When a metal raised bed is advertised as "1.0 mm thick," many shoppers assume that means one full millimetre of steel. Sometimes the number instead describes the entire finished panel, including metal and protective layers.
Those measurements answer different questions. Understanding the difference makes it easier to compare construction instead of labels.
Steel core thickness
The steel core is the structural metal beneath the protective surface. It contributes to strength and the way a panel responds to soil pressure. Core thickness should be considered together with panel height, length, corrugation, seams, and bracing.
Galvanized protection
Steel can corrode when exposed to moisture and oxygen. Galvanization adds zinc-based protection. A product page that says only "galvanized" leaves useful questions unanswered; look for a clear material description and intended outdoor use.
Outer protective coating
Colour coatings add another barrier against moisture, scratches, sunlight, and ordinary garden contact. A thin painted finish and a substantial weather-resistant coating should not be treated as the same thing.
How Tefora describes its panel
Tefora uses a 0.6 mm galvanized steel core. Protective coating layers bring complete panel thickness to approximately 1.0 mm, with roughly 0.2 mm of coating on each side. The exterior uses a CSM rubber-based coating system designed for weather resistance.
Tefora does not claim the panel contains 1.0 mm of bare steel. The approximately 1.0 mm figure describes the finished coated panel. Publishing both numbers enables a fair comparison.
Why one number cannot predict performance
Two panels with the same steel core may behave differently if one is flat and unsupported while the other is corrugated and properly braced. Likewise, panels of similar total thickness may use different protective layers.
- Steel core thickness
- Galvanization and corrosion protection
- Outer coating type and thickness
- Flat or corrugated geometry
- Height and unsupported span
- Cross-bracing for long layouts
- Fasteners, seams, and corner design
| Claim | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| "1.0 mm thick" | Steel alone or the finished panel? |
| "Galvanized" | What protection specification is used? |
| "Heavy duty" | How are long sides supported? |
| "Weather resistant" | What is the outer coating? |
A trustworthy material description should reduce confusion, not rely on it. Compare steel, coating, geometry, and bracing together rather than relying on one millimetre claim.
See Tefora's full panel construction
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