Move scrap metal off a DFW job before the next trade stacks on it

What the Metroplex actually puts on a scale

Two downtowns and a ring of different decades

Dallas–Fort Worth is not one housing stock. East of Central, Garland and Mesquite still open up 1960s and 1970s ranches with copper supply lines and cast tubs. North, Frisco and McKinney are young enough that the metal is mostly builder cutoffs and HVAC line sets from houses that received a certificate of occupancy this year.

Between them, Irving’s Las Colinas towers and the warehouse rows of Grand Prairie throw commercial steel, cable, and racking when a tenant leaves. Fort Worth’s older neighborhoods west of I-35W add another pattern: pier-and-beam houses and small shops along the stockyards side of town. Put the city in the form. A partner cannot price “DFW” as if it were one pile.

Hail, heat, and a building season that does not stop

The Metroplex does not shut scrap down for winter. Roofers run after every hail core from Mesquite through Arlington, and that scrap is aluminum drip edge, old satellite gear, and the occasional copper flashing — light metal, high volume, easy to contaminate with shingles. Summer heat is why people finally drag a dead truck out of a side yard: the battery is cooked and the interior is a greenhouse.

New-home streets in Collin and Denton counties produce scrap twelve months a year. The constraint is access, not weather. A locked model-home gate or a muddy clay pad after a spring storm will stop a rollback even when the copper is clean.

Airport, plants, and the cars in between

Support shops around DFW Airport and the industrial patches in Irving, Carrollton, and Grand Prairie generate a steady mix of aluminum, steel drums, and light plant scrap. It is not a smelter load, and it should not be described as one. Photos of labels and of anything that held chemicals save everyone a refused ticket.

Junk cars are their own lane. A hail-totaled sedan in Plano and a farm truck outside Denton both need a title conversation and a note about whether they roll. We do not post a per-ton price. The yard’s scale that day is the number.

Questions people ask

Are the spot prices your DFW yard prices?

No. Gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and COMEX copper on this page are live market references. Local prices vary by yard. Send a photo for a quote.

Can you take a load from both Dallas and Fort Worth?

Yes. Name the city. Arlington, Plano, and the other towns below each have their own page because the metal is different.

What ID does a yard want?

A valid government-issued photo ID. Texas yards check it before they pay.

Towns around Dallas–Fort Worth

A Frisco spec house and a Garland factory block are not the same load. Use the town page that matches the pile.

Sort DFW scrap by metal before it reaches the scale

A magnet is a useful first check, not a complete grade test. If it sticks, the piece contains ferrous metal such as iron or steel. If it does not, it may be a non-ferrous metal such as copper, aluminum, or brass. Some items combine both, so check more than one part. A magnet cannot tell you the exact alloy or what a yard will pay.

Copper grades depend on condition and attachments. Bare bright is clean, uncoated copper wire with insulation removed. #1 copper is generally clean copper pipe or solid copper without soldered fittings, paint, or heavy corrosion. #2 copper can include pipe with solder, paint, or other attachments. Yard specifications differ, so keep uncertain pieces separate rather than labeling them yourself.

Insulated wire is usually sorted by wire type and the amount of copper inside. Stripping it may take time and can create sharp waste; ask the yard whether the stripped material would receive a different grade before doing the work. Do not burn insulation. Burning wire creates hazardous fumes, and the remaining metal may still be rejected or graded lower.

Brass fittings and valves can often be separated from steel handles, plastic, and rubber. Aluminum also has distinct forms, such as clean sheet, cast pieces, and extrusions. Keep obvious types in separate containers when practical. A mixed or dirty load may be harder to grade because coatings, attached material, and debris affect what the yard can inspect and accept.

Keep DFW loads clean, identifiable, and safe to handle

Clean material is not necessarily spotless. It means the metal is separated from items that are not part of that grade, such as wood, insulation, soil, plastic, or other metals. Dirty or mixed material can add sorting work and may change the grade or whether a yard accepts it. Photograph the pile as it sits and point out anything that is attached or difficult to identify.

Appliances need a separate check before pickup. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and some other equipment contain refrigerant that must be properly recovered before the unit is processed. Do not cut refrigerant lines or try to release the charge. Ask the partner yard what it accepts and whether the refrigerant must be evacuated by a qualified technician before collection.

Catalytic converters are not ordinary loose scrap. Yards may require identification and paperwork showing the seller has the right to transfer the part, and acceptance rules can vary. Do not remove one from a vehicle unless you have authority to do so. Before bringing a converter, ask the yard what documents and identifying information it needs so the trip is not wasted.

Junk-car paperwork also needs advance attention. A yard may ask for the title or other ownership documents, and requirements can depend on the vehicle and the yard. Have the vehicle identification number available if you can, and describe whether the car rolls, steers, and has its wheels. Confirm the document requirements before arranging a pickup; do not assume every vehicle can be handled the same way.

Prepare a DFW scrap pickup before the truck arrives

Send clear photos from several angles, including close-ups of labels, attached materials, and anything that may contain chemicals. Include the city, approximate amount, and whether the pile is sorted. For a vehicle, mention its condition and paperwork status. These details help an independent partner yard decide whether it can handle the material and what questions to settle before setting a time.

Make the material accessible without putting people or equipment at risk. Move loose items away from doorways and keep the pickup route clear. Tell the partner about gates, low branches, narrow drives, soft ground, or other access limits. Do not block a public route or move heavy items alone just to make the pile easier to reach.

Wear sturdy footwear and gloves when handling scrap, and use eye protection when there is a risk of flying chips or sharp edges. Sheet metal, cut wire, and broken glass can cause injuries even in a small pile. Leave sealed containers, chemical residues, and unknown materials undisturbed. Photograph them and ask the yard how to handle them instead of mixing them into ordinary metal.

At pickup, the partner yard handles the scale ticket and payment. Check that the ticket describes the material and weights being settled, and ask the yard to explain any grade or deduction you do not understand before the transaction is complete. This site connects sellers with independent yards; it does not buy the scrap or set a posted price.

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