The Pros and Cons of Hot Rolled Steel – Wasatch Steel

Wasatch Steel is a top provider of steel services across Utah, and we service numerous different types and classifications of steel. In particular, we provide steel created through both the common temperature-related processes: Hot rolled and cold rolled steel.

Both types of steel have their benefits and drawbacks, and it often depends on which type of project you’re looking to complete. Let’s look at the pros and cons of hot rolled steel, and how it might fit your next project.

What is It?

When steel is rolled out into a coil, it’s done at a varying range of temperatures. Often these are very high temperatures – anything over room temperature technically qualifies as “hot rolled” steel, though most of what you’ll see in this classification refers to steel heated up to at least 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the steel relatively malleable compared with cold rolled steel, and there are several other differences as well.

Pros

There are a couple specific benefits offered by hot rolled steel:

• Price: Cold rolled steel is generally more expensive than hot rolled, mostly due to slightly stronger properties.
• Flexibility: Because of how high the temperatures are, hot rolled steel is more malleable. It can be cut or formed into nearly any shape needed, unlike cold rolled steel.
• Wide use: Because of this, there are tons of common uses for hot rolled steel. It’s most commonly made into sheet metal, and is perfect for projects where a little “give” is needed in metal.
• Time: Because of its ease of manipulation, many projects using hot rolled steel will take much less time than those with cold rolled steel.

Cons

There are also a few drawbacks to some project situations that you’ll want to be aware of with hot rolled steel:

• Durability: Hot rolled steel is weaker than cold rolled steel. This is due to the heat applied, which weakens the metal before it cools back down.
• Touch: Hot rolled steel is also generally much rougher to the touch. This is because of the cooling process involved, which can cause elements to settle in rougher places rather than a smooth finish.

Ready to learn more about the forms of temperature used in steel creation, or any of our other steel services? Speak to the experts at Wasatch Steel today.