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What type of steel to use?

Hello. Thank god that I have found your forum. I got lots of knowledge about metals from this forum. This is my first post. Well I want to know that I have HD Galv steel, Elec. Galv steel, CR sheet and HR sheet. Now what type of steel to be used for steel-made furnitures like desks, cabinets, file holder etc. From my knowledge I know HD galv or elec galv is used for this purpose. And another thing is what type of steel to be used for Buildings or structures. As far as I'm concerned it is HR or CR sheets. please correct me if I m wrong. And if you please take your valuable time to inform me the approximate thickness of the steels that is appropriate for both of the above mentioned purpose I will be highly obliged. Thank you in advance for giving your time.

Abrar Raufin
Employee and enterprenuer - Dhaka, Bangladesh
November 29, 2010

November 29, 2010

Hi, Abrar.

HR means hot rolled, i.e., the finish that comes from a steel mill, although the steel will usually come with the heavy scale already removed. This is the usual condition of heavy structural items like beams and heavy plates of which buildings are made. Usually this will be 0.2% carbon -- "low carbon mild steel".
CR means cold rolled, and sometimes the acronym CFS, i.e., cold finished steel is used. This means that some additional cold rolling or finishing has been done, usually to present a smoother finish and perhaps a slightly harder skin. A desk or file cabinet would probably be built of cold rolled steel sheets, and the carbon content might be somewhat higher.

HD Galv means hot dip galvanized. The steel, usually low carbon hot rolled steel, has been dipped in molten zinc to retard corrosion.

Electrogalvanized means that the steel, usually cold rolled, has been electroplated with zinc. Electroplated zinc is usually brighter, more uniform, and more attractive than hot dip galvanize, but significantly thinner and thus far less corrosion resistant.

IF the steel is not galvanized or plated, it usually must be pretreated and painted or powder coated for corrosion resistance. The required thickness of steel is usually a function of engineering factors (required strength and stiffness).

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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