C and MC channel chart

72 sizes · 3.5 to 58.0 lb/ft

American standard C channels and MC miscellaneous channels from the AISC Shapes Database v16.0. Sections are listed from lightest to heaviest; American (AISC / ASTM A6).

Download PDF Weight of 6 m / 12 m lengths FAQ

Section	h (mm)	b (mm)	tw (mm)	tf (mm)	kg/m	lb/ft	A (cm²)	Ix (cm⁴)	Iy (cm⁴)	Zx (cm³)
C3x3.5	76.2	34.8	3.35	6.93	5.20	3.50	7.03	65.30	7.03	17.00
C3x4.1	76.2	35.8	4.32	6.93	6.10	4.10	7.74	68.70	7.95	18.00
C4x4.5	102	38.6	3.18	7.52	6.70	4.50	8.65	147	11.00	29.00
C3x5	76.2	38.1	6.55	6.93	7.40	5.00	9.48	77.00	10.00	20.20
C4x5.4	102	40.1	4.67	7.52	8.00	5.40	10.20	160	13.00	31.50
C3x6	76.2	40.6	9.04	6.93	8.90	6.00	11.40	86.20	12.50	22.60
C4x6.25	102	41.9	6.27	7.52	9.30	6.25	11.90	174	15.60	34.40
C5x6.7	127	44.5	4.83	8.13	10.40	6.70	12.70	311	19.60	49.00
C4x7.25	102	43.7	8.15	7.52	10.80	7.25	13.70	191	17.70	37.50
C6x8.2	152	48.8	5.08	8.71	12.20	8.20	15.40	545	28.60	71.30
C5x9	127	48	8.26	8.13	13.00	9.00	17.00	370	26.00	58.30
C7x9.8	178	53.1	5.33	9.3	14.60	9.80	18.50	882	39.80	99.50
C6x10.5	152	51.6	7.98	8.71	15.60	10.50	19.80	629	35.80	82.60
C8x11.5	203	57.4	5.59	9.91	17.10	11.50	21.70	1,350	54.50	133
C7x12.25	178	55.6	7.98	9.3	18.20	12.25	23.20	1,010	48.30	113
C6x13	152	54.9	11.1	8.71	19.30	13.00	24.60	720	43.70	94.70
C9x13.4	229	61.7	5.92	10.5	19.90	13.40	25.40	1,990	72.80	174
C8x13.75	203	59.4	7.7	9.91	20.50	13.75	26.00	1,500	63.30	148
C9x15	229	63.2	7.24	10.5	22.00	15.00	28.40	2,120	79.50	185
C7x14.75	178	58.4	10.6	9.3	22.00	14.75	27.90	1,130	57.00	127
C10x15.3	254	66	6.1	11.1	22.80	15.30	28.90	2,800	94.50	221
C8x18.75	203	64.3	12.4	9.91	27.90	18.75	35.50	1,830	82.00	180
C10x20	254	69.6	9.63	11.1	30.00	20.00	37.90	3,280	117	259
C9x20	229	67.3	11.4	10.5	30.00	20.00	37.90	2,530	100	221
C12x20.7	305	74.7	7.16	12.7	30.80	20.70	39.20	5,370	161	352
C12x25	305	77.5	9.83	12.7	37.00	25.00	47.40	5,990	185	393
C10x25	254	73.4	13.4	11.1	37.00	25.00	47.40	3,790	139	298
C12x30	305	80.5	13	12.7	45.00	30.00	56.80	6,740	213	442
C10x30	254	77	17.1	11.1	45.00	30.00	56.80	4,290	164	339
C15x33.9	381	86.4	10.2	16.5	50.40	33.90	64.50	13,100	336	688
C15x40	381	89.4	13.2	16.5	60.00	40.00	76.10	14,500	382	762
C15x50	381	94.5	18.2	16.5	74.00	50.00	94.80	16,800	458	882
MC10x6.5	254	29.7	3.86	5.13	9.70	6.50	12.60	953	5.54	75.20
