GI Coil (Galvanized Iron Coil)

GI coil, also sold as galvanized steel coil or galvanised iron coil, is cold rolled steel coil coated with zinc by the continuous hot dip process. The zinc layer is what stops the steel rusting, and how much of it you specify is the single most important decision on a GI coil enquiry. Seen Steel supplies GI coil across all seven emirates, slit to width and delivered to your yard.

Zinc coating classes

Coating is quoted as a Z number under EN 10346, or a G number under ASTM A653. The figure is the total zinc mass across both faces in grams per square metre, so Z275 means 275 g/m² shared over the two sides. More zinc means longer life and a higher price.

For most UAE outdoor work Z275 is the sensible default. Within a few kilometres of the coast, or on anything washed down regularly, Z350 and above is worth the extra.

Sheet weight by thickness

Steel weight only, calculated at 7.85 g/cm³. The zinc adds a further 0.1 to 0.6 kg/m² depending on the coating class.

Working out coil weight

To estimate the weight of a coil: length in metres multiplied by width in metres multiplied by thickness in millimetres multiplied by 7.85. A 1250 mm wide coil at 0.5 mm running 1000 m works out at roughly 4,906 kg before zinc.

Standard sizes we supply

• Thickness 0.15 mm to 3.0 mm
• Width 600 mm to 1500 mm, slit to narrower widths on request
• Coil inner diameter normally 508 mm
• Standard and full coils, plus slit mother coils

Surface finish and treatment

Regular spangle, minimised spangle or zero spangle. Zero spangle is the usual choice where the sheet will be painted or where a uniform appearance matters. Chromate passivation resists white rust in storage and transit, and oiling is available. Say at enquiry stage if the material is to be painted or powder coated, because passivation and oiling both affect paint adhesion.

Grades

Supplied to ASTM A653 or EN 10346. Commercial steel for general forming, structural grades where a defined yield is needed, and deep drawing grades where the part is heavily formed. Tell us what the coil is being formed into and we will match the grade.

Common applications

• Roofing sheets, purlins and wall cladding
• HVAC ducting and ventilation systems
• Cable trays, trunking and electrical enclosures
• Home appliance and automotive panels
• General fabrication and light structural sections

GI coil, GI steel coil and galvanized steel coil

The same material goes by several names across the UAE trade and buyers use them interchangeably on an enquiry. GI coil, GI steel coil, galvanized steel coil and galvanised iron coil all describe steel strip hot dip galvanized on both faces and supplied on a coil, to EN 10346. There is no difference in the material behind the names. What actually changes the price is the zinc coating class, the thickness, the coil width and the surface treatment, so those are the four things worth stating when you send an enquiry.

Two points that cause confusion on orders:

• GI coils in the plural usually means a mixed order across more than one thickness or width, not a different product. Send the breakdown per thickness so each one is priced correctly rather than averaged.
• GI coil is not the same as GI coil lath. Lath is an expanded or ribbed mesh used as a plaster backing. If that is what you need, say so on the enquiry, because it is a different item entirely.

GI coils and sheets supplied together

Most galvanized coil and sheet enquiries come from the same buyer. A workshop running a roll forming line takes the coil, then needs cut sheets for the flashings, trims and closures that finish the job. Both come off the same coil and the same zinc class, so there is no reason to split the order across two suppliers.

Ordering galvanized coil and sheet together has three practical advantages:

• The zinc class matches across the whole job, so the roof and the flashings weather at the same rate rather than one failing first.
• The sheet is cut from the same coil width, which keeps the nesting tight and the offcut pile down.
• One delivery, one set of mill test certificates, one set of paperwork to check against the drawing.

Tell us the split when you enquire: how much stays as coil and what finished sheet sizes you want cut. See GI sheet for the material supplied flat, with the thickness and weight tables.

GI coil vs GI sheet

It is the same material in two forms. Coil suits buyers with a slitter, a roll former or a duct line who want to cut their own lengths. Sheet suits workshops that need flat pieces ready to use. We supply both: full coils, coils slit to the widths your machine takes, or sheets cut to length from coil so you are not left with offcuts.

GI coil price per ton in the UAE

GI coil is priced per metric ton, and the rate moves with the international hot rolled coil and zinc markets, so any price list goes out of date within weeks. Within a given week, four things decide where your rate sits:

• Thickness. Thinner gauges cost more per ton because more rolling goes into every tonne.
• Coating class. Z275 carries more than twice the zinc of Z120 and is priced accordingly.
• Width and processing. Standard mill widths are cheapest. Slitting and cutting to length add a processing charge.
• Quantity. Full coils and full truck loads price better per ton than part coils.

Send the thickness, width, coating class, tonnage and delivery point and we will come back with a firm rate for that week.

Related products: PPGI and galvalume

Pre-painted galvanized iron (PPGI) is GI coil with a factory paint coat on top, used for roofing and cladding where colour matters. Galvalume carries an aluminium and zinc alloy coating instead of pure zinc and is often chosen for roofing in hot climates. If your specification calls for either, tell us the coating, colour and thickness and we will confirm availability.

