Steel Plate Cut to Size in Ontario: How to Order

Steel plate cut to size is ordered by giving a fabricator or service centre five things: thickness, grade, outside dimensions, holes and quantity, ideally on a dimensioned drawing or a DXF file. The plate is cut from a larger mill sheet by shearing, torch, plasma, laser or waterjet, then drilled, punched or otherwise finished to your details. Get those five things right and most plate orders are straightforward; get one wrong and the plate won't fit.

What you can order cut to size

Most cut plate on construction projects falls into a few groups:

• Base plates for columns and posts, usually with anchor rod holes.
• Cap plates for posts, where a beam bears on top.
• Connection plates: shear tabs, end plates, gusset plates and splice plates.
• Stiffeners welded into beams and columns.
• Bearing plates under beams on masonry or concrete.
• Embed plates cast into concrete, usually with studs or bars welded on.
• Shims and fillers to level or pack out connections.
• Flat stock for custom items such as brackets, stair stringer plates and railing base plates.

A plate that's welded to a beam or post is usually best ordered as part of that piece, not separately, so the fabricator can fit and weld it to the shop drawings.

Grades and thicknesses

Grade. Structural plate in Canada is commonly specified to CSA G40.21 grades such as 300W or 350W, where the number is the minimum yield strength in megapascals and W indicates weldable steel. You'll also see ASTM grades such as A36 or A572 Grade 50, especially on US-origin drawings. Use the grade on your drawings; if there isn't one, ask the designer rather than guessing. Ask for mill test certificates if your engineer or inspector needs them.

Thickness. Plate is widely sold in fractional-inch thicknesses, and Canadian drawings often show the metric equivalent. The table gives common thicknesses with their weight per square metre, calculated from a steel density of 7,850 kg/m³.

If your drawing calls for a metric thickness that isn't stocked, such as 12 mm or 20 mm, the supplier may propose the nearest imperial thickness. That is a design change; the designer needs to accept it.

Estimating weight. Multiply area in square metres by the weight per square metre. A 300 x 300 mm base plate at 12.7 mm is 0.09 m² x 99.7 = about 9.0 kg before holes. Weight matters for shipping, for handling on site and for comparing quotes, since plate is often priced partly by weight. For how plate quotes are built, see our guide to steel plate prices in Canada.

Cutting methods compared

Different methods suit different thicknesses and shapes. You don't usually need to specify the method; you need to specify what the finished plate must be, and the shop chooses a method that delivers it.

Thermal methods (torch, plasma and laser) leave a heat-affected edge. For most base plates and connection plates that's fine. Where edges will be welded, painted or seen, or where the spec says edges must be ground, tell the fabricator, because edge preparation adds steps.

Holes, slots and bevels

Holes are where most plate errors happen. On your drawing:

• Give every hole a diameter and say what it's for: bolt, anchor rod, stud or plug weld.
• Dimension hole locations from one edge or a datum, not from each other in a chain, so errors don't add up.
• Anchor rod holes in base plates are normally larger than the rod to allow for placement tolerance in the concrete, with plate washers over them. The hole size comes from the designer's details.
• Slots need length, width and direction.
• Bevels for full-penetration welds need the angle, the side and the land (root face).

Holes can be drilled, punched or thermally cut. Drilling gives clean, accurate holes in thick plate; punching is fast in thinner plate; plasma and laser can cut holes as part of the profile. Structural standards restrict some methods for some connections, so leave the method to the fabricator and make sure the drawing shows the finished hole you need.

What to send when you order

The easiest way to get an accurate quote and a plate that fits is to send a drawing. A clear PDF works; a DXF helps for complex profiles. Include:

1. Thickness and grade.
2. Outside dimensions, with any radiused corners, notches or clips.
3. Holes and slots, with sizes and locations from a datum.
4. Bevels or edge preparation, if any.
5. Quantity of each plate, and a mark for each type so they're easy to sort on site.
6. Finish: mill finish, primer or galvanizing. Galvanizing can add a small amount to hole and edge dimensions, which your designer may allow for.
7. Welded parts, such as studs on embed plates or a plate welded to a post, with weld sizes.
8. Certificates needed, such as mill test reports.
9. Delivery address and timing, or a pickup request.

If you only have a sketch, include the key dimensions and a photo of where the plate goes. A fabricator can usually turn that into a shop drawing for your approval, but structural plates (base plates, connection plates and anything carrying load) need their size, thickness and holes to come from a designer or engineer.

Buying plate in Ontario: supplier or fabricator?

You can buy cut plate from a steel service centre or from a fabricator. A service centre is often the simplest route for plain rectangles and flat bar in quantity. A fabricator makes more sense when:

• Plates need holes, slots, bevels or welded parts.
• Plates are part of a larger order of beams, posts or channels.
• You want the plates checked against the rest of the steel before they ship.
• Any welding is involved, in which case you'll want a CWB-certified fabricator.

Searches for "steel plate online" turn up sites that cut simple shapes to order and ship them. Those work for small hobby and repair parts. For structural plates, a fabricator who reads your drawings and can ask questions is usually the safer choice.

Plates cut and drilled at Procut Steel

We cut and drill base plates, cap plates and connection plates to your details, and weld them onto beams and posts when they're part of a fabricated piece, so everything arrives marked and ready to install. Send a drawing with thickness, grade, dimensions, holes and quantities, and we'll come back with a quote and any questions before cutting. If you're also choosing who should fabricate the rest of your steel, see our guide on choosing a structural steel fabricator in Ontario.

Send your plate drawings for a quote, or browse our steel products, including plates, beams, posts and channels.