Magnet pull force and push force are not universally the same—and in many specifications they are not even measuring the same type of interaction. A supplier’s published pull-force rating usually describes the force required to separate a magnet from a thick, flat steel plate under defined test conditions. “Push force” usually refers to repulsion between two permanent magnets with like poles facing each other.

For two identical magnets in a simple, symmetric arrangement, attraction and repulsion can be similar in magnitude at the same separation. In real assemblies, however, force changes with magnet geometry, pole orientation, air gap, lateral offset, steel thickness, contact area and the complete magnetic circuit. That is why a catalog pull-force number should not be used as a direct prediction of repulsive force between two magnets.

Pull Force vs. Push Force: The Key Difference

Force type	Typical setup	What it tells you
Magnet-to-steel pull force	Magnet against a ferromagnetic steel plate	Approximate breakaway force under a defined contact test
Magnet-to-magnet attraction	Opposite poles facing	Attractive force between two permanent magnets at a given spacing/orientation
Magnet-to-magnet repulsion	Like poles facing	Repulsive force between two permanent magnets at a given spacing/orientation

These values should not be assumed equal. A magnet-to-steel test benefits from the steel completing part of the magnetic circuit, while a magnet-to-magnet calculation depends on the field interaction of both magnets.

What Does a Published Magnet Pull-Force Rating Mean?

Catalog pull force is normally a test result or model for a very specific condition. A common setup places the magnet in full contact with a sufficiently thick, flat, clean steel plate and measures the force required to pull the magnet away perpendicular to the surface.

The actual holding force in an application can be lower if there is:

An air gap, paint, plating buildup, adhesive layer or protective film
Thin steel that becomes magnetically saturated
A small or irregular contact area
Surface roughness or curvature
Shear loading rather than straight pull-off loading
Misalignment between the magnet and target
A different steel alloy or magnetic circuit

For magnet-to-steel holding force, use the Magnet Pull Force Calculator. It is the dedicated tool for estimating pull-off force against steel with geometry, grade and air gap inputs. Use the Magnetic Unit Converter when comparing lbf, kgf and newtons.

When a Pot Magnet Is Better for Mounting to Steel

Pot magnets, also called mounting magnets, place a permanent magnet inside a steel cup or housing that redirects and concentrates the working flux toward the mounting face. For holding a fixture, sign, sensor, bracket or other assembly against ferromagnetic steel, that magnetic circuit can provide a more practical mounting solution than using a bare magnet by itself.

The actual holding force still depends on the target steel, air gap, surface finish, loading direction and assembly geometry. For stocked threaded, countersunk, slimline, bar and rubber-coated mounting options, browse Pot Magnets / Mounting Magnets. For preliminary cup-and-channel force calculations, use the Pot Magnet Force Calculator.

Magnetic Hooks for Removable Hanging Loads

When the mounting point needs an integrated hook rather than a threaded stud or countersunk attachment, neodymium magnetic hooks provide a removable steel-surface mounting option. Radial Magnets stocks fixed-hook, decorative swing-hook and swivel carabiner styles. Keep in mind that a hook carrying weight down a vertical steel surface is loaded partly in shear, so the usable hanging load can be lower than a catalog straight pull-off value. Surface finish, steel thickness, vibration and safety factor should be considered for the real installation.

Why a Steel Target Pulls but Does Not “Push”

An unmagnetized ferromagnetic steel plate is attracted to either pole of a permanent magnet. The magnet induces a magnetic response in the steel that produces attraction. Flipping the magnet over does not turn that magnet-to-steel attraction into repulsion.

So when a datasheet says a magnet has, for example, a certain number of pounds of pull force against steel, there is no corresponding equal-and-opposite “push force against steel.” Repulsion requires another magnetic source arranged so that like poles oppose each other.

Are Two Magnets’ Attraction and Repulsion Forces Equal?

They can be close in ideal symmetric configurations, but there is no universal rule that they must be equal in every practical arrangement. Force depends on the entire field geometry.

For two identical axially magnetized disk magnets centered on the same axis, the magnitude of attraction with opposite poles facing and repulsion with like poles facing can be comparable at the same separation. Once you introduce different magnet sizes, offsets, steel components, housings, pole patterns or nonuniform magnetic circuits, the forces can differ substantially.

Air Gap Has a Major Effect on Magnetic Force

Magnetic force usually falls rapidly as the distance between magnetic components increases. Even a small nonmagnetic gap can materially reduce holding, attraction or repulsion.