What to send for a quote

• Thickness and width, and whether you need it slit
• Zinc coating class, or the exposure if you would rather we advise
• Grade or the end use
• Spangle and whether it will be painted
• Tonnage required
• Delivery location

New guide: GI sheet and coil gauge, thickness and weight chart, with gauge to mm conversions, kg per square metre and per sheet, and the difference between base metal and total coated thickness.

If you need the material as flat sheets rather than on a coil, see GI sheet, cut from the same coil to your sizes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between GI and GL coil?
GI is zinc coated. GL, or galvalume, is coated with an aluminium zinc alloy and lasts longer in some environments but is harder to weld and paint. For most UAE roofing and ducting work GI is the standard.

What coating should I use near the coast?
Z350 or higher. Z275 is fine inland but salt spray eats a thin coating quickly on an exposed roof.

Can you slit coil to width?
Yes. Send the widths you need and the tonnage and we will confirm.

Do you supply mill test certificates?
Yes, MTCs are issued with the material, showing coating mass and grade.

Which emirates do you deliver to?
All seven. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, delivered to your yard.

Is galvanized steel coil the same as GI coil?
Yes. GI coil, galvanized steel coil and galvanised iron coil are different names for the same zinc coated product.

What is the price of GI coil per ton in the UAE?
It changes with the steel and zinc markets and depends on thickness, coating class, width and quantity. Send your specification and we will give you a firm rate for the week.

Can you cut GI coil into sheets?
Yes. We supply sheets cut to length from coil as well as full and slit coils.

Send your GI coil requirement through the steel quote request form or on WhatsApp at +971 56 227 5722. For a full explanation of Z120, Z180, Z275 and G90, see our guide to GI coating classes, and for sheet weights see the steel weight chart. We deliver GI coil across all seven emirates.

GI coil supplier in Dubai and across the UAE

Seen Steel supplies galvanized iron coil to roll forming plants, ducting fabricators, roofing and cladding manufacturers and general fabrication workshops throughout the UAE. Coil is supplied to the zinc class and thickness your process needs, slit to width or cut to length where required, and delivered with mill test certificates.

Who we supply

• Roll forming plants running purlins, decking, studs and track
• HVAC and ducting fabricators working to the zinc class on the specification
• Roofing and cladding manufacturers making sheets, panels and flashings
• Cable tray, trunking and enclosure manufacturers
• Profile and shutter makers needing consistent coil width and coating
• General fabrication workshops buying sheet cut from coil

What to specify when you order

Four things set the price and the lead time on a coil order:

1. Thickness in millimetres, and whether that is base metal thickness or total coated thickness. The two are not the same and quoting against the wrong one is the most common error on a coil enquiry.
2. Zinc coating class, Z120 through Z275, set by how long the material has to last and where it sits. Our guide to GI coating classes explains the difference.
3. Width, and whether you need the coil slit down from a standard width.
4. Coil weight and inner diameter, so the coil suits your decoiler rather than arriving unusable.

Gauge to millimetre conversions and weight per square metre are in our GI sheet and coil gauge chart.

Where we deliver GI coil

Deliveries run to every emirate: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain. Coil is heavy and awkward, so tell us what offloading you have on site. A plant with an overhead crane and a workshop with a forklift need the material presented differently, and getting that right before dispatch saves a wasted delivery.

Slitting, cut to length and sheet

If you do not run coil, we also supply the same material as cut sheet. Ordering sheet cut to your size removes the shearing step from your workshop and the offcuts that come with it. For bare material rather than galvanized, see hot rolled coil.

Why specify Seen Steel

• Coating class honoured. If the specification says Z275 you get Z275, not Z180 with an explanation afterwards.
• Certificates with the material. MTCs are issued as standard, with coating mass stated.
• One supplier for the whole list. Coil, sheet, structural sections and galvanized tube on the same delivery, from the full product list.
• Straight answers on lead time. Quoted up front rather than discovered after the order is placed.

Frequently asked questions about GI coil supply

Who supplies GI coil in Dubai?
Seen Steel supplies GI coil across Dubai, including Jebel Ali, Dubai Investment Park, Dubai Industrial City and Al Quoz, in the zinc classes and thicknesses your process needs.

What is the minimum order for GI coil?
Tell us the tonnage and width you need and we will tell you plainly whether it works as a coil order or is better taken as cut sheet.

Can you slit coil to our width?
Yes. Send the width, thickness, coating class and coil weight your line takes and the material is prepared to suit.

Do you supply PPGI as well as GI?
Pre painted material is available on request. Send the colour reference, coating class and quantity with the enquiry.

Which zinc class do I need?
Indoors and dry, Z120 is usually enough. Outdoors in the UAE, and anywhere near the coast, Z275 is the sensible default. The coating classes guide sets out the trade off.

To price a requirement, send it through the steel quote request form or on WhatsApp at +971 56 227 5722.