lot of our steel comes from Tampa. Have you tried Tampa Bay Steel? IDK if they sell to the public but they're a wholesaler and you may get a good deal.

EastCoast, first thanks for the reply. To your question "What you need?" - I don't have a clue what I need ... What I think I "want" is 18 gauge galvannealed sheet metal.

Could I use galvanized or even plain untreated sheet metal? Sure, probably. I am trying to get the best corrosion protection and avoid the etching process if possible and not cost prohibitive, while getting the best bang for my buck. At the end of the day, pricing will probably determine most of that for me. Galvanized or untreated is definitely on the table.

So, Tampa Steel & Supply (don't know if this is the same place you are referencing) is one of the places I got pricing from. For galvannealed 16 gauge 5x10 sheet they are wanting $140. For just plain galvanized (not annealed) 18 gauge 5x10 sheet they are wanting $130.

Regarding the "4x10's of 18ga here are 45-65 a sheet" Are your numbers for galvanized, galvannealed or untreated sheet metal? If it is galvanized or galvannealed I'll make the less than two hour drive to Eustis and be happy to pay $45-65 a sheet and take you out for a couple of beers!
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:33 PM   #16
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EastCoast, first thanks for the reply. To your question "What you need?" - I don't have a clue what I need ... What I think I "want" is 18 gauge galvannealed sheet metal.

Could I use galvanized or even plain untreated sheet metal? Sure, probably. I am trying to get the best corrosion protection and avoid the etching process if possible and not cost prohibitive, while getting the best bang for my buck. At the end of the day, pricing will probably determine most of that for me. Galvanized or untreated is definitely on the table.

So, Tampa Steel & Supply (don't know if this is the same place you are referencing) is one of the places I got pricing from. For galvannealed 16 gauge 5x10 sheet they are wanting $140. For just plain galvanized (not annealed) 18 gauge 5x10 sheet they are wanting $130.

Regarding the "4x10's of 18ga here are 45-65 a sheet" Are your numbers for galvanized, galvannealed or untreated sheet metal? If it is galvanized or galvannealed I'll make the less than two hour drive to Eustis and be happy to pay $45-65 a sheet and take you out for a couple of beers!
I get regular 18ga, not galvanneal for $45 last time I priced it. That was 4x10s. THe more I buy the cheaper it is.
Glavanneal is ok, but I can do ok with a gallon of ospho and some primer/paint.
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:36 PM   #17
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Hot rolled sheet is likely to be cheapest, followed by cold rolled. Thinner stuff (maybe 16 gauge and thinner?) will probably be offered only in cold rolled.

Surface treatments add to the cost -- I'd guess that in order of increasing cost you'd have hot-dip galvanized, galvanneal, and electrogalvanized.

Today I got a price of about $60 for a 4x10 foot sheet of 20 gauge electrogalvanized steel in Salt Lake City UT. That's from a sheet metal fabrication shop where they're willing to just sell me a sheet from their inventory; it's not a retail steel store.

20 gauge is about .036 thick and 16 gauge is about .060 thick. I'd expect the 16 gauge to cost about twice as much as the 20 gauge because there's about twice as much steel, so if you had ~$100 for a 4x10 of 16 ga it would be comparable to the pricing I see here. $200 seems pretty steep.
Family Wagon, Thanks for the reply and the info. The lowest price on 16 gauge galvannealed 5x10 I've seen so far has been $134 a sheet.

So, I guess its a little on the high side but not nearly as out of line as I was thinking.
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:40 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
I get regular 18ga, not galvanneal for $45 last time I priced it. That was 4x10s. THe more I buy the cheaper it is.
Glavanneal is ok, but I can do ok with a gallon of ospho and some primer/paint.

Based on the significant difference in prices I think I can deal with cleaning and priming. Thanks for the help!
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:53 PM   #19
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Cold rolled 18g 4 x 10 sheets here for $30 bucks. "Drinkin' Buddy deal".
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:55 PM   #20
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I need to skin my bus this year, so maybe we could order a pallet of 4x10's and/or 5x10's?
Or if you need it sheared to a certain size I can have that done. Not sure if I'd have to pay. I'm going to order 4x10's and have them sheared to the size I need. I should go do some more measuring and get this all figured out. Been TOO busy lately!
I'd definitely forego the 16ga if its for skins. 18 is plenty.
If you wan't I'll call tomorrow and get a price for galvanneal. IIRC its not too much more at wholesale cost, which is what I pay.
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