Home Depot is a retailer that specializes in home improvement and offers a wide range of products, including various metal-based materials. However, since these products often have to be trimmed down and modified, can Home Depot cut metal objects to a size that will suit your needs?
Home Depot cannot cut metal objects, but some stores cut copper and galvanized steel pipes. For other metal materials, you can either buy or rent the necessary equipment and do all the cutting yourself or go to another department store that offers these services.
Although cutting metal is relatively straightforward, the tools used in the process pose potential health and safety risks. To avoid endangering its customers and employees, Home Depot doesn’t allow almost any metalwork to be done in its stores.
Home Depot Cannot Cut Metal
While Home Depot offers several valuable services at their stores, metal cutting isn’t one of them. This is mainly because the process itself poses unnecessary health and safety risks to anyone in the vicinity, including customers and employees.
Although the retailer doesn’t cut large metal objects like plates, some Home Depot stores do cut metal pipes. If you have some copper or galvanized steel pipes that need to be cut into several smaller pieces, bring the materials to one of their stores that supports this kind of metalwork.
All the cutting will be done for free if you have a receipt that shows you bought the pipes from their store or the official website. However, this service provides you with up to three cuts per ten feet of pipe, meaning you may be charged if you require more than that. You will also have to pay a small service fee if you have bought the pipes at another department store.
Which Materials Does Home Depot Cut?
Even though Home Depot doesn’t cut a majority of metal-based supplies, you can still cut a few different materials at their stores. Most places can modify plywood panels and other wood products, while a few might even cut plastic and composite materials like PVC and PEX.
Since not every Home Depot covers all the materials, I highly recommend that you check out whether the store provides the necessary cutting services before heading out.
As I already mentioned earlier, the materials need to be bought from one of their physical stores or the website if you want to avoid paying for this service. However, keep in mind that most locations offer only about 10-15 free cuts, after which you may be required to pay a small fee.
Can You Buy the Necessary Metal Cutting Equipment From Home Depot?
Although Home Depot doesn’t cut metal plates and similar materials, the retailer still sells all the equipment you need for this kind of work. However, before buying anything, make sure you know exactly what you plan on doing with the metal pieces you have.
Some tools are better suited for certain modifications than others, as all of them are designed to cut metal materials of specific thickness. If you’re not sure what to buy, some of the equipment you’ll need for metal cutting include:
- Compound snips – Making small cuts in thin-gauge plates,
- Nibbler – Long cuts in thin-gauge plates,
- Angle grinder – Rough cuts and grinding,
- Hacksaw – Simple, shallow cuts,
- Bench shear – Irregular cuts on thin plates,
- Power saw (Chop saw) – Cutting plates less than 4-5 inches wide,
- Torch – Cutting through thick steel plates,
- Plasma cutter – Clean cuts of 0.25-inch plates (or thinner).
While it might seem obvious, I also need to warn you that most of these tools can be pretty dangerous. To avoid a potential hazard, make sure you follow all the safety precautions to a tee when using them.
Can You Rent Metal-Cutting Equipment From Home Depot?
If you don’t need to use the metal cutting equipment for more than a few short instances, you might be better off renting the necessary tools instead. Thankfully, Home Depot allows its customers to rent all sorts of devices.
Most of the tools are often rented at very affordable prices, which are determined at the store you’re renting the equipment from. However, the cost of renting a tool will primarily depend on the rental duration, and Home Depot offers its customers four different periods they can choose from. These include 4-hour, daily, weekly, and monthly rentals.
Besides the rental fee, each tool will require you to pay a small credit card deposit, which covers the costs of replacing the item if it gets damaged, lost, or you fail to return it on time.
If you’re not sure what’s a better deal for your money, buying or renting, learn everything you can about the pricing before making a decision. To get a clearer picture of the amount of money you’ll be spending on these rentals, the table below shows how much it costs to rent a 7-inch Makita Grinder for a specific period of time.
| Rental Period | 4-Hours | A Day | A Week | A Month (4 Weeks) |
| Price | $25.00 | $35.00 | $140.00 | $420.00 |
It’s also important to note that renting this particular tool requires you to leave a $25.00 deposit, no matter the rental period you’ve selected. On the other hand, buying a completely new 7″ Makita Grinder will cost you $159.00.
If you need the grinder only for a day or two, renting it is clearly going to be a better option, as you could end up saving up to $100. However, if you plan to use it for a week or more, you will be better off buying it instead.
Should I Take My Materials to a Department Store That Cuts Metal?
Cutting metal is not an easy thing to do, so if you can’t cut all the materials yourself, it’s better to take them to a place that provides these services. While you can get all the necessary cuts at any local home improvement store, I highly recommend you check out Ace Hardware and Lowe’s Home Improvement.
Weigh Your Options Before Making a Decision
While you won’t be able to make all the necessary cuts at Home Depot, the retailer still offers a large selection of tools and equipment needed for the metalwork. If you do plan to DIY, determine what is more profitable in the long term.
Depending on your needs, you can either buy or rent all the necessary equipment. However, if you’re not comfortable operating power tools, take the materials to a place that can provide you with all the metal cutting services.