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

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

Hat channels (also called hat sections, hat purlins, or top-hat sections) are cold-formed steel members with a hat-shaped cross-section: a wide flat crown, two vertical webs, and two outward flanges. The hat profile is inherently stiff in bending and torsion for its weight, which makes it ideal for light purlins, girts, battens, roof sheets, and modular building frames. Unlike C and Z sections, the hat shape provides a full flat bearing face for cladding and insulation, and its closed-looking geometry sheds water cleanly when installed crown-up. This page is the complete buying reference from Sino East Steel Group — a direct steel structure manufacturer in Tianjin, China: hat channel sizes, hat section weight data, material and galvanizing options, 2026 FOB prices, and the exact way to order hat purlins for your project.

1. What Is a Hat Channel?

A hat channel is a cold-rolled steel section whose cross-section resembles a top hat: a flat crown forming the top, two parallel webs dropping down, and two short flanges at the base. When the section is installed crown-up or crown-down, the geometry gives excellent resistance to bending and local buckling with very little material — the hat profile packs a lot of stiffness into a light member.

Hat 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. Typical gauges run from 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm, which keeps hat purlins light and easy to handle on site.

2. Hat Channel vs C Purlin: Which One Do You Need?

Comparison	Hat Channel (Hat Section)	C Purlin (C Section)
Cross-section	Hat-shaped: wide crown, two webs, two flanges	C/U-shaped with parallel flanges and lips
Typical gauge	Lighter — 1.0–2.5 mm	Heavier — 1.5–3.0 mm
Best for	Light purlins, battens, roof sheets, modular frames	Main purlin runs, girts, heavier secondary steel
Stiffness	Very high for its weight; strong in torsion	Good, but heavier per metre for the same job
Span range	Short to medium (1.5–4.0 m typical)	Medium to long (3.0–7.0 m typical)
Typical use	Roof battens, container buildings, modular units	Warehouses, factories, PEB secondary framing

If your building has long purlin spans and real roof loads, use a C purlin or Z purlin. For light-duty roofs, roof battens, and modular construction, the hat section below is the economical, easy-to-install choice.

3. Hat Channel Sizes & Dimensions

Standard hat channel sizes cover crown widths from 50 mm to 200 mm. The table below lists common profiles with their web and 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)	Crown × Web × Flange	Typical Thickness	Common Lengths
H50	50 × 30 × 10	1.0–1.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
H60	60 × 30 × 10	1.0–1.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
H75	75 × 40 × 10	1.0–1.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
H100	100 × 50 × 12	1.2–2.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
H120	120 × 50 × 12	1.5–2.0 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
H150	150 × 60 × 15	1.5–2.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
H200	200 × 60 × 15	2.0–2.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m
H200	200 × 70 × 15	2.0–2.5 mm	6 / 9 / 12 m

Dimension tolerances follow EN 10162 and GB/T 6723: crown ±2 mm, web ±2 mm, flange ±1.5 mm, thickness per coil tolerance, and straightness within 1/500 of length. When you specify a hat channel, quote the crown width first, then the web depth, then the flange, then the thickness — for example H100 × 50 × 12 × 1.5 mm. For a size not listed, send your drawing and our tooling team will confirm the profile and lead time.

4. Hat Channel Weight Chart (kg per metre)

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

Section	1.0 mm	1.2 mm	1.5 mm	2.0 mm	2.5 mm
H50 × 30 × 10	1.0 kg/m	1.2 kg/m	1.5 kg/m	—	—
H60 × 30 × 10	1.1 kg/m	1.3 kg/m	1.6 kg/m	—	—
H75 × 40 × 10	1.3 kg/m	1.6 kg/m	2.0 kg/m	—	—
H100 × 50 × 12	—	2.0 kg/m	2.6 kg/m	3.4 kg/m	—
H120 × 50 × 12	—	—	2.8 kg/m	3.7 kg/m	—
H150 × 60 × 15	—	—	3.4 kg/m	4.6 kg/m	5.7 kg/m
H200 × 60 × 15	—	—	—	5.3 kg/m	6.7 kg/m
H200 × 70 × 15	—	—	—	5.6 kg/m	7.0 kg/m

Use the hat channel weight chart to estimate freight and steel tonnage for your quotation: hat sections are light, so a 40 ft container typically carries 25–30 tonnes and 3,000–5,000 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. If your project mixes several crown widths, we can bundle them in a single container with each size banded and tagged separately.

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. Hat Channel Prices in 2026 (FOB China)

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

Product	Indicative Price	MOQ
Galvanized hat channel (Z275, standard sections)	USD 760–960 per tonne FOB	5 tonnes (mix sizes OK)
High-strength / thick sections (2.0–2.5 mm)	USD 800–1,020 per tonne FOB	5 tonnes
Hot-dip galvanized hat 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. Hat Channel Applications

• Roof battens and light purlins — supporting metal roof sheets between rafters or main purlins.
• Wall girts and cladding rails — light horizontal members for sheet cladding and panels.
• Modular and container buildings — hat sections as floor joists, roof members, and frame stiffeners.
• Pre-engineered buildings (PEB) — secondary members and purlin back-to-back sections for light roofs.
• Ceiling grids and bulkheads — light support sections for suspended ceilings and facades.
• Solar and sign structures — rails and brackets for PV panels and advertising boards.

Related cold-formed profiles we manufacture: C Purlin, Lipped Channels, Plain 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 Hat 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 Hat 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. Hat 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 hat purlins and battens with light sheet cladding:

Section	Typical Single Span	Typical Batten Spacing (sheet span)
H75 × 40 × 10 × 1.5	1.5–2.0 m	0.6–0.9 m
H100 × 50 × 12 × 1.5	2.0–2.5 m	0.9–1.2 m
H120 × 50 × 12 × 1.5	2.5–3.0 m	1.0–1.2 m
H150 × 60 × 15 × 2.0	3.0–3.5 m	1.2–1.5 m
H200 × 70 × 15 × 2.0	3.5–4.0 m	1.5 m

Hat purlins are usually fixed with the crown down so the flat face supports the cladding and the webs act as drip channels, or crown-up where the section also carries insulation between the webs. Both orientations are simple to bolt through the flanges, and the wide crown gives a forgiving fixing tolerance on site. 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

Hat 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. Hat Channel FAQ

Q: What is a hat channel used for?
A: Hat channels are used as light purlins, roof battens, wall girts, and framing members in metal buildings, modular and container buildings, ceilings, and solar structures. The hat profile is very stiff for its weight.

Q: What sizes do hat channels come in?
A: Standard crown widths range from 50 mm to 200 mm with web depths of 30–70 mm, flange widths of 10–15 mm, thicknesses from 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm, and lengths up to 12 m (custom lengths available).

Q: How much does a hat channel cost?
A: In 2026, galvanized hat channels run roughly USD 760–960 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 hat channel per metre?
A: For example, an H100×50×12×1.5 mm hat section weighs about 2.6 kg/m; an H150×60×15×2.0 mm section about 4.6 kg/m. Use our weight chart above for planning.

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

Q: What is the standard for hat 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 hat channel profiles?
A: Yes. Our roll forming line produces custom crown widths, web depths, flanges, holes, and lengths to your shop drawings, with 3–4 weeks tooling and production lead time.

Q: Hat channel or C purlin — which should I choose?
A: Use hat channels for light roofs, battens, and modular frames where spans are short; use C purlins for main purlin runs and girts on larger buildings with real roof loads.

Q: How do I get a hat 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.