Cold Rolled Steel: Uses and Advantages

by Anirudh Kumar professional WRITTER

When choosing materials for construction, hot and cold rolled steel is something that can’t be avoided these days. Getting into the right knowledge base and knowing how the two differ from one another shall aid in choosing the right material for your construction project. While hot-rolled steel can be shaped into many different shapes, cold-rolled steel is restricted to a few. Manufactured close to normal heat or room temperatures, CRC steel possesses an increased strength. It is mostly grey and feels smooth to the touch. The dimensions of the finished product are unpredictable in case of hot rolling. However, being close to the expected results, the dimensions of the finished product in the case of cold-rolled steel can easily be guessed.

Both hot rolling and cold rolling have their own advantages and disadvantages. The key disadvantage of cold rolling is the restriction in terms of shapes. Generally, cold-rolled steel products can be found in flat, round, or square shapes. While other shapes do exist, they are just variants of the shapes mentioned previously. Unlike hot rolling, the size of the finished products is limited as well, in the case of cold rolling. Products made via cold rolling include rods, bars, strips, and sheets which are present in either of the four conditions- half, full, skin-rolled, and quarter hard.

Possessing high ductility, cold-rolled products are utilized for moderate draw applications. This makes them crucial for construction projects where accuracy is the requirement. Cold-rolled steel is also extremely formable and used for a variety of metal appliances including metal furniture. Garages, school lockers, steel sheds, and industrial buildings, etc. are some of the most common areas where cold-rolled steel is utilized. Car interior and exterior parts are also usually made up of cold-rolled steel.

Pros and cons of cold-rolled steel:

The benefits of cold-rolled steel are many, the main being its strength which is 20% more than its hot-rolled counterparts as the application of heat while rolling the steel weakens the metal. Therefore, products made up of cold-rolled steel are meant to last much longer, as compared to their hot-rolled counterpart. Cold-rolled steel also appears better than hot-rolled steel which has a scaly and textured finish. Cold-rolled steel is modern and is more expensive than hot-rolled steel.