Melting Point of Steel: Everything You Need to Know

by AMC

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Posted on August 14, 2025 at 05:01 PM

The melting point is when a solid can turn to a liquid form. This is usually called the melting temperature for metals but it is defined by the atomic structure and chemistry of the metal. Engineers and fabricators need to know the steel melting temperature so they know which metal the engineer should choose to do forming, welding, or casting.

This blog will review the temperature to melt steel, how different types of steel behave when it is heated, the melting process of steel, and more.

What Is a Melting Point?

The melting point is the specific temperature at which a solid turns into a liquid. For metals, it's the point where they begin to lose their rigid structure and become fluid.

For steel and other alloys, this concept gets more nuanced due to the presence of multiple elements. That’s where the terms solidus and liquidus come in:

• Solidus: The temperature below which the metal is completely solid
• Liquidus: The temperature above which the metal is fully liquid

Between these two temperatures, steel exists in a partially melted or “mushy” state.

What Is the Melting Point of Steel?

The melting point of steel is the temperature at which the metal shifts from a solid state to a liquid. For steel, this range typically falls between 1370°C and 1530°C (or 2500°F to 2800°F), depending on the composition of the specific steel grade.

Because steel is an alloy, its melting behavior isn’t fixed. Each steel grade is made by combining iron with elements such as carbon, nickel, chromium, vanadium, and manganese, all of which influence the final steel melting temperature.

For instance:

• Carbon steel melting point differs significantly from that of stainless steel.
• Similarly, low-carbon and high-carbon steels exhibit varied melting characteristics.
• The melting point of stainless steel is impacted by its nickel and chromium content, which provide both strength and corrosion resistance.

Due to the high temperature to melt steel, this material is ideal for industries that involve extreme heat, such as aerospace, power plants, chemical processing, and construction.

Melting Points of Different Types of Steel

The melting point of steel varies depending on its composition. Each type of steel features different alloying elements that influence its physical properties, including its melting temperature. Below is an overview of the four primary steel categories and their respective steel melting temperatures.

Carbon Steel

The most common type of steel is carbon steel which is composed mainly of iron and carbon and contains small amounts of other elements. It normally has a carbon content of between 0.05 to 2.0 percent, and a melting point of 1410 o C to 1530 o C (or 2570 o F to 2785 o F).

Carbon steel is further subdivided into:

1. Low-carbon steel: 0.30 percent or less carbon
2. Medium-carbon steel: 0.30-0.60 carbon %
3. High-carbon steel: 0.60%-2.00% carbon

The carbon steel melting point is usually reduced with increase in carbon content, which influences weldability and hardness.

Alloy Steel

Alloy steels are formed when nickel, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum are added to carbon steel. These additions make it stronger, harder, more corrosion resistant, and more heat resistant. 

Depending on the specific elements, the alloy steel melting point ranges from around 1400° C to 1500° C. Alloy steels are extensively used for a variety of applications, such as pipelines, car parts, and heavy equipment. 

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a subset of alloy steel that consists of a minimum of 10.5% chromium, which greatly increases corrosion resistance. It can also contain nickel, molybdenum, and nitrogen for a variety of advantageous properties. 

The melting point of stainless steel usually ranges from 1375° C to 1530° C (or 2500° F to 2785° F), depending on grade. Stainless steels are very versatile, non-oxidizing, and resistance to corrosion, making them a suitable choice for kitchen pots and pans, medical instruments, and chemical treatment plants

Tool Steel

Tool steel is specifically made for extreme toughness and resistance to heating, wear, and abrasion. It is predominantly used to manufacture cutting tools, dies, and other industrial machines. Tool steels also contain materials such as tungsten, vanadium and chromium, which keep tool steel hard at higher temperatures. The average melting temperature of tool steel is around 1420° C.

Factors That Influence the Melting Point of Steel

Although steel has a relatively high melting point in its pure form, several external and internal factors can alter the temperature to melt steel. These influences can either raise or lower the steel melting temperature depending on the composition and environmental conditions.

