About Sheet Metal

About Sheet Metal and What It's Used For

The term “sheet metal” refers to any metal that can be formed into flat pieces of varying thicknesses. Using specialized tools, sheet metal workers cut, roll, bend, and shape these pieces to make a wide variety of objects such as:

Metals used in the sheet metal industry include cold rolled steel, mild steel, tin, nickel, titanium, aluminum, brass, and copper. ​

Sheet metal comes in flat pieces or coils and are measured by their thickness or gauge. Very thin pieces of metal are called foil or leaf; thick metals are called plate.

Information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Sheet Metal by the Numbers:

2020 Median Pay
$ 40000
Sheet Metal Union Jobs
100000
2019-2029 Job Outlook
1 % Growth

Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent