Compare the estimated payout for insulated copper wire with stripped bare copper, then include the value of your time before deciding what to do.
Heavy building wire with a relatively high copper yield.
At these inputs, selling it as insulated wire is likely the better return. Faster stripping, a lower time value, or a higher local bare-bright price could change that answer.
These are U.S. national average estimates, not a yard quote. Call ahead, ask how the buyer grades your exact wire, and never burn insulation.
Find a local recycling centerAn insulated-wire quote applies to the accepted cable's whole weight. A stripped-copper estimate applies only to the recovered copper, not the insulation. If 10 pounds of cable yields 7 pounds of copper, price the stripped option using 7 pounds. The calculator uses estimated recovery by wire type; a weighed sample is more specific.
Compare the recovered-metal payout with the as-is quote, then subtract the value of stripping time and any equipment costs. At example rates of $1 per pound as-is and $2 per pound for accepted stripped copper, that sample gives $10 as-is or $14 stripped before labor. Spending $5 worth of time would leave stripping $1 behind. These are example rates, not current quotes.
This is a value comparison, not a cable-length or engineering weight calculator. Fiber-optic cable and platinum thermocouple wire need different material identification and buyers; they should not be entered as ordinary copper wire. Ask the yard which grade it will accept before processing a load.
We updated common reference prices on 9/23/2026 using public U.S. yard boards. Local yards set their own payouts by grade and buyer. See current prices.
The estimate starts with the current sampled U.S. yard-price reference for insulated wire and bare bright copper. It then applies a conservative copper recovery percentage, because insulation does not turn into saleable copper. Finally, it subtracts the dollar value of the time you expect to spend stripping.
Keep copper grades separate, remove plugs and nonmetal ends when practical, and use a mechanical or hand stripper. Never burn insulation. Confirm how a nearby buyer grades Romex, THHN, and mixed wire before processing a large load.
Copper wire value depends on its grade and how much insulation remains. Clean bare bright copper pays the most, while insulated wire and Romex pay less because the buyer must remove insulation and account for copper recovery. Prices vary by yard and change often.
It can be worth stripping heavy wire and Romex when the extra bare-copper payout exceeds the value of your time. Thin wire is slower to strip and contains less copper by weight. Run a small sample first, then ask your local yard how it grades the material.
No. Burning insulation creates hazardous fumes, can be illegal, and many scrap yards will reject burned wire. Use a wire stripper or sell the wire as insulated scrap instead.
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