Here are the key factors:

1. Alloying Elements : Steel is commonly alloyed with metals to enhance its rigidity or flexibility. For example, stainless steel consists of iron, chromium, nickel, and other elements which greatly affects the way it behaves and how it is constructed when it is reheated. The melting point of steel can go either way depending upon the variety and scale of the alloying elements. This is the reason that the melting temperatures of different types of steel are different. 
2. Impurities  Even trace amounts of impurities can interfere with the internal structure of steel. Impurity elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus can weaken the crystal lattice of the metal that leads to lower steel melting temperature. Impurities are mostly minimized during the refining process in order to permit the performance of the material. 
3. Additives  Additives are purposely included in the steel mix for directed purposes such as strength, corrosion resistance, heat resistance etc. Additives like nickel, copper, tungsten, and titanium are known to increase the melting point of steel to allow the use of steel in high temperature applications. 
4. Pressure  Like many metals, environmental pressure factors into the temperature to melt steel. Generally:
• High pressure will increase melting point. 
• Low pressure will decrease melting point.

Why Melting Point Matters in Industrial Applications

Steel’s wide usage across industries stems from its exceptional mechanical properties and its ability to perform under high heat. But what truly sets it apart in many sectors is its high melting point, which makes it a dependable material in environments exposed to extreme temperatures.

Let’s explore how the melting point of steel plays a vital role in real-world industrial applications:

Manufacturing

The melting temperature of steel can be important to manufacturing, especially automotive, aerospace and heavy machinery. The steel melting temperature determines the way and at what temperature steel components can be shaped or welded in the manufacturing process. The knowledge of the temperature to melt steel can also assist the manufacturers to select a particular grade of steel when exposed to thermal or mechanical loads in service.

Construction

The construction projects depend on the use of the right types of steel on numerous structural elements. Columns, beams and re-bar are all made of steel whose melting points are dependent on their load bearing or fire resistance needs. The fact that the melting point of steel is known will prove that all properties of materials are able to manage high temperatures.

Energy & Power Sector

One of the few industries that perform material limits testing is energy production. In power plants, turbines, pipelines, and electrical transmission systems, components are often exposed to high temperatures and pressures. The steels that have high melting points like stainless steel or alloy steel are essential here. Their ability to withstand high temperatures without deforming or failing makes them irreplaceable in thermal and nuclear power.

The Process of Melting Steel

Steel is brought to its melting point using advanced steelmaking techniques that apply extreme heat to convert solid metals into liquid form. The two primary technologies used today are the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) and the Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF), also known as the blast furnace. Each method is crucial in industrial-scale production where steel melting temperature control is essential.

Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Method

The Electric Arc Furnace uses electricity to make enough heat to melt steel. Here's how it works

• Scrap steel and additives (if needed) are fed into the furnace.
• When the furnace is energized, it creates an electrical arc from the electrodes to the scrap steel and the charge. 
• Those arcs (or arcs) generate extreme heat. It is estimated to reach 3000°C, which is well in excess of the average temperature to melt steel.
• The scrap metal melts, and the impurities separate from the liquid steel. 
• Once the steel is purified, we add the desired alloying elements to enhance properties like protectiveness against corrosion or hardness.
• The molten steel is then either cast, rolled, or forged into billets or slabs or other custom shapes.

Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) or Blast Furnace Method

This method begins with raw materials—iron ore, coal, and limestone—which are processed into pig iron. Here's how the blast furnace process works:

• Pig iron, combined with a small percentage of scrap, is introduced into the furnace.
• Pre-heated air or pure oxygen is blown into the furnace through nozzles.
• This raises the internal temperature enough to exceed the melting point of steel, while also oxidizing impurities like sulfur and carbon.
• Gaseous byproducts such as carbon dioxide are expelled, and unwanted materials are removed as slag.
• Once the molten steel reaches the desired composition, the process follows similar steps as the EAF, refining, alloying, and forming.

Both methods must reach and maintain temperatures in the range of 1370°C to 1530°C, which is the typical steel melting temperature.

Conclusion

The melting point of steel is an important property that indicates how it behaves when it is heated. The melting point of steel can be defined as the point at which steel changes from a solid at a specific temperature to a liquid. Generally it is between 1370C and 1530C (or 2500C and 2800C), but this can differ depending on the type and composition of steel.

Before making your decision on your project, it is a good idea to know the melting point of carbon steel, stainless steel or alloy steel. By knowing the melting point, you can select the correct material for your project, keep the manufacturing process accurate to avoid thermal defects caused by incorrect thermal processing.

At Amardeep Steel Center we have many varieties of steel products that are suitable for heavy-duty industrial applications. Through our technical capabilities and high-quality products, our customers can avoid thermal defects, increase performance, and comply with stringent project requirements.

If you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with us.