Tinplate ranges from 0.13 mm to 0.50 mm in thickness. The steel sheets make up most of the thickness, as the tin coating is measured in microns (I micron = 0.001 mm).  There are thousands of combinations of steel and tin possible, so customers should inform producers of the uses of the tinplate so that they get the right quality.

There are various other factors like temper, finish, and grade of tinplate which also determine their suitability for different applications.

Tinplate Tempers: Tinplate can be of different tempers, which depend on the quality of steel as well as the different production steps such as hot rolling, annealing, and temper rolling. The quality of steel and tin are in turn regulated by various national and international standards such as ASTM or ISO.

Finishes: Tinplate come in different finishes such as bright, light-stone, stone, matt and silver.

Grades: There are two grades of tinplate. Standard grade tinplate has optimum properties and can be lacquered and printed. While second grade tinplate are rejects of the standard grade tinplate.