Types of Steel and How They’re Used

Broughshire Waste Metals • 14 June 2022

Steel is a mix of both carbon and iron that is particularly strong. It’s used in everything from buildings to cookware, but there are several types that are commonly used. These include:

Stainless Steel

Throughout the UK, you’ll find stainless steel and it is becoming a very common metal to recycle. To make this type of steel more resistant to rust and corrosion, it contains anywhere from 10-20% chromium.

You’ll see stainless steel in many labs and kitchen accessories and appliances. It’s frequently used where you need cleanliness and you’ll see it in sinks, cookware, and cookers, among other things.

Carbon Steel

Roughly 90% of steel is carbon steel and it is almost entirely made up of carbon and iron, with no other elements included. The amount of carbon used in the mixture determines whether the steel is low, medium, or high carbon steel.

Carbon steel is generally used for structural purposes. You’ll find it in cars, refrigerators, buildings, bridges, pipes, gears, washing machines, and other types of structure items. The higher carbon options are ideal for wire, dies and punches, and cutting tools.

Alloy Steel

This type of steel contains other elements to help make it stronger and easier to machine. It will also be more corrosion resistant than many other types of steel. Nickel, copper, aluminium, and chromium are the most common elements that are added.

Alloy steel is normally found in things that need to be corrosion resistant. It’s used to make cookware, silverware, and most frequently, pipes.

Tool Steel

When tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum, or vanadium is added to the steel mixture, this improves its durability and heat resistance. The additions can greatly improve the usability of the metal for cutting and drilling tools.

As expected, tool steel is made into many tools. It’s particularly useful in cutting and stamping machines so that you can cut through plastics, metals, and wood, as well as other types of materials.

As you can see, there are many types of steel and they’re used throughout buildings, homes, and more. They’re also quite recyclable.