Plain Channels: Sizes, Weight Chart, Prices & Specifications for Industrial Buildings

Plain Channels: Sizes, Weight Chart, Prices & Specifications for Industrial Buildings<\/h2>

Plain channels are cold-formed steel sections with a simple C or U cross-section and no stiffening lips. They are the workhorse profile of light steel construction: cheap per metre, easy to cut, drill, and weld, and available in a wide range of sizes and gauges. Plain channel steel is used for purlins and girts on lighter buildings, brackets, tie members, framing, and countless fabrication jobs. Because the profile has no lips, the section is at its most economical when loads are modest — and that covers a very large share of real-world light steelwork. This page is the complete buying reference from Sino East Steel Group — a direct steel structure manufacturer in Tianjin, China: plain channel steel sizes, steel channel weight tables, galvanizing options, 2026 FOB prices, and the exact way to order for your project.

1. What Is a Plain Channel?

A plain channel is a cold-rolled, C or U-section steel member without lips on the flanges. In cross-section it is a simple three-sided profile: one web and two flanges. Because there are no stiffening lips, the flanges are more slender, so the section’s load capacity is limited by local buckling more than an equivalent lipped channel — but for light duty the simplicity and the lower material content make plain channels the most economical profile available.

Plain channels are roll formed from galvanized or cold-rolled steel strip in continuous lengths, then cut to order and punched where required. They are manufactured to international standards including EN 10162, JIS G 3350, ASTM A1003, and GB/T 6723. Standard supply lengths are 6 m, 9 m, and 12 m, with custom lengths available for special projects. Because the strip is formed cold, the finished channel keeps the coating intact across the full profile — no bare edges on the flange tips — which matters for long service life in humid climates.

2. Plain Channel vs Lipped Channel: Which One Do You Need?

Comparison	Plain Channel	Lipped Channel
Cross-section	C/U-section without lips	C-section with inward lips at flange ends
Local buckling resistance	Lower; limited by flange slenderness	Higher — lips stiffen flanges and web
Load capacity	Lower; suits lighter duty	Higher for the same gauge; longer spans
Best for	Light framing, brackets, tie members, trims	Purlins, girts, studs, joists, racking
Cost	Cheapest profile per metre	Slightly higher per metre (more material)
Typical use	Non-structural and light structural members	Secondary steelwork, cold-formed frames

If your member carries real roof or wall loads, check our lipped channels page — the lips add capacity at a small material cost. For light duty, brackets, and fabrication stock, the plain channel below is the economical choice. See also our U channel page for the closely related cold-formed U profile.

3. Plain Channel Sizes & Dimensions

Standard plain channel sizes cover section depths from 50 mm to 300 mm. The table below lists common profiles with their flange dimensions. Custom sizes and lengths are produced to order — our roll forming line adjusts to any profile within the capacity of the coil width.

Section (mm)	Depth × Flange	Typical Thickness	Common Lengths
PC50 × 25	50 × 25	1.5–2.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC60 × 30	60 × 30	1.5–2.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC75 × 40	75 × 40	2.0–3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC100 × 50	100 × 50	2.0–3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC120 × 50	120 × 50	2.0–3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC140 × 60	140 × 60	2.0–3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC160 × 65	160 × 65	2.5–3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC180 × 70	180 × 70	2.5–3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC200 × 75	200 × 75	2.5–3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC250 × 80	250 × 80	3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
PC300 × 90	300 × 90	3.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m

Dimension tolerances follow EN 10162 and GB/T 6723: depth ±2 mm, flange width ±2 mm, thickness per coil tolerance, and straightness within 1/500 of length. When you specify a plain channel, quote the depth first (web), then the flange width, then the thickness — for example PC100 × 50 × 2.5 mm. For a size not listed, send your drawing and our tooling team will confirm the profile and lead time.