MC6x6.5	152	47	3.94	7.39	9.70	6.50	12.60	458	23.50	60.00
MC6x7	152	47.8	4.55	7.39	10.40	7.00	13.50	475	25.10	62.40
MC3x7.1	76.2	49.3	7.92	8.92	10.60	7.10	13.60	113	27.70	29.70
MC10x8.4	254	38.1	4.32	7.11	12.50	8.40	15.90	1,330	13.60	105
MC8x8.5	203	47.5	4.55	7.9	12.60	8.50	16.10	970	26.00	95.40
MC12x10.6	305	38.1	4.83	7.85	15.80	10.60	20.00	2,300	15.70	151
MC6x12	152	63.5	7.87	9.53	17.90	12.00	22.80	778	77.00	102
MC4x13.8	102	63.5	12.7	12.7	20.50	13.80	26.00	368	88.70	72.60
MC12x14.3	305	53.8	6.35	7.95	21.30	14.30	27.00	3,170	41.60	208
MC6x15.1	152	74.7	8.03	12.1	22.50	15.10	28.60	1,040	144	136
MC6x15.3	152	88.9	8.64	9.78	22.80	15.30	29.00	1,050	204	138
MC6x16.3	152	76.2	9.53	12.1	24.30	16.30	30.90	1,080	157	142
MC6x18	152	88.9	9.63	12.1	26.80	18.00	34.10	1,240	245	162
MC8x18.7	203	75.7	8.97	12.7	27.80	18.70	35.50	2,180	173	215
MC7x19.1	178	87.6	8.94	12.7	28.40	19.10	36.20	1,790	252	202
MC8x20	203	77	10.2	12.7	29.80	20.00	37.90	2,260	184	223
MC8x21.4	203	87.6	9.53	13.3	31.80	21.40	40.50	2,560	274	252
MC10x22	254	84.3	7.37	14.6	33.00	22.00	41.60	4,250	266	336
MC7x22.7	178	91.4	12.8	12.7	33.80	22.70	43.00	1,970	301	221
MC8x22.8	203	88.9	10.8	13.3	33.90	22.80	43.20	2,660	292	261
MC9x23.9	229	87.6	10.2	14	35.60	23.90	45.30	3,530	297	310
MC10x25	254	86.6	9.65	14.6	37.00	25.00	47.40	4,580	302	361
MC9x25.4	229	88.9	11.4	14	37.80	25.40	48.20	3,660	315	320
MC10x28.5	254	100	10.8	14.6	42.40	28.50	54.00	5,240	470	415
MC12x31	305	93.2	9.4	17.8	46.00	31.00	58.80	8,410	470	552
MC13x31.8	330	102	9.53	15.5	47.30	31.80	60.30	9,950	475	601
MC10x33.6	254	104	14.6	14.6	50.00	33.60	63.70	5,790	545	456
MC13x35	330	103	11.4	15.5	52.00	35.00	66.50	10,500	512	636
MC12x35	305	95.8	11.8	17.8	52.00	35.00	66.50	8,990	524	590
MC13x40	330	106	14.2	15.5	60.00	40.00	75.50	11,400	570	687
MC12x40	305	98.8	15	17.8	60.00	40.00	76.10	9,740	591	639
MC10x41.1	254	110	20.2	14.6	61.20	41.10	78.10	6,530	653	516
MC18x42.7	457	100	11.4	15.9	63.50	42.70	81.30	23,100	595	1,010
MC12x45	305	102	18	17.8	67.00	45.00	85.20	10,400	658	687
MC18x45.8	457	102	12.7	15.9	68.20	45.80	87.10	24,100	620	1,050
MC13x50	330	112	20	15.5	74.00	50.00	94.80	13,100	683	791
MC12x50	305	105	21.2	17.8	74.00	50.00	94.80	11,200	724	736
MC18x51.9	457	104	15.2	15.9	77.20	51.90	98.70	26,100	678	1,140
MC18x58	457	107	17.8	15.9	86.00	58.00	110.00	28,100	733	1,230

