Materials are graded thus E-excellent V-Very good G-Good F-Fair P-Poor N-Not recommended. Tempers indicate hardness for example the 3rd digit (e.g. the 4 in H14) indicates the degree of hardness (e.g. for 1050 & 3103, 2 is the quarter hard, 4 is half hard, 6 is 3/4 hard and 8 fully hard). The 2nd digit (e.g. the 1 in H14) shows the method used to achieve hardness; 1 is rolled to hardness, 2 is rolled more than required then partially annealed ‘back’ to the correct hardness. M represents ‘As manufactured’ and O means soft (annealed).

1050 is the standard commercially available 99.5% pure aluminium sheet. Excellent resistance to corrosion, easily welded and fabricated. Common Uses: Insulation & flashings, vehicle panelling & signs, most general uses.
3103 is slightly harder than 1050 mainly due to the addition of manganese, other properties similar. Common Uses: Roofing sheet & vehicle panelling.
5005 is of an architectural anodising quality. Medium Strength. Common Uses: Decorative & architectural signs and curtain walling. However for a guaranteed consistent anodised finish, alloy J57S should be requested.
5251 is a medium strength alloy, work hardens rapidly, easily welded & resistant to salt water. Common Uses: Panelling, Internal cladding in ships, tanks & containers.
5083 is a high strength alloy, good weldability & corrosion resistance. Very resistant to sea water industrial atmospheres. Common Uses: Pressure vessels, road & rail transport and ship building.
5754 offers good weldability & corrosion resistance. Resistant to salt water. Common Uses: treadplate for flooring and general fabrications.
6082 is a fairly high strength Alloy but unsuitable for bending. Common Uses: Flat bed & Drop side lorry bodies and structural engineering.

Materials are graded thus E-excellent V-Very good G-Good F-Fair P-Poor N-Not recommended. Tempers indicate hardness for example the 3rd digit (e.g. the 4 in H14) indicates the degree of hardness (e.g. for 1050 & 3103, 2 is the quarter hard, 4 is half hard, 6 is 3/4 hard and 8 fully hard). The 2nd digit (e.g. the 1 in H14) shows the method used to achieve hardness; 1 is rolled to hardness, 2 is rolled more than required then partially annealed ‘back’ to the correct hardness. M represents ‘As manufactured’ and O means soft (annealed).

6082T6 is our standard stock alloy for the bulk of sections 3mm thick or more. It is the hardest of the commercially available alloys, although not as strong as some of the specialist alloys. It is structurally sound and has good corrosion resistance and weldability. It is not designed for bending whilst cold. Common uses - structural alloy also used in road transport.
6082T4 is not artificially aged therefore is initially more workable than 6082T6. With time it achieves the full hardness.
6063T6 is our standard stock alloy for items below 3mm thick plus one or two sections where there is a particular industrial requirement. It is described as medium strength and is better than 6082 for extrusions with smaller details. It is also better for anodising, allowing a more consistent finish. Common uses - architectural extrusions, domestic uses, internal and external window frames.
6063T4 is more suitable for cold forming and is our standard alloy for mouldings etc where the extrusion may need to be bent to fit its location.
6005A is a more recently developed alloy that combines a strength not far short of 6082 with the suitability for anodising of 6063. It is easier to extrude more detailed sections in 6005A than 6082.