4. Plain Channel Weight Chart (kg per metre)

Indicative weights for common galvanized plain channel sections (calculated per GB/T 6723, ±5%):

Section	2.0 mm	2.5 mm	3.0 mm
PC50 × 25	1.5 kg/m	1.9 kg/m	—
PC60 × 30	1.8 kg/m	2.3 kg/m	—
PC75 × 40	2.4 kg/m	3.0 kg/m	3.5 kg/m
PC100 × 50	3.1 kg/m	3.8 kg/m	4.6 kg/m
PC120 × 50	3.4 kg/m	4.2 kg/m	5.0 kg/m
PC140 × 60	4.0 kg/m	5.0 kg/m	6.0 kg/m
PC160 × 65	—	5.5 kg/m	6.6 kg/m
PC180 × 70	—	6.1 kg/m	7.3 kg/m
PC200 × 75	—	6.7 kg/m	8.0 kg/m
PC250 × 80	—	—	9.4 kg/m
PC300 × 90	—	—	11.0 kg/m

Use the steel channel weight chart to estimate freight and steel tonnage for your quotation: a 40 ft container holds roughly 22–25 tonnes of nested plain channels, typically covering 2,000–3,000 m of sections depending on profile. Multiply the per-metre weight by your total length to get net tonnage, then add 2–3% for end cuts and packaging.

5. Material Grades & Corrosion Protection

Option	Specification	Best For
Structural steel	Q235B / S235JR — yield 235 MPa	Dry internal environments
High-strength steel	Q355B / S355JR / S450–S550 (cold forming)	Long spans, heavy loads
Galvanized (pre-painted coil)	Z180 / Z275 / Z350 / Z450 g/m² per EN 10346	Corrosive atmospheres, coastal sites
Hot-dip galvanized (after forming)	HDG 70–85 µm (ISO 1461)	Aggressive coastal / industrial exposure
Paint coating	Polyester / PVDF topcoat, optional	Architectural color matching

For warehouse and factory projects in humid or coastal regions — including much of Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia — specify at least Z275 galvanizing. Our mill test certificates (EN 10204 3.1) accompany every batch.

6. Plain Channel Prices in 2026 (FOB China)

Indicative export pricing from our Tianjin factory (FOB, 2026):

Product	Indicative Price	MOQ
Galvanized plain channel (Z275, standard sections)	USD 750–950 per tonne FOB	5 tonnes (mix sizes OK)
High-strength / thick sections (2.5–3.0 mm)	USD 800–1,020 per tonne FOB	5 tonnes
Hot-dip galvanized plain channel (HDG)	USD 950–1,200 per tonne FOB	10 tonnes
Punching / custom length / drilling	Included or nominal charge	—

Prices move with global steel coil markets and exchange rates, so treat these as planning ranges. For a firm quotation send your sections, quantities, and destination port to paul@sinoeaststeel.com. To estimate the full landed cost of a steel building in your market, see our Kenya, Nigeria, and UAE cost guides.

7. Plain Channel Applications

• Light roof purlins and wall girts — on small buildings, canopies, and shelters with modest loads.
• Brackets and supports — angle-to-channel cleats, equipment saddles, and tray supports.
• Tie members and diagonal bracing — simple tension members in light steel frames.
• Cable trays and pipe supports — runs of plain channel as economical bearers in services installations.
• Fabrication stock — frames, gates, trolleys, and general steelwork cut and welded on site.
• Concrete formwork and temporary works — light channels as stiffeners and edge members.

Related cold-formed profiles we manufacture: C Purlin, Lipped Channels, Hat Channels, Z Section Steel, U Channels, and UPN Channels. For the full range of steel structure products — PEB, warehouses, and heavy steel — start from our product catalogue.

8. Why Buy Plain Channels Direct from Sino East Steel Group

Sino East Steel Group is a direct China steel structure manufacturer, not a trader. Since 1993 we have operated a 50,000 m² fabrication facility in Tianjin Industrial Park, Daqiuzhuang — China’s largest steel processing hub — with our own cold roll forming lines, CNC punching, and hot-dip galvanizing capacity.

• Factory-direct pricing — no middleman; 20–40% below regional re-seller prices.
• Certified quality — ISO 9001:2015, ISO 3834-2, EN 1090 EXC3/EXC4, AWS D1.1; mill test certificates on every batch.
• Custom profiles and punching — holes, slots, and lengths to your shop drawings.
• Export documentation — invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, EN 10204 3.1 certificates for smooth clearance.
• 100,000+ tonnes annual capacity — standard sections ship in 1–2 weeks; custom profiles in 3–4 weeks.

