What You Need to Know About the Steel Products We Trade at AIFP

For over 50 years, American International Forest Products has been trading lumber for construction and manufacturing projects across the country. But did you know that AIFP also trades other building materials and industrial products like steel? In today’s blog, we’ll be covering what you need to know about the steel products we trade at AIFP, including black steel pipe, galvanized steel pipe, and steel coil.

What is Black Pipe?

Black pipe, also known as black steel pipe, is an uncoated steel pipe that appears dark from the iron-oxide that’s formed on its surface during the manufacturing process. Black pipe is often manufactured without a seam, which helps it fulfill its main purpose: safely transporting natural gas and propane into residential homes and commercial buildings.

What is Black Pipe Made of?

Black pipe is made of steel. Unlike galvanized pipe that is coated with a substrate like zinc or paint, black pipe is untreated.

What is Black Pipe Used for?

In construction, Black pipe is predominantly used to safely transport natural gas and propane for both commercial and residential construction projects. Because black pipe is more fire-resistant than galvanized pipe, black pipe is also often used for fire sprinkler systems, as it’s better able to reliably transport water during a fire emergency. It’s relative fire resistance also makes it well-suited to be used as a conduit to protect electrical wiring. Some other uses of black pipe include oil and petroleum piping, water wells, and sewage systems.

Black pipe should never be used to transport potable water as the material tends to corrode in water, causing the minerals in the pipe to dissolve into the water itself and can potentially clog the lines.

In manufacturing, black pipe tends to be used for products like bicycles, automobiles, refrigeration, heating and plumbing systems, flag poles, and streetlamps. It works well for these uses as it is both incredibly strong and surprisingly lightweight.

What is Galvanized Pipe?

Galvanized pipe is a steel pipe that has been treated with a zinc material which helps prevent corrosion. Because of the treatment process, it is often a bit more expensive than black steel pipe, but it also more durable.

What is Galvanized Pipe Made of?

Like black pipe, galvanized pipe is made of steel. However, it is also covered with a zinc material that can help make it more resistant to corrosion.

What is Galvanized Pipe Used for?

Because of its protective zinc coating, galvanized pipe has both indoor and outdoor applications and is primarily used to transport water in commercial and residential buildings. It’s rust resistance also makes it particularly well-suited for scaffolding frames.

What is Steel Coil?

Steel coil is steel sheet metal that has been would or coiled after rolling. Steel coil comes in several different varieties, which are often named for their specific production method, i.e. cold-rolled coils, hot-rolled steel coils, galvanized steel coils, etc.

What is Steel Coil Used for?

It depends on the type of steel coil. Here are some of the construction and manufacturing applications for a few different types of steel coil.

Hot-rolled steel coils are used for a wide range of applications, including commercial and residential construction, large diameter pipe, machine-building, truck frames, doors and shelving, railroad tracks, and railroad car parts.

Cold-rolled coils are used in manufacturing home appliances, metal filing cabinets, metal lockers, and other metal furniture. In construction, cold-rolled coils are used for steel sheds, industrial buildings, and commercial and residential garages.

Galvanized steel coil is predominantly used in roofing, HVAC products and ductwork, outer wall construction, steel frames, truss plates, ovens, and automobiles.

Why Choose AIFP

At AIFP, our Steel Department is focused on maintaining and growing strong international supply relations so that we can provide the best quality steel at the best available price to all of our domestic partners. If you’re in the market for steel products for your next construction or manufacturing project, American International Forest Products has you covered.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you meet your diverse needs. In the meantime, check out our blog, where we cover other products we trade, including cedar wood, southern yellow pine, pressure-treated wood, plywood, and more!