Metal Guides
Straight answers about buying, cutting, and shipping metal in Canada, written by the sales team that cuts it.
How much does copper cost in Canada? (real prices)
As of July 16, 2026, a 12″ piece of C110 copper round bar runs $12.47 at 1/4″, $34.23 at 1/2″, and $126.38 at 1″ CAD. Copper flat bar starts at $16.43, and sheet is priced by the 12″ x 12″...
How much do brass and bronze cost in Canada? (real prices)
As of July 16, 2026, a 12″ piece of C360 brass round bar runs $7.84 at 1/4″ and $18.58 at 1/2″, in CAD. Bronze costs more: C932 bearing bronze round is $29.47 at 1/2″, and C954 aluminum bronze is $34.99....
How much does steel plate and bar cost in Canada? (real prices)
Carbon steel is the cheapest metal we sell. As of July 16, 2026, 1018 cold-finished flat bar (1/8″ x 3/4″) and 1018 round (1/8″) both run $5.30 for a 12″ cut, and 44W flat and round bar start at $5.30....
How much does stainless steel cost in Canada? (304 vs 316, real prices)
As of July 16, 2026, a 12″ cut of 304 stainless round bar is $5.77 at 1/4″, $10.65 at 1/2″, and $28.92 at 1″ in CAD. The 316 marine grade runs higher on every shape: $6.97, $12.73, and $34.37 for...
Metal hardness scales explained: HRC, HRB, Brinell, and Vickers
Every hardness scale measures one thing: how well metal resists a dent. HRC covers hardened steel (a finished knife blade runs 60-62 HRC), HRB and Brinell cover soft steel and non-ferrous metals (1018 bar sits near HRB 71), and Vickers...
How much does metal weigh? Weight per foot for bar, tube, and sheet
Steel weighs 0.284 lb per cubic inch: a 1″ round bar runs 2.67 lb per foot, and a 48″ x 96″ sheet of 1/4″ plate about 327 lb. Aluminum is about a third of that. Multiply cross-section area by 12,...
Fractions, decimals, and millimetres: the metal buyer's conversion chart
Multiply inches by 25.4 to get millimetres, exactly: 1/4″ is 6.35 mm, 1/2″ is 12.7 mm, 1″ is 25.4 mm. The full chart covers every 16th and 32nd to 1″ plus key 64ths, with tape-reading basics and what to buy...
Sheet metal gauge chart: steel, stainless, and aluminum in inches and millimetres
Gauge thickness depends on the metal: 16 ga is 0.0598″ (1.52 mm) in carbon steel, 0.0625″ (1.59 mm) in stainless, 0.0508″ (1.29 mm) in aluminum, and 0.0635″ (1.61 mm) in galvanized. A higher gauge number means thinner metal. Full 7-26...
Steel grades across countries: 44W vs A36, CSA vs ASTM vs EN
Close enough to buy, not identical on paper. 44W is Canada's structural steel at 44 ksi minimum yield, A36 is the US name at 36 ksi, and EN S275 sits between at 275 MPa. Most North American merchant bar is...
Pipe sizes explained: NPS, schedule, and why 1/2 inch pipe isn't half an inch
Because pipe sizes are names, not measurements. A 1/2 NPS pipe measures 0.840″ outside, and the schedule 40 bore is 0.622″. For any size the OD never changes; the schedule sets the wall, so one fitting fits every wall thickness....
Chrome-plated steel rod guide: when chrome, and when stainless
Chrome-plated rod is induction-hardened 1045 steel under a hard chrome skin, about 65-70 HRC at the surface: the standard material for hydraulic cylinder rods. It resists rust only until the plate is breached, so for food, washdown, or salt water,...
Brass vs bronze: what's actually the difference?
Brass is copper alloyed with zinc; bronze is copper alloyed with tin, now a family that includes aluminum bronze. Brass is the bright, easy-machining one; bronze carries shafts and survives salt water. We stock C360 brass, C932 bearing bronze, and...
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Each guide covers the grades we stock, what they're good for, and what they cost. Or skip the reading and go straight to the shelf.