Before committing to any factory, use our manufacturer verification checklist — we welcome third-party inspection at any stage.

9. How to Order Plain Channels from China

1. Send your section size (or drawing), length, quantity, and destination port.
2. Receive an itemized quotation within 24–48 hours (FOB/CIF).
3. Approve the shop drawing and punching pattern.
4. We fabricate and test (SGS/BV/TÜV inspection optional).
5. We ship FCL from Tianjin with full export documentation.

For complete projects — purlins plus primary steel — see our procurement guide for importers.

10. Plain Channel Span & Spacing Guide

Span and spacing depend on section size, steel grade, and local wind/snow loads — always confirm with structural calculations. As a planning reference for plain channels used as light roof purlins with 1.0–1.2 m spacing and light cladding:

Section	Typical Single Span	Typical Continuous (spliced) Span
PC75 × 40 × 2.0	1.8–2.5 m	2.5–3.0 m
PC100 × 50 × 2.5	2.5–3.5 m	3.5–4.5 m
PC140 × 60 × 2.5	3.0–4.0 m	4.5–5.5 m
PC200 × 75 × 3.0	4.0–5.0 m	5.5–6.5 m
PC300 × 90 × 3.0	5.0–6.5 m	7.0–8.0 m

Because the flanges are unsupported, plain channels span less than lipped channels of the same depth and gauge — if your purlin spacing exceeds these values, step up to a lipped channel or a C purlin. Our engineers can produce a full purlin schedule and connection detail for your frame free of charge when you request a quotation.

11. Packing, Shipping & Delivery

Plain channels are stacked and nested into compact bundles, strapped with steel bands, and loaded into 40 ft containers or break-bulk holds at Tianjin Port. Each bundle carries a mark tag with your project name, section, and length for easy site sorting. Standard export documentation — commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates — is provided with every shipment.

Typical transit times: 3–4 weeks to the Middle East (Jebel Ali), 4–6 weeks to East and West Africa (Mombasa, Lagos), 4–5 weeks to Europe, and 3–5 weeks to North America. For full-project shipping details, read our international shipping and installation guide.

12. Plain Channel FAQ

Q: What is a plain channel?
A: A plain channel is a cold-formed steel section with a simple C or U cross-section and no stiffening lips — a web with two flanges. It is the most economical profile for light structural and fabrication work.

Q: What sizes do plain channels come in?
A: Standard depths range from 50 mm to 300 mm with flange widths of 25–90 mm, thicknesses from 1.5 mm to 3.0 mm, and lengths up to 12 m (custom lengths available).

Q: How much does plain channel steel cost?
A: In 2026, galvanized plain channels run roughly USD 750–950 per tonne FOB China; hot-dip galvanized sections USD 950–1,200 per tonne. Freight and duty vary by destination.

Q: What is the weight of a steel channel per metre?
A: For example, a PC100×50×2.5 mm channel weighs about 3.8 kg/m; a PC200×75×3.0 mm section about 8.0 kg/m. Use our weight chart above for planning.

Q: Are plain channels galvanized?
A: Yes — we supply Z180 to Z450 galvanized channels per EN 10346, or fully hot-dip galvanized (HDG 70–85 µm) sections for coastal and aggressive environments.

Q: What is the standard for plain channels?
A: Common standards are EN 10162, JIS G 3350, ASTM A1003, and GB/T 6723. Our production and tolerances comply with all four.

Q: Can you make custom plain channel profiles?
A: Yes. Our roll forming line produces custom depths, flange widths, holes, and lengths to your shop drawings, with 3–4 weeks tooling and production lead time.

Q: Plain channel or lipped channel — which should I choose?
A: For members that carry real loads, use lipped channels — the lips resist local buckling and allow longer spans. Choose plain channels for light duty, brackets, ties, and fabrication stock where cost per metre matters most.

Q: How do I get a plain channel quotation?
A: Email your section size, length, quantity, and destination port to paul@sinoeaststeel.com or message us on WhatsApp — you will receive an itemized FOB/CIF quotation within 48 hours.