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Grade 304, austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel

304 Stainless Steel Coil and Sheet

About 18% chromium and 8% nickel. One of the most widely used austenitic stainless steels, for its corrosion resistance, formability and weldability. Non-magnetic when annealed; cold work can make it slightly magnetic.
Tell us about your projectSee sizes
Forms
Coil, sheet
Thickness
0.15–3.0 mm
Width
1000 / 1219 / 1240 / 1500 mm
Also known as
18/8, EN 1.4301, UNS S30400, SUS 304

Is Sanmei Metal the right supplier for you?

We supply stainless steel together with the processing and technical support that projects and products need.

A good fit if you

Need a specific grade, finish or size for a project, from samples or one coil to a few containers
Want it slit, cut to size or fabricated to your drawing
Need documents: a Mill Test Report with every order, SGS testing on request
Want help choosing the right grade and finish for your application
Build products or projects: equipment housings, architectural interiors, elevator and kitchen work

When buying direct from a mill may suit you better

You need standard grades in full-mill quantities and compare on price per tonne
Not sure which applies to you? Tell us about your order and we will give you our professional advice.
Tell us about your projectSee what we fabricate

Sizes we supply in 304.

Standard widths from stock, cut-to-length sheet, and custom slitting for strip-fed production lines.

304 coil

Width
1000, 1219, 1240, 1500 mm, or slit to your width
Thickness
0.15–3.0 mm
Coil weight
3–10 t

304 sheet

Width
1000, 1219, 1240, 1500 mm, or cut to size
Length
2000, 2438, 2500, 3000, 3048 mm
Thickness
0.3–3.0 mm
Every order ships with a Mill Test Report. Sample sheets and small batches are welcome. Standard mill finish: 304 2B sheet and coil.
Get a quote for 304Send a cut list or drawing

304 by any other name.

All of these names refer to the same austenitic stainless steel with about 18% chromium and 8% nickel.

18/8

18% chromium, 8% nickel: the composition behind the name.

EN 1.4301

The European EN designation.

UNS S30400

The Unified Numbering System designation.

ASTM / AISI / SAE 304

The American designations, also written as Type 304 or T 304.

JIS SUS304

The Japanese Industrial Standard designation.

GB 06Cr19Ni10

The Chinese GB designation, formerly 0Cr18Ni9.
Tell us what the part is, where it will be used and roughly how many. We confirm the grade and finish before you order.
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304 mechanical and physical properties.

Minimum mechanical values and typical physical values for annealed 304, in US and metric units.

Mechanical properties

Property
US
Metric
Yield strength, min.
30 ksi
205 MPa
Tensile strength, min.
75 ksi
515 MPa
Elongation, min.
40%
40%
Hardness, max.
92 HRB
92 HRB

Physical properties

Property
US
Metric
Density
0.285 lb/in³
7.89 g/cm³
Modulus of elasticity
28 × 10⁶ psi
193 GPa
Thermal expansion, 68–212 °F
9.2 × 10⁻⁶ /°F
16.6 µm/m·°C
Thermal conductivity
9.4 Btu/ft·hr·°F
16.3 W/m·K
Specific heat
0.12 Btu/lb·°F
502 J/kg·K
Electrical resistivity
28.3 µΩ·in
71.9 µΩ·cm

Chemical composition, % by weight, max. unless a range

Grade
C
Cr
Ni
Mn
Si
N
P
S
304
0.07
17.5–19.5
8.0–10.5
2.00
0.75
0.10
0.045
0.030
Tell us what the part is, where it will be used and roughly how many. We confirm the grade and finish before you order.
Tell us your application

Corrosion, heat and the shop floor.

How 304 behaves in service and in fabrication.

Corrosion resistance

Excellent in most environments thanks to its nickel content. Resistance to salt water and chlorides varies; seawater or highly corrosive service can shorten its life.

Heat resistance

Good oxidation resistance in intermittent use up to 870 °C and continuous use up to 925 °C.

Machining and forming

Good machinability, and complex shapes by deep drawing. Use sharp tools and enough coolant.

Welding

Welds with all conventional techniques, with or without filler.

Hot working

1149–1260 °C.

Annealing

1010–1120 °C, then rapid cooling to remove work hardening and internal stress.

Heat treatment

Cannot be hardened by heat treatment; solution treat or anneal to restore properties.

Limitations

Lower tensile and yield strength than some grades, so less suited to high-stress parts.
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Finishes and processing from Sanmei Metal.

Mill finishes, decorative finishes made in our own facility, and coil and sheet cut to your size.

Decorative finishes

Nickel Silver Hairline Stainless Steel Sheet S26HL-01 (3)
Hairline
Nickel Silver Satin Stianless Steel Sheet S26ST-01 (3)
Satin
black mirror polised stainless steel
Mirror
Nickel Silver Vibration Stainless Steel Sheet S26VB-01 (2)
Vibration
See all decorative finishes →

Mill finishes

Processing

Precision slitting
Cut to length
Shearing
Edge trimming
Blanking
Surface polishing
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Looking for food-grade stainless steel? 304 is a good choice.

304 is the most widely used food-grade stainless steel. 316, 420, 430 and 439 are also good options.

