Terne plate is a form of tinplate: a thin steel sheet coated with an alloy of lead and tin. The terne alloy was in the ratio of 10-20% tin and the remainder lead. The low tin content made it cheaper than other tinplates.

Terne plate was used for tinsmithed sheet metal goods, such as storage vessels, jugs and funnels, particularly for industrial use with flammable liquids. Unlike tinplate, it was not used for long-term storage or around food items, owing to the high lead content. Terne plate has also been used for roofing, as a cheaper alternative to zinc or lead.

Until 2012 lead had been replaced with the metal zinc and was used in the ratio of 50% tin and 50% zinc. This alloy had a low melting point of approximately 360 degrees Fahrenheit but is no longer available. Today terne coated metal is coated with 99.9% tin, instead of hot-dipping, a more consistent galvanic deposition process is applied. Additionally the substrate has been changed from steel to stainless steel, benefitting from the corrosion resistance of stainless steel alloys. The pure tin alloy makes soldering easier, as the melting point is homogenised and doesn't need to match the melting point of two metals with different melting temperatures.