Common sources of unintended air gap include:

Paint or powder coating
Adhesive bond lines
Plastic housings
Protective films
Mechanical tolerances
Surface roughness

This is one reason a catalog contact pull-force rating can overstate the force available in a real assembly.

Pull Force Is Not the Same as Gauss

Another common sourcing mistake is treating surface gauss as if it directly determines holding force. They are related to the magnetic system, but they describe different things.

Gauss or tesla measures magnetic flux density at a specified location.
Pull force is a mechanical force measured under a specific test geometry.
Br is a magnetic material property.
BHmax describes maximum energy product and is related to magnet grade.

See How Gauss Measurement Works and How to Read a Magnet Datasheet for the differences between these specifications.

Does a Stronger Magnet Grade Mean Proportionally More Pull Force?

No. Moving from N35 to N52 increases the available magnetic material performance, but pull force does not rise by the same percentage as the grade number. Geometry, thickness, contact area, steel saturation and air gap can dominate the result.

For grade selection, use the Neodymium Magnet Grade Chart. For a broader explanation of N35, N42, N52 and high-coercivity grades, see Magnet Grades Explained.

Shear Force Is Different from Pull-Off Force

A magnet attached to a vertical steel wall may slide downward long before it reaches its published pull-off rating. In that case, the limiting factor can be friction rather than perpendicular magnetic breakaway force.

For a simple static approximation, available shear resistance depends on the normal magnetic force multiplied by the coefficient of friction between the contacting surfaces. Surface finish, coatings, vibration and dynamic loading can reduce practical holding capacity further.

How to Compare Magnet Force Specifications Correctly

When comparing magnet suppliers or designing an assembly, make sure the force values use comparable conditions. Check:

Magnet dimensions and grade
Magnetization direction
Whether the test is magnet-to-steel or magnet-to-magnet
Steel target thickness and material
Air gap or coating thickness
Contact area and surface condition
Pull-off direction versus shear loading
Temperature during testing
Whether the value is measured, calculated or nominal

If force is a critical acceptance criterion, define the complete test setup on the drawing or purchase specification rather than stating only “pull force.”

When You Need a Magnet-to-Magnet Force Calculation

Applications such as magnetic springs, repelling mechanisms, couplings, latches and opposing-magnet assemblies require a magnet-to-magnet model rather than a magnet-to-steel pull test. The calculation should use the actual magnet dimensions, grade, orientation and separation distance.

Use the Magnet-to-Magnet Force Calculator for preliminary attraction, repulsion and stiffness estimates between two permanent magnets. If you are instead exploring a new disc, ring or block geometry and want a broader design workflow, use the Magnet Designer & Calculator. For production parts, validate the final configuration in the actual assembly or with an agreed test fixture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is magnetic pull force equal to magnetic push force?

Not as a general specification. Magnet-to-steel pull force and magnet-to-magnet repulsive force describe different test setups. For two identical magnets in a symmetric arrangement, attraction and repulsion may be similar at equal spacing, but real assemblies can produce different values.

Can a magnet repel steel?

Ordinary ferromagnetic steel is attracted to either pole of a permanent magnet. Simply reversing the permanent magnet does not create repulsion from unmagnetized steel.

Why is actual pull force lower than the catalog rating?

Air gaps, thin steel, coatings, surface roughness, misalignment, shear loading and different test conditions can all reduce the force available in the real application.

Does doubling the air gap cut the force in half?

No. Magnetic force does not generally decrease linearly with gap. The force-distance relationship depends strongly on magnet shape, dimensions and magnetic circuit.

Does N52 always have more pull force than N42?

For otherwise identical geometry and test conditions, N52 will often provide more magnetic output, but a larger N42 magnet can easily have more pull force than a smaller N52 magnet. Grade alone does not determine the final force.

How should pull force be specified on an RFQ?

Define the target material, thickness, surface condition, air gap, loading direction, temperature and required minimum force, together with the magnet dimensions, grade, coating and magnetization direction.

Magnet Force Design & Sourcing

If the size and force requirement are already known, search Radial Magnets inventory. For standard mounting and holding applications, browse stocked pot and mounting magnets. For removable hanging loads on steel, browse magnetic hooks. For a custom holding, coupling, sensor or repulsion application, use the Magnet RFQ Builder and include the working gap, target material, force requirement and annual volume.