Where to Buy Thick Aluminum Plate: 2 Inches and Up, Cut to Size
By Treebeard
For thick aluminum plate cut to size, the field narrows to a handful of suppliers before price ever enters the conversation. NOX METALS stocks 6061-T651 to 10 inches and 7075 and 7050 to 6 inches, cut to any rectangle. OnlineMetals.com publishes 7050-T7451 to 7 inches. McMaster-Carr, Metals Depot, and most of the catalog sellers are built around standard thin and mid-range stock and drop out above roughly two inches. This post covers the thickness ceiling at each supplier, why thick plate behaves differently on a saw, and the questions that prevent a surprise at receiving.
In Short
- →Thickness is the cleanest disqualifier in aluminum distribution. It removes the catalog sellers before you get to price.
- →NOX METALS stocks 6061-T651 to 10 inches and 7075 and 7050 to 6 inches, cut to any rectangle on bandsaws with a 0.08 inch kerf.
- →OnlineMetals.com publishes 7050-T7451 stock to 7 inches, the deepest published figure among the catalog sellers.
- →McMaster-Carr and Metals Depot are effectively out above a couple of inches. Their catalogs are built for standard thin and mid-range stock.
- →Sawing a 6 inch plate is not a slower version of sawing a 1 inch plate. Blade deflection, saw time, and material movement all scale badly, which is why lead times and tolerances change with thickness.
- →Ask for the saw tolerance at your specific thickness. A site-wide number does not cover both ends of the range.
Thickness Ceilings by Supplier
Verified against public pages in August 2026. Unpublished means the supplier does not state a ceiling, so ask before assuming.
| Supplier | Published thick plate capability | Cut to size |
|---|---|---|
| NOX METALS | 6061 to 10 in, 7075 and 7050 to 6 in | Any rectangle, bandsaw, 0.08 in kerf |
| OnlineMetals.com | 7050-T7451 published to 7 in | Yes, plus/minus 0.125 in |
| Yarde Metals | Unpublished, aerospace plate depth | On request, quote |
| Alro Steel | Unpublished, heavy processing available | Saw, waterjet, plasma, laser |
| Clinton Aluminum | Unpublished, mold plate depth | Plate saw, circle and ring saw |
| Speedy Metals | Unpublished, general range | Yes, plus/minus 0.030 in |
| Metals Depot | General fabrication range | Yes, custom shapes |
| buymetal.com | General fabrication range | Yes |
| McMaster-Carr | Catalog thicknesses only | No, standard sizes |
Why Thick Plate Is a Different Operation
Buyers reasonably assume a thicker cut is just a longer cut. It is not, and the differences drive lead time, tolerance, and price in ways that surprise people.
- Blade deflection accumulates over the depth of cut. A blade that tracks true through 0.5 inch has far more opportunity to wander through 6 inches, which is why a single published saw tolerance rarely covers both.
- Saw time scales worse than linearly. Feed rates come down as section increases, so a 6 inch cut can occupy the machine for a long stretch while everything behind it waits.
- Material movement. Thick 7xxx plate carries residual stress, and cutting can release it. This is why stress-relieved tempers like T651 and T7451 exist and why they matter more as thickness grows.
- Handling. A full mill plate at 2 inches already weighs on the order of 1,700 lbs, so thick plate is a crane and forklift operation, not a two-person lift. That changes who can even stock it.
- Inventory economics. Thick plate ties up serious capital per square foot, which is the real reason most distributors stop at a couple of inches.
The Weight Reality Check
Before you order thick plate, know what is arriving. Weight decides freight mode, receiving equipment, and often whether the order makes economic sense at all.
| Alloy | lb per sq ft per inch of thickness | 1 sq ft at 4 in | 1 sq ft at 6 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6061 | 14.04 | 56.2 lbs | 84.2 lbs |
| 7075 | 14.69 | 58.8 lbs | 88.1 lbs |
| 7050 | 14.69 | 58.8 lbs | 88.1 lbs |
The Buy-to-Fly Problem Gets Worse With Thickness
Thick plate is where cut-to-size stops being a convenience and starts being the entire economics of the job.
- On a catalog buy you round up to the nearest stocked thickness. Rounding 3 inches up to 4 inches wastes an inch across the whole footprint, at full material price.
- That waste comes back as scrap value, which is a small fraction of what you paid, so the gap is real money rather than an accounting transfer.
- It is also spindle time. Facing an extra inch off a large plate is machine hours and, in 7075, meaningful tooling wear.
- Run the buy-to-fly ratio before choosing between a standard size and a cut. On thin material the difference is minor. At 4 inches it usually decides the purchase.
What to Ask Before Ordering Thick Plate
- What is the saw tolerance at my thickness specifically, not across your catalog?
- Is the material stress relieved, and in which temper? On thick 7xxx this determines whether your part moves during machining.
- What is the flatness and bow specification on a plate this thick?
- What does it weigh, and does that put it on freight? Who unloads it at my dock?
- Is there a certified drop in this thickness? On thick plate a remnant is often dramatically cheaper than opening a new mill plate.
Buy Elsewhere When
- You need above 6 inches in 7050: OnlineMetals publishes stock to 7 inches.
- You need a profile cut rather than a rectangle at thickness: Alro Steel runs waterjet and high-definition plasma.
- You need thick mold plate specifically: Clinton Aluminum is the specialist.
- You need a standard-size thick piece immediately and price is secondary: check McMaster's catalog thicknesses first.
Thickness quietly eliminates most of the aluminum market. Once you are past two inches you are choosing among a handful of suppliers with the inventory, the saws, and the material handling to do the work, and the differences that remain are tolerance at thickness, stress relief, and whether anyone will commit to a date. Ask about the saw tolerance at your specific thickness, check the weight before you order, and always ask whether a certified drop exists first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy 4 inch thick aluminum plate cut to size?
NOX METALS stocks 6061-T651 to 10 inches and 7075 and 7050 to 6 inches, cut to any rectangle. OnlineMetals.com publishes 7050-T7451 stock to 7 inches. Yarde Metals, Alro, and Clinton carry thick plate but do not publish ceilings, so ask. McMaster-Carr and Metals Depot are generally out at that thickness.
How much does thick aluminum plate weigh?
6061 is 14.04 lbs per square foot per inch of thickness, and 7075 and 7050 are 14.69. So one square foot of 4 inch 6061 is about 56 lbs, and a 12 by 24 inch piece of 6 inch 6061 is about 168 lbs. Thick plate is a freight and forklift shipment.
Why is thick aluminum plate harder to cut accurately?
Blade deflection accumulates over the depth of cut, feed rates come down, and residual stress in the plate can release as material is removed. All three get worse with thickness, which is why a single site-wide saw tolerance rarely covers both a 0.25 inch and a 6 inch cut.
Should I buy thick plate cut to size or oversize?
At thickness, cut to size almost always wins on cost per finished part, because rounding up to a standard thickness wastes material across the entire footprint at full price and returns only scrap value. Run the buy-to-fly ratio on your actual part.
Does thick plate need to be stress relieved?
If you are machining a large or thin-walled part out of it, yes. Stress-relieved tempers such as 6061-T651, 7075-T651, and 7050-T7451 have had quench stress mechanically relieved by stretching, which is what keeps the part from moving as you remove material.
Thick plate, cut to size
Price a thick section in 60 seconds.
6061 to 10 inches, 7075 and 7050 to 6 inches, any rectangle. Certs with heat numbers and a committed ship date.