Cart: (0)
$0.00
We get a lot of questions about how much a magnet will pull in a given situation.
The answer usually amounts to: It depends, look our testing methods to see how all this information might apply to your specific application.
The pull force data listed on our product pages testing is information provided by the manufacturer. Our magnets are tested for hanging only. We use a thick, solid steel plate that has been machined to be nearly perfectly flat. There a very few real life situations where these ratings would be applicable. These ratings are for comparison only to the power of other magnetic products.
Distance matters- How a distance from the surface of the steel lowers a magnet's strength
The distance between your magnet and what it's sticking to can make a very big difference in the pull force you'll see. If a magnet pulls with 6lb against a steel plate, insert 10 pieces of paper between the magnet and the steel plate, and you've now distanced them by about 0.03". The force drops to 3 lb. Painted surfaces are farther away from the steel. Surfaces that have been painted multiple times can be very thick. Magnets will lose strength over time. Hooks and other projections act as levers. Construction of the T-bars for suspended ceilings is frequently aluminum (nonferrous) painted material over steel sheet metal (less than 1/16” thick).