What Metal Should You Use to Build a BBQ Grill or Smoker?

The smell of summer is in the air. More specifically, the familiar wafts of charcoal and smoke are beginning to fill backyards across the country. But let's be honest: in Texas, it's always barbecue season.

For DIYers, that means homemade smokers, barbecue pits and grills are firing up too.

Before you get cooking, however, you need to choose the right metal for the job. Stainless steel may be what immediately comes to mind when you think about commercial grills, but carbon steel is one of the most common choices for DIY BBQ grills and smokers.

It's strong, durable, relatively easy to weld and can handle the repeated heating and cooling that comes with firing up a smoker or grill.

What Is the Best Steel for a DIY BBQ Grill?

For many homemade barbecue grills, smokers and fire pits, A36 carbon steel plate or sheet is a good place to start.

A36 is a structural-quality carbon steel commonly used in welded, bolted and riveted construction. But its combination of strength, weldability, availability and versatility also makes it useful for fabrication projects—including your next backyard cooker.

A36 steel offers:

• A minimum yield strength of 36 KSI

• Good weldability and fabrication characteristics

• Strength and durability for repeated use

• Availability in a wide range of thicknesses and sizes

• A relatively economical option compared with stainless steel

For a DIY builder, there's another practical advantage: carbon steel's weight can be a good thing. Thicker steel helps a smoker retain heat and reduces the impact of rapid temperature changes when the lid or cooking chamber is opened.

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What Thickness Steel Should You Use for a Smoker?

There isn't one correct thickness for every grill or smoker. The right choice depends on what you're building and how you plan to use it.

For a smoker body or cooking chamber, many builders prefer heavier plate because additional mass can help maintain more consistent temperatures. Lighter-gauge material may work for components that don't require the same level of heat retention or structural strength.

Before ordering, think about:

• The overall size of your grill or smoker

• Whether it will be stationary or portable

• How much welding and forming you'll need to do

• The temperatures the material will experience

• Whether the steel will be used for the cooking surface or the grill structure

Heavier isn't automatically better. A backyard smoker that needs to be moved around has very different requirements than a large offset smoker that will live permanently on a patio.

Carbon Steel vs. Stainless Steel for BBQ Grills

Both carbon steel and stainless steel can be used in grill construction, but they have different advantages.

Carbon steel is often attractive to DIY builders because it is strong, weldable, readily available and generally more economical. With proper care and seasoning, it can provide years of service.

Stainless steel offers excellent corrosion resistance and is commonly used in commercial grills, grates and other food-service applications. However, it can cost more and may require different fabrication considerations.

For many DIY smokers and barbecue pits, carbon steel provides a practical balance of cost, fabrication, strength and heat retention.

Can You Use Carbon Steel for Cooking?

Carbon steel has long been used in cookware, griddles and other cooking applications. The important distinction is between the cooking surface and the structure of the grill or smoker.

Steel used for a cooking surface should be clean, untreated and free from coatings, paints or other substances that aren't intended for cooking applications. Newly fabricated carbon steel cooking surfaces also typically need to be properly cleaned and seasoned before use.

If you're unsure whether a particular material is appropriate for direct food contact, verify its intended use before putting it over the fire.

What Steel Do You Need to Build a BBQ Grill?

The exact shopping list depends on your design, but a typical DIY BBQ or smoker project may include a combination of:

• Steel plate or sheet for the cooking chamber, firebox, shelves or body

• Angle for frames, supports and bracing

• Flat bar for brackets, handles and reinforcement

• Round or square tubing for legs, stands and frames

• Expanded metal for shelves, baskets or other components

The beauty of building your own grill is that there isn't one recipe. Start with the design, determine the dimensions of each component, and build your material list from there.

The Full Recipe

Once you know what you're building, the next step is figuring out exactly how much steel you need. Measure each component carefully and account for cuts, welds and a little extra material for the inevitable adjustment along the way.