Welded stainless steel tube for automotive and architectural applications, in grades 304/304L and 321, from 6mm to 63.5mm OD with 0.4mm to 2mm wall thickness, to ASTM A554, in mill, brushed, and polished finishes.
Automotive and architectural tube is often on display in a way most industrial tube never is — a handrail, a piece of structural trim, or an exhaust system component all get seen and handled directly, which puts surface finish on equal footing with strength and corrosion resistance as a real specification, not an afterthought. We manufacture this tube in 304/304L for general architectural, decorative, and structural use, and 321 specifically for automotive exhaust and other applications where the tube is welded and then subjected to sustained high heat in service.
This application is available in both round and square/rectangular profiles — see our Products by Shape pages for the full profile range.
| Finish | Description | Typically specified for |
|---|---|---|
| As-welded | Mill condition, no further processing | Cost-driven structural applications |
| Annealed & Pickled (AP) | Heat-treated and chemically cleaned | Process and general fabrication |
| 2B | Standard smooth cold-rolled mill finish | General-purpose fabrication |
| Polished — Matte | Brushed, satin appearance | Architectural work wanting a clean, non-reflective look |
| Polished — Mirror | High-gloss reflective finish | Decorative/architectural applications where appearance matters most |
| OD | 6mm to 63.5mm |
| Wall thickness | 0.4mm to 2mm |
| Grades | 304/304L, 321 |
| Standards | ASTM A213, ASTM A249, ASTM A269 and ASTM A554 |
| Finish | As-welded, AP, 2B, matte polish, mirror polish |
| Grade | General positioning | Typically considered when |
|---|---|---|
| 304/304L | Good general corrosion resistance, cost-effective finish quality | Architectural, decorative, handrails, furniture, automotive trim |
| 321 | Titanium-stabilized for weld-zone integrity at sustained heat | Automotive exhaust and other sustained high-temperature welded applications |
304/304L and 321 are part of our 300 Series range — see the full table. 400-series ferritic grades (like 409 and 430) are also common in automotive and architectural applications industry-wide — see our 400 Series page for the full picture — we manufacture these grades too.
Grade, size, standard, quantity — send what you have and we'll respond with availability, lead time and pricing.