Steel Products
Steel is the most popular group of metals due to its value, versatility, and strength. As an integral component of innovation and economic growth, steel is used for everything from household projects to constructing buildings, bridges, and other infrastructures.
Your Trusted Steel Metal Supplier for the San Diego Area
Competitive Metals is known for our large indoor warehouse stocked full of carbon steel products in all shapes, sizes, and specifications. Most of our products are manufactured in the U.S., and we can supply material certificates with each sale as requested. Because of our extensive readily available inventory, we can offer:- Short lead times
- Minimums as little as a foot on most items
- Same day add-on services like metal shearing, metal saw cutting, and metal hole punching
High-Quality Steel Products at Fair Prices
With an extensive inventory at our San Diego steel metal supply facility, we have a solution for almost any project. We stock a broad range of sizes and sell various products by the foot for your convenience. Learn more about our most popular steel products below or browse each category to see our complete inventory. Don’t forget to check out our resources and use our online calculator for help determining material weight.- Steel Round Tubing : Mild steel tubing with a welded seam. Diameters range from ½” to 3” and wall thicknesses from 16ga to 11ga.
- Square Steel Tubing: Mechanical or structural tubing with an electrically welded seam. Sizes range from ½” to 2” for mechanical tubing and 1 ½” to 6” for structural tubing.
- Steel Sheet: Hot or cold rolled steel plate is available in sheet sizes up to 48” x 120”. Thicknesses range from 22ga to 10ga, depending on the finish selected.
- Steel Plate: General-purpose hot rolled steel plate with a mill or P&O finish. Pre-cut plates range from 12” to 48” wide and thicknesses from 3/16” to 1”.
- Steel Flat Bar: Options include general-purpose hot rolled steel bar certified to ASTM A36/ASME/36, or machinable cold rolled 1018 steel alloy bar. Thicknesses range from 1/8” to 2” depending on the finish selected.
- Rectangle Tubing: Mild steel mechanical or structural tubing with an electrically welded seam. Sizes range from ½” x 1” to 6” x 8” depending on the material selected.
Steel: A Versatile Material for Industrial and DIY Projects
Steel is a ferrous metal containing iron, carbon. Small amounts of manganese and phosphorous are added for improved strength and hardness. Sulfur is also added to improve machinability, and silicon improves the material’s hot-forming properties.The amount of carbon in any given steel affects the various properties (strength, hardness, resistance, ductility, etc.). Typically, the greater the amount of carbon in the steel, the greater the strength of the material but the less ductile it becomes.
Hot Rolled vs. Cold Rolled Steel
Most steel products are formed and shaped through hot working and cold working methods, giving the option for both hot rolled and cold rolled steel products. Choosing between the two options depends on your application and requirements for tolerance, strength, and finish.- Hot Rolled Steel: A durable, cost-effective choice for applications that do not require precise shapes and tolerances. Hot rolled steel products are the typical go-to for construction and industrial applications.
- Cold Rolled Steel: The additional processing involved in cold rolling creates steel products with increased strength, tighter tolerances, and a wider variety of surface finishes compared to hot rolled steel. Cold rolled products are the preferred choice for furniture, storage cabinets, and certain structural applications.
We Offer Competitive Pricing and Short Lead Times on Steel Products
Competitive Metals is a California-based steel distributor offering and extensive inventory and fast lead times. We provide exceptional customer service and pride ourselves on sourcing high-quality steel, aluminum, stainless steel, Chromoly, and galvanized products at competitive prices.If any questions come up while browsing our products, give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to help. Customers near El Cajon or the surrounding San Diego area can also stop by anytime from 8 AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday.