Square Metal Packers & Shims
Metal shims are thin, precision cut plates used to fill a gap, level an uneven surface, or bring two components into correct alignment before they are fixed. Square packers are the solid version, with no slot, used where you are packing under a load before any fixing goes in. They are the standard solution for levelling heavy items, squaring up cabinets, adjusting floorboards, levelling workbenches on uneven floors, and packing items for transit.
Every shim on this page is laser cut to order at our facility in Braintree, Essex, to a tolerance of ±0.25mm. There is no minimum order and no tooling cost.
To save you time, simply select the material you want your packer made from, choose the thickness and size, and the price will automatically update so you can add the item straight to your basket.
Need something bespoke? Our team is ready to help!
Enjoy store wide discounts, up to 55% off on bulk orders.
We manufacture and supply a large range of square metal shims, in aluminium, stainless and mild steel. Our square metal shims are available in 5251 aluminium, S275JRPO steel, CR4 steel, S275JRDRY steel, 316 2B stainless steel and pre-galvanised steel from as thin as 0.9mm to as thick as 20mm.
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Stainless Steel 316 Square Packers
Price range: £0.72 through £23.04 ex VAT This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Pre-Galvanised Steel Square Packers
Price range: £0.40 through £8.52 ex VAT This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Mild Steel Square Packers
Price range: £0.40 through £23.04 ex VAT This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Aluminium 5251 Square Packers
Price range: £0.40 through £8.76 ex VAT This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
What Thickness of Shim Do I Need?
Measure the gap you need to fill before ordering. In most jobs you will use a combination of thicknesses rather than a single shim, building up in stages until the component sits level.
Standard thicknesses run from 0.9mm to 20mm. The most useful sizes to keep on hand are 0.9mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 3mm and 5mm, which between them cover the majority of levelling and alignment work. For fine adjustment, the 0.9mm to 2mm range gives you the precision. For larger gaps, start with the thickest shim that fits within your target and use thinner ones to make up the difference.
Use the fewest shims possible to reach your target. A stack of ten 1mm shims is less stable under load than two 5mm shims and a 1mm. Where the stack will be carrying significant weight, keep it compact, and consider whether a single thicker custom part would be the better answer.
Choosing the Material
Mild steel shims are the default for structural and indoor work. Strong, consistent and the most cost effective option for bulk orders. Mild steel will rust in damp conditions, so keep it to dry or enclosed locations.
Stainless steel shims are the correct specification for anything external, damp, coastal, or in food and pharmaceutical environments. Grade 316 handles chloride exposure better than 304, which matters near the sea or in chemical settings.
Pre-galvanised steel shims give basic corrosion protection at a modest premium over mild steel. A sensible middle ground for enclosed but potentially damp locations.
Aluminium shims weigh roughly a third of steel for the same volume. Use them where weight is a genuine constraint, where you are shimming aluminium extrusions or curtain walling and want to avoid dissimilar metal contact, or where the shim may need trimming on site.
Our full guide to choosing the right shim material covers corrosion, galvanic compatibility and load in more detail.
Common Applications
Levelling shims under machinery bases, workbenches and plant, bringing equipment to true before the fixings are torqued down.
Structural packing below column base plates, sole plates and pre-cast concrete elements, where a solid bearing surface needs to be raised by a precise amount.
Cabinet and joinery work, squaring carcasses and packing behind fixings where the wall is out of true.
Shim plate applications in fabrication and assembly, spacing components apart or taking up manufacturing tolerance in a joint.
Transit packing, filling voids so heavy items cannot shift in transport.
If you need a shim that fits around a bolt that is already in place, you need a slotted horseshoe shim rather than a solid packer.
Not sure whether you need a solid packer or a slotted shim? Our guide to square packers vs horseshoe shims explains when each is the right choice. If you know the shape but not the material, read how to choose the right shim material.
To save you time, simply select the material you want your packer made from, choose the thickness and size, and the price will automatically update so you can add the item straight to your basket.
Need something bespoke? Our team is ready to help.
Free UK delivery on orders over £100 ex VAT. Enjoy store wide discounts, up to 55% off on bulk orders.