Corten steel price: the sheet and the piece, two different worlds
Search for the price of Corten steel and you will first come across sheets sold by weight or by the square metre. That price depends on the thickness, the sheet size, the quantity ordered and the market price of steel; it concerns the metalworker or the fabricator. It says almost nothing about the price of a Corten steel planter, fire pit or fountain.
Between the sheet and the piece lies all the work: design, cutting, folding, welding, deburring, patina, any varnish, inspection, packaging and the transport of an object that is often heavy and bulky. In a piece of Corten steel furniture, the raw material is only part of the value; the rest is craftsmanship.
Hélios fire table
The rim of the Hélios fire table, in 3 mm Corten steel: the thickness can be seen, and it is reflected in the price.
What determines the cost of a Corten steel piece
1. Sheet thickness
This is the first cost item, and the least visible in a photograph. For the same dimensions, a 2 mm sheet contains a third more material than a 1.5 mm sheet, and a 3 mm sheet twice as much. It is also more demanding to fold and to weld. In return, the faces stay flat, the edges taut, and the piece holds its line for years. At Cortenys, thickness is chosen model by model and stated on every product page: 1.5 mm or 2 mm for the Cybèle square planter, 2 mm for the Thalie planter on legs, 3 mm for the Hélios and Héphaïstos fire tables.
2. Dimensions and unfolded surface area
The price follows the unfolded surface area of the sheet, that is, the total surface once the piece is laid out flat, not its footprint on the ground. A deep cube uses far more material than a low planter with the same footprint. Beyond a certain size, reinforcements, larger sheets and suitable handling equipment are also needed.
Cybèle square planter
The Cybèle square planter: a deep cube, offered in 1.5 mm and 2 mm depending on the presence you are looking for.
3. The complexity of fabrication
Every cut, every fold, every weld bead takes machine time and skilled hands. A planter with compartments such as the Maïa multi planter, a two-level cascade such as the Nereida fountain, an openwork panel such as a decorative wall or a fire table with sloping sides requires far more operations than a simple box. The quality of the welds, their continuity and their finish account for much of the difference between two pieces that look alike.
4. The patina
Many Corten steel pieces are sold grey, leaving the customer to wait months for the patina to form, with its mottling and its run-off. At Cortenys, the signature patina is applied and inspected in the workshop on every piece: a stage in its own right, which takes time and a trained eye, and delivers a deep, even colour from the very first day.
5. The varnished finish
The protective varnish, applied by hand to a patina that has reached maturity, fixes the colour and prevents run-off. Mandatory indoors and offered as an option on most outdoor pieces (fire pieces are delivered without varnish), it can, depending on the model, affect the price: each product page shows it for every combination of size and finish.
6. Equipment
A fountain is more than its basin: pump, LED lighting, water circuit and watertightness add to the price of the steel. This is the case with the Alban square fountain, whose pump and LEDs are built in. In the same way, a bioethanol fire incorporates a burner, and a barbecue its cooking ring.
Alban square fountain
The Alban square fountain: pump and LEDs built into the volume of Corten steel.
7. Made-to-order production and transport
A piece crafted to order is not taken from stock: it is made for you, inspected, then packed to travel without damage. Corten steel is heavy, and the volumes are often bulky: packaging and transport represent a real cost, one that very low prices sometimes pass over in silence.
Why Corten steel costs more than ordinary steel
To buy, Corten steel costs more than ordinary structural steel: its alloying elements, copper, chromium, nickel and phosphorus, come at a price, and its welds require a matching filler metal so that the patina stays even. But the comparison often stops too soon.
Ordinary steel left outdoors has to be galvanised, powder coated or painted, then repainted at regular intervals. Corten steel needs no coating: its patina protects it, and its upkeep comes down to letting it dry. Over time, the gap narrows, and the piece has grown more beautiful instead of flaking. For more on the material itself, see our Corten steel guide.
Planter, fire pit, fountain: what counts in each family
What makes the price vary, by family
Planters
- What weighs most
- Size, depth, thickness, whether there is a base
- What to check
- Stated thickness, drainage, regularity of the edges
Fire pits and fire tables
- What weighs most
- Thickness, weight, design of the volume
- What to check
- Thickness around the hearth, stability, fuel
Fountains and water walls
- What weighs most
- Equipment (pump, LEDs), watertightness, levels
- What to check
- Built-in pump, access for maintenance
Water basins and reflecting pools
- What weighs most
- Diameter or length, thickness
- What to check
- Flatness, thickness, welds
Decorative walls
- What weighs most
- Dimensions, fineness of the motif
- What to check
- Crispness of the cut, fixing or plinth
| Family | What weighs most | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Planters | Size, depth, thickness, whether there is a base | Stated thickness, drainage, regularity of the edges |
| Fire pits and fire tables | Thickness, weight, design of the volume | Thickness around the hearth, stability, fuel |
| Fountains and water walls | Equipment (pump, LEDs), watertightness, levels | Built-in pump, access for maintenance |
| Water basins and reflecting pools | Diameter or length, thickness | Flatness, thickness, welds |
| Decorative walls | Dimensions, fineness of the motif | Crispness of the cut, fixing or plinth |
For each family, the product pages specify the sizes, thicknesses and finishes available: planters, fire pits and fire tables, fountains, water basins, log stores. To go further in choosing a model, read our guides How to choose a Corten steel planter and Corten steel fire pit or fire table.
How to recognise a Corten steel piece worth its price
- The thickness is stated, and it is consistent with the size of the piece.
- The welds are continuous and clean, the edges crisp, the faces flat.
- The patina is even from delivery, with no grey patches or mottling.
- The design holds up unlit, empty, in winter: a beautiful piece rewards the eye even without a plant, water or a flame.
- The design lets water run off instead of pooling in the corners.
- The guarantee and the service are clear: someone answers before and after the purchase.
Where the market sells sheet metal, the House composes pieces.
Pricing at Cortenys
The price of every Cortenys piece is shown on its product page, for each size and each finish, in the currency of your country. It covers a piece designed in France, crafted in Europe to order by a partner manufacturer, dressed in the signature patina applied in the workshop, inspected before it leaves and guaranteed for two years. Allow 2 to 5 weeks for a collection piece; the exact lead time is confirmed when you order, depending on the destination.
For particular dimensions, a complete garden project or an architect’s commission, bespoke work is the subject of a detailed quotation, based on the dimensions, the thickness, the complexity and the finish; allow 3 to 10 weeks. Architects, landscape designers and interior designers have their own professionals’ area.
