Stainless Steel 304 / 304L Sheets & Plates

A 304 stainless sheet is an austenitic chromium-nickel stainless flat product nominally 18% chromium and 8% nickel supplied as sheet, plate, coil or strip. It is the workhorse grade of the stainless world: strong, hygienic, easy to form and weld, and mildly corrosion resistant across most everyday service conditions. Because it balances performance against price better than almost any other grade, a 304 ss sheet is usually the first material considered for tanks, enclosures, panels, kitchen and dairy equipment, architectural cladding and general fabrication.

Grade 304 also contains small, controlled amounts of manganese, silicon, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur and nitrogen. Its minimum guaranteed yield strength is 205 MPa and minimum tensile strength 515 MPa, and thinner gauges typically show higher strength values than heavy plates.

The core difference between Stainless Steel 304 Sheets & Plates and Stainless Steel 304L Sheets & Plates is carbon content. Standard 304 permits up to 0.08% carbon; 304L stainless steel plate caps carbon at 0.03% maximum.

That single change matters most during welding. When 304 is held in the 425–815 °C range, carbon can combine with chromium at grain boundaries (sensitisation), locally depleting chromium and leaving those zones vulnerable to inter-granular corrosion. The low carbon of 304L suppresses this, so welded fabrications and thicker 304 plate sections can be put into service without a post-weld solution anneal. The trade-off is marginally lower strength — 304L has a 170 MPa minimum yield versus 205 MPa for 304 which is rarely limiting in practice.

Choose standard 304 for strength-driven and lightly welded work; choose 304L for weld-heavy assemblies, thick plate and applications where corrosion at the weld zone is a concern. For a broader material-selection walkthrough, see our blog on how to choose the right stainless steel sheet for your application. 

Grade comparisons are approximate and offered as a guide to functionally similar materials, not as contractual equivalents. Where exact equivalence is required, the original specification must be consulted. 

Values expressed as weight percentage (%). The lower carbon ceiling of 304L is what gives it superior resistance to weld-zone sensitisation. For a deeper look at how each element behaves, read stainless steel composition: key elements & their percentage range.

Mechanical properties (ASTM A240, annealed):

Physical properties (annealed):

We supply the complete stainless steel 304 sheets and stainless steel 304 plates range across every common form and process finish:

• SS 304 / 304L Hot Rolled Plates (HR) — heavy-gauge 304 plate for structural fabrication, base plates, tanks and pressure applications where thickness and strength lead.
• SS 304 / 304L Cold Rolled Sheets (CR) — tighter tolerances and a smoother 2B surface; ideal for precision fabrication, appliances and architectural work.
• 304 Chequered / Checker Plate — anti-slip tread pattern for flooring, walkways, platforms and stair treads.
• 304 Shim Sheets & Foils — ultra-thin gauges for spacing, lining and precision engineering.
• 304 Strips & Coils — slit to width for continuous processing, roll forming and component manufacture.
• 304 Circles, Blanks & Rings (Flanges) — profile-cut blanks for cookware, vessel ends and flange forming.
• Cut-to-Size, Laser-Cut & Plasma-Cut — a single 304 ss sheet shaped exactly to your drawing.

A stainless steel 304 perforated sheet carries a repeating pattern of punched holes and is one of our most versatile 304 products. It is used for filtration and sieving, machine and safety guarding, ventilation and acoustic panels, sugar and mineral screens, façade cladding and decorative architectural screens.

We offer round, square and slotted hole patterns in a wide choice of hole diameters, pitches and open-area percentages, in 2B and other finishes, and can circle-cut a 304 perforated sheet up to 1000 mm diameter. Because grade 304 combines corrosion resistance with good formability, a 304 perforated sheet holds its shape and finish through punching, rolling and forming without cracking — which is why it is specified so widely across food, water-treatment and building applications.

The finish on a 304 SS sheet or 304 plate drives both appearance and function. Common options include:

• No.1 / HR — hot-rolled, annealed and pickled; matte, for industrial and structural use
• 2B — the standard cold-rolled bright finish; general-purpose workhorse
• 2D — cold-rolled dull finish, good for deep drawing
• BA (Bright Annealed) — reflective, clean surface
• No.4 (brushed / satin) — directional grain, popular in architecture and kitchens
• No.8 / 8K Mirror — highly reflective, for decorative panels and signage
• Hairline, embossed & etched — textured finishes for interiors and anti-fingerprint surfaces

Stainless Steel 304 Sheets & Plates resist a broad spread of oxidising acids, mild atmospheres, potable and fresh water, most organic chemicals and food products. The passive chromium-oxide layer repairs itself in the presence of oxygen, which is what gives 304 its durability.

Its main limitation is chloride environments: seawater, coastal atmospheres and de-icing salts can trigger pitting and crevice corrosion. Where chlorides are present, a molybdenum-bearing grade such as SS 316 / 316L is the better choice. For sustained high-temperature or scaling service, SS 310 / 310S, SS 321 / 321H or SS 904L may be more suitable. Grade 304 itself gives good oxidation resistance in intermittent service up to about 870 °C.

Stainless Steel 304 Sheets & Plates form, deep-draw, bend and spin readily thanks to high ductility, and they weld by all common methods (TIG, MIG, resistance and spot). For welded fabrications and thicker 304l stainless steel plate, the low-carbon 304L grade avoids weld-zone sensitisation and is the safer default. Machining is straightforward in the annealed condition, though the alloy work-hardens, so sharp tooling, positive feeds and adequate coolant give the best results. After fabrication, pickling and passivation restore the passive film and maximise corrosion performance.

Grade 304 / 304L serves a remarkably wide field of use:

• Pipeline, pressure-vessel and plant engineering
• Chemical, petrochemical and process industries
• Oil & gas industry
• Food processing, dairy, brewing and beverage equipment
• Pharmaceutical, hospital and medical equipment
• Heat exchangers, evaporators and condensers
• Kitchen equipment, sinks, worktops and splashbacks
• Architecture, cladding, railings, lifts and interior décor
• Marine deck and structural fittings (non-submerged)
• Power generation, aerospace and general mechanical engineering

• Manufacturer & direct exporter — competitive, mill-linked pricing with no unnecessary intermediaries.
• Ready inventory — 304 sheets, plates, coils, perforated sheets, shims, strips and foils in stock for fast dispatch.
• Full test documentation — supplied with EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates traceable to heat number.
• Flexible quantities — from a single cut-to-size 304 ss sheet to full-container project tonnage.
• Value-added services — cutting, shearing, laser / plasma profiling, polishing and circle blanking.
• Reliable global logistics — export-ready packing in bubble, jute and shrink wrap for damage-free delivery worldwide.

• Stainless Steel 304 / 304L Round Bars
• Stainless Steel 304 / 304L Pipes & Tubes
• Stainless Steel 316 / 316L Sheets & Plates
• Stainless Steel 310 / 310S Sheets & Plates
• Stainless Steel 321 / 321H Sheets & Plates
• Stainless Steel 317 / 317L Sheets & Plates
• Stainless Steel 347 / 347H Sheets & Plates
• Stainless Steel 904L Sheets & Plates
• All Stainless Steel Sheets & Plates
• Duplex Steel Sheets & Plates

Jade Alloys exports Stainless Steel 304 Sheets & Plates and 304L Sheets & Plates to 50+ countries.