4 Questions to Ask When Buying Steel

There is a reason that steel is so often used in our modern world—it is one of the best materials to combine strength and durability with a light weight and economical cost. Today it is used in everything from constructing skyscrapers and homes, to building roads and bridges, in the medical field and food service, home décor, and even in consumer goods and vehicles. If you are thinking about purchasing steel for a project that you are working on, it’s important to know the four things to consider before you make a purchase.

Figure Out the Application
There are so many different kinds of steel out there today that you first need to figure out why you are purchasing it. Obviously the type of product you need from Wasatch Steel is going to depend on how you want to use it. If you are looking for a good surface for a medical application, you will need different steel than if you are planning to build a pipeline. Part of deciding the kind of steel that you need is determining whether you need to have brand new steel, or if you can save some money by using excess prime or used steel.

Determine Strength
Steel is a material with one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios in the world, but it’s important that you first know what exactly you need in terms of the total strength for your project. If you are building a skyscraper, you will need steel that has a higher capability to resist tension than if you are planning to use the steel for decorative purposes. The strength of any steel is often dependent on what other materials are in it, such as nickel, aluminum, chromium, and carbon.

There are three measures to look at:

• Ultimate tensile strength, which is the maximum amount of stress that the steel will be able to withstand before it breaks.
• Yield strength, which is the maximum load that each unit area of the steel will endure before it becomes deformed.
• Elongation, or how much the material can stretch before it fractures (usually measured as a percentage of the original length). 

Material Hardness
If you are using steel in a situation where you want it to retain its original look, hardness can be an important measure to consider. Hardness is how well the steel can resist indentations and scratches, and while the harder materials at Wasatch Steel will tend to be more durable, they may also cost more because they are more difficult to manufacture.

Calculate Costs
Whenever you are shopping, whether it is for steel at the steel supermarket, or for food at the regular supermarket, you are always concerned about the price. Wasatch Steel offers one of the biggest selections in the state, and often has the best prices available. We purchase lots of different types of steel, including brand new, used, and excess prime. Choosing from these options can save you time and money.