Hot rolled steel is steel that has been roll-pressed at very high temperatures. Hot rolled steel is steel that has been roll-pressed at very high temperatures—over 1,700˚F, which is above the re-crystallization temperature for most steels. This makes the steel easier to form and resulting in products that are easier to work with. Hot rolled steel can often be identified by the following characteristics: A scaled surface—a remnant of cooling from extreme temperatures. Slightly rounded edges and corners for bar and plate products (due to shrinkage and less precise finishing. Slight distortions, where cooling may result in slightly trapezoidal forms, as opposed to perfectly squared angles. Hot rolled steel typically requires much less processing than cold rolled steel, which makes it a lot cheaper. Because hot rolled steel is allowed to cool at room temperature. Hot rolled steel is ideal where dimensional tolerances aren’t as important as overall material strength, and where surface finish isn’t a key concern.
