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Steel Channel (C-Shape) Weight Calculator

Calculate a steel channel's weight per unit length from its web and flange dimensions.

Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Figures are presented for United States against IRC 2024, and every formula is cited under regulatory standards below.

Last verified 2026-08-26 · v1.0.0

Market
Imperial · sales tax

Weight per meter

18.63 kg/m

Check your inputs

Simplified rectangular approximation omitting fillet area — for exact values, use the published shapes table for your specific channel designation.

Cross-sectional area
2373 mm²

With the figures above, the weight per meter comes to 18.6 kg/m. The method behind this is well established, though site conditions and material batches will move it somewhat. This is calculated for United States and cites IRC 2024. Building in another market? Change the selector above so the units and code reference follow.

Add the equipment this sizes

This result is a specification — 18.628 kg/m — not a quantity. Put the thing it sizes into your project: how many, what you call it, and your supplier’s price.

Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — confirmed fixes become pinned regression tests.

[Schema Verified] Computed in alignment with American Concrete Institute (ACI 318-19) formulas and International Residential Code (IRC 2024) spatial boundaries.

Regulatory standards & verification citations

  • Simplified channel cross-sectional area = 2×(flange width × flange thickness) + (depth − 2×flange thickness) × web thickness, the same rectangular-approximation method used for I-shapes; weight per unit length = area × steel density (7850 kg/m³)

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Frequently asked questions

How accurate is this simplified channel weight formula?
This approximation treats the channel as two flange rectangles plus a web rectangle, omitting the small fillet area where the web meets each flange — actual weight per published shape tables will be slightly higher than this simplified estimate.
Does this formula work for both hot-rolled and cold-formed channels?
The rectangular-approximation method applies to hot-rolled structural channels most directly; cold-formed (light-gauge) channels have thinner, more uniform sections and are usually specified by manufacturer weight tables rather than calculated this way.
Where can I get the exact published weight for a standard channel size?
Use a published structural shapes table (e.g. AISC or your regional steel manufacturer's catalog) for your specific channel designation, which accounts for fillet radius and rolling tolerances precisely.