BUYING GUIDES
Know what you're buying
Surplus metal rewards buyers who know how the trade works. These guides cover the questions that come up every week — certificates, weights, grade names, cutting — written by the people who run the marketplace, in plain language.
- How buying worksHow buying surplus metal works on 2ndMetal: every piece listed with real dimensions and a visible price, bought online or by offer, delivered across the UAE.
- Off-cuts vs stockistAn honest comparison of buying surplus off-cuts against ordering from a steel stockist: price, quantities, dimensions, certification and lead time.
- Mill test certificatesWhat a mill test certificate actually certifies, the difference between EN 10204 types 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2, and how MTCs work when buying surplus metal.
- ASTM ↔ EN equivalentsThe common ASTM-to-EN steel grade pairings the Gulf trade uses daily — A36 and S275JR, 304 and 1.4301, 316L and 1.4404 — and when 'equivalent' is close enough.
- Theoretical weightHow theoretical weight is calculated for plate, pipe and sections, why the metal trade prices on calculated weight rather than a weighbridge, and what it means for buyers.
- Pipe schedulesHow pipe sizing actually works: nominal pipe size, why OD never changes, what schedule numbers mean for wall thickness, and seamless vs ERW in plain terms.
- Buying cut to sizeHow to buy exactly the piece you need from a larger off-cut: request cutting from any listing, approve the final cutting instruction, and receive your size.
- Company buying & tax invoicesHow UAE companies buy on 2ndMetal: register your company details and TRN once, and every tax invoice is issued in your company name for VAT recovery.