Composition

18% chromium and 8% nickel.

Performance

Good corrosion resistance and mechanical properties.

Use

The most common and widely used food-grade stainless steel.
Comparing food-grade options?
Other food-grade stainless steel
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Need real good grade stainless steel?

304 or another grade?

304 is used so widely that choosing between it and the alternatives is hard. Here is how it compares.

18/8 or 304?

They are the same steel written two ways. 18/8 names the composition, 18% chromium and 8% nickel; AISI calls it 304.

304L or 304?

304L has less carbon, so it welds better with less risk of carbide precipitation. Choose 304L for welded parts in corrosive service, and 304 for general use.

316 or 304?

316 contains molybdenum, so it resists corrosion better. Choose 316 for marine or industrial chemical environments.

316L or 304?

316L resists corrosion better, especially with chlorides in marine and chemical environments, thanks to more nickel and molybdenum. 304 is the more economical choice where corrosion is less demanding.

201 or 304?

304 resists corrosion better because it has more nickel and chromium, and it costs more. 201 is cheaper with lower corrosion resistance, for uses such as decorative and industrial pipe.

430 or 304?

304 has better corrosion resistance and mechanical properties for demanding uses. 430 is the economical choice for less corrosive environments, decorative parts and kitchen appliances where high weldability is not needed.

420 or 304?

420 is a high-carbon martensitic steel: harder and stronger, with slightly lower corrosion resistance. Choose 304 for corrosion resistance at higher temperatures, and 420 for cutting tools and blades.

416 or 304?

416 is a free-machining martensitic steel with more sulfur, so it machines more easily than 304. Choose 416 for parts that need a lot of machining and moderate corrosion resistance.

441 or 304?

441 is a ferritic steel stabilized with niobium. Its oxidation and corrosion resistance is similar to 304, with better strength at high temperature, for automotive exhaust systems and similar uses.

304 stainless steel FAQ.

Questions buyers ask before ordering 304.

Is 304 stainless steel magnetic?

Annealed 304 is non-magnetic. Cold work can make it slightly magnetic.

Is 304 the same as 18/8 stainless steel?

Yes. 18/8 describes the composition, about 18% chromium and 8% nickel, and 304 is its AISI number. EN 1.4301, UNS S30400, SUS 304 and GB 06Cr19Ni10 are the same steel.

Can 304 be hardened?

Not by heat treatment. It can be solution treated or annealed to optimize its properties.

How hot can 304 go?

It has good oxidation resistance in intermittent use up to 870 °C and continuous use up to 925 °C.

What sizes do you supply?

Coil in 1000, 1219, 1240 and 1500 mm widths or slit to size, 0.15–3.0 mm thick. Sheet in the same widths, 2000 to 3048 mm long, 0.3–3.0 mm thick.
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Learn more about 304 stainless steel →

Why project buyers work with Sanmei Metal

Material-driven, engineering-supported, execution-ready. One supplier from the mill to your site.
1

Source from leading partner mills

Base coil from Lisco, Tisco, Jisco, Posco PZSS, Yongjin and Hongwang, each batch with its Mill Test Report.
Our mill partners
2

Finish in-house

PVD, water plating and surface finishing under one roof at our Foshan facility.
Decorative finishes
3

Engineer and fabricate

Our engineers review drawings so profiles and panels can be made and installed.
Architectural metal works
4

Protect and ship

Film matched to laser cutting or stamping, and crates or steel frames packed for sea freight.
Packing and filming
Technical questions about grades, finishes or tolerances?
Technical guide

Our Leading Coating Technology.

Thicker coating, consistent color and easy-clean surfaces. Each one measured in our own production and compared with typical market product.
PVD coating

Thicker PVD coating

0.30µm
Typical coating thickness, up to 28% thicker than a typical market coil, so the color lasts longer.
See the coating test
Color control

Consistent color

ΔE ≤ 2
Every coil is held below the color difference the eye can see, so panels from different batches match.
See the color data
Anti-fingerprint

Fingerprint-resistant

215solvent rubs
Our anti-fingerprint coating withstood 215 rubs with a strong solvent. The standard requires 100. Typical market AF failed at 70.
See the AF test
Tested to GB/T and ISO standards, with MTR and SGS reports on request.
See all our quality control.

Documents you can check.

Every order ships with a Mill Test Report traced to its heat number, and SGS testing is available on request. These are real documents from our mill partners and our project work.
Certifications shown belong to Sanmei and its fabrication partners. Click a document to see it full size.

Tell us about your project.

Send a drawing, a reference photo or just the grade and size. Our team replies with material advice, finish options, samples and a quote.
What helps us answer fastest
Drawing, sketch or reference photo
Grade and thickness, if you know them
Finish or color you have in mind
Quantity and delivery location
Tell us about your project →
Samples and small batches are welcome.

Contact us

Creating Center, Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528315, China
+8615015653566 / 0757-87668353
Paige Deng
marketing@sanmeimetal.com

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    TEL: +8615015653566 / 0757-87668353
    Email: marketing@sanmeimetal.com

    Headquarters:
    Creating Center, No.142, Yuhe Road, Lecong Town, Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China. 528315

    Factory: Liyuan Logistics City, Chencun Town, Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China. 528313

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