How does cut-to-length metal ordering work? Buying metal by the inch
Pick the alloy and shape, type the length you need in inches, and the price shows up right away. We cut to ±1/8″, free, and ship anywhere in Canada. No quote, no mill minimum, no buying a 20 ft stick for a 30″ job.
What does "cut to length" actually mean?
Metal normally sells in stock lengths: 12 ft and 20 ft sticks, full sheets, mill bundles. Cut to length means you skip all that. You tell us the length your project needs, in inches, and that's the piece we saw and ship. Building a gate with four 31″ uprights? Order four pieces at 31″. No stick in the garage, no offcut pile, no hacksaw night.
How does the pricing work?
Every product page prices the piece at the length you type, in CAD, before anything goes in the cart. Longer costs more, but a short piece isn't proportionally cheap, because the saw makes the same cut whether the piece is 1″ or 12″. Here's a real example from our rack, as of June 2026:
| Length of 1/8″ x 1/2″ 44W flat bar | Price (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1″ | $3.65 |
| 4″ | $4.10 |
| 12″ | $5.30 |
See the shape of it? The first inch carries the handling and the cut, and each inch after that is cheap. Prices update daily with the metal market, so check the live page for today's number.
How accurate are the cuts?
We cut to ±1/8″, free, on every order. For welding, framing, gates, railings, and 95% of shop work, that's tighter than the tape measure you'll assemble with. If a dimension on your part is critical, do what machinists do: order 1/4″ long and face it to final size on your own equipment. We say this plainly because we'd rather you plan the tolerance than be surprised by it.
What lengths can you order?
Online, anything up to 96″ per piece. One tip worth knowing: pieces under 48″ ship at the best parcel rates, so if your design can use two 40″ pieces instead of one 80″ piece, you'll save on the box. Sheet works the same way with width and length: enter the size, see the price. Need full sticks up to 21 ft? We do that by special request, send a quote request and we'll price the piece and the freight together.
What happens after you order?
Your order hits the saw queue at the shop in Dartmouth, NS. Order by 1pm Atlantic on a business day and it ships the next business day. Every piece is cut to your order from new, traceable stock, with mill test reports available on marked products. Then it's a parcel on its way to you, or free pickup at the counter if you're local.
When should you request a quote instead?
Four cases. Lengths over 96″. Volume orders where you want better-than-list pricing. Plasma or CNC work from a drawing. And sourcing requests for metal we don't stock, which take 2-21 days depending on what it is. Everything else, just order it: that's the point of the site. If you're still deciding where to buy at all, here's the honest comparison, and if your order is small, here's how small works.
About Metals 'R' Us
Metals 'R' Us is a Canadian metal supplier in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Since 1997 we've sold steel, stainless, aluminum, brass, copper, bronze and tool steel, cut to the exact length you need. Pick your alloy, shape and size, type in your length in inches, and the price shows up right away. We ship pieces up to 96″ anywhere in Canada, with the best parcel rates under 48″, or you can pick up free at the shop in Dartmouth. $40 minimum order. Longer lengths (up to 21 feet), oversize loads, or custom plasma and CNC work? Send us a quick quote request and we'll price it for you.
Got your cut list ready? Shop metals and type your lengths in.