Source: AISC Shapes Database v16.0. Nominal values for estimating; verify with the producer. steelweight-calculator.com

How to read this chart

C8x11.5, drawn to scale (mm)

h: overall depth in mm
b: flange width in mm
tw: web thickness in mm
tf: flange thickness in mm (mean value for taper flanges)
kg/m, lb/ft: nominal weight per unit length
A: cross-sectional area in cm²; weight = 0.785 × A kg/m
Ix: second moment of area about the strong axis in cm⁴, which governs bending stiffness and deflection
Iy: second moment of area about the weak axis in cm⁴, which matters for buckling and columns
Zx: elastic section modulus in cm³; bending moment capacity is roughly Zx × allowable stress

Channels are used as purlins, girts, stair stringers, trimmers, frames and bracing, and back to back as built-up columns.

Weight of standard lengths

Mills and service centers usually stock 20 ft and 40 ft lengths. The weight of one piece is the weight per foot times the length; the last column converts a short ton (2000 lb) into a number of 40 ft pieces.

Section	20 ft length (lb)	40 ft length (lb)	40 ft lengths per short ton
C3x3.5	70	140	14.3
C3x4.1	82	164	12.2
C4x4.5	90	180	11.1
C3x5	99	199	10.1
C4x5.4	108	215	9.3
C3x6	120	239	8.4
C4x6.25	125	250	8.0
C5x6.7	140	280	7.2
C4x7.25	145	290	6.9
C6x8.2	164	328	6.1
C5x9	175	349	5.7
C7x9.8	196	392	5.1
C6x10.5	210	419	4.8
C8x11.5	230	460	4.4
C7x12.25	245	489	4.1
C6x13	259	519	3.9
C9x13.4	267	535	3.7
C8x13.75	276	551	3.6
C9x15	296	591	3.4
C7x14.75	296	591	3.4
C10x15.3	306	613	3.3
C8x18.75	375	750	2.7
C10x20	403	806	2.5
C9x20	403	806	2.5
C12x20.7	414	828	2.4
C12x25	497	995	2.0
C10x25	497	995	2.0
C12x30	605	1,210	1.7
C10x30	605	1,210	1.7
C15x33.9	677	1,355	1.5
C15x40	806	1,613	1.2
C15x50	995	1,989	1.0
MC10x6.5	130	261	7.7
MC6x6.5	130	261	7.7
MC6x7	140	280	7.2
MC3x7.1	142	285	7.0
MC10x8.4	168	336	6.0
MC8x8.5	169	339	5.9
MC12x10.6	212	425	4.7
MC6x12	241	481	4.2
MC4x13.8	276	551	3.6
MC12x14.3	286	573	3.5
MC6x15.1	302	605	3.3
MC6x15.3	306	613	3.3
MC6x16.3	327	653	3.1
MC6x18	360	720	2.8
MC8x18.7	374	747	2.7
MC7x19.1	382	763	2.6
MC8x20	400	801	2.5
MC8x21.4	427	855	2.3
MC10x22	443	887	2.3
MC7x22.7	454	909	2.2
MC8x22.8	456	911	2.2
MC9x23.9	478	957	2.1
MC10x25	497	995	2.0
MC9x25.4	508	1,016	2.0
MC10x28.5	570	1,140	1.8
MC12x31	618	1,236	1.6
MC13x31.8	636	1,271	1.6
MC10x33.6	672	1,344	1.5
MC13x35	699	1,398	1.4
MC12x35	699	1,398	1.4
MC13x40	806	1,613	1.2
MC12x40	806	1,613	1.2
MC10x41.1	822	1,645	1.2
MC18x42.7	853	1,707	1.2
MC12x45	900	1,801	1.1
MC18x45.8	917	1,833	1.1
MC13x50	995	1,989	1.0
MC12x50	995	1,989	1.0
MC18x51.9	1,038	2,075	1.0
MC18x58	1,156	2,312	0.9

How the weight is calculated

American shapes carry their nominal weight in the name: the second number is pounds per foot. C8x11.5 weighs about 11.5 lb/ft, so a 40 ft piece is about 460 lb. In metric, multiply lb/ft by 1.488 for kg/m.

The exact weight from the cross-sectional area (A × 3.40 lb/ft per in², at 490 lb/ft³) can differ slightly from the nominal weight, mostly for small and light shapes; the table shows the AISC values.

Rolled sections are made to a nominal mass, and the actual mass can differ by a few percent within the tolerances of ASTM A6. For purchasing, invoicing by weight or checking deliveries, use the producer's stated mass.

More on the method: steel weight formula · density of steel · steel weight calculator

Equivalent sections in other standards

The closest section in each other standard by depth and weight. These are starting points for substitution, not drop-in replacements: flange width, thickness and section properties differ, so check the design.

Section	kg/m	Indian Standard (IS 808)	European (EN)
C4x5.4	8.00	ISMC 100 (9.6 kg/m)	UPN 100 (10.6 kg/m)
C6x8.2	12.20	—	UPN 140 (16.0 kg/m)
C8x11.5	17.10	ISMC 200 (22.3 kg/m)	UPN 180 (21.9 kg/m)

Full matching tables: steel section equivalents.

Choosing a size

For a beam, bending capacity grows with the elastic section modulus Zx, while cost grows with weight. Per kilogram of steel, the most efficient sizes in this chart are MC18x42.7 (15.9 cm³ per kg/m), MC18x45.8 (15.4 cm³ per kg/m), MC18x51.9 (14.8 cm³ per kg/m). Deeper, lighter sections usually win in bending; wider flanges (or a heavier section of the same depth) help where lateral buckling, column loads or limited depth govern. Deflection depends on Ix.

Frequently asked questions

What is the weight of C8x11.5?

C8x11.5 weighs 11.50 lb/ft (17.1 kg/m). A 20 ft length is about 230 lb and a 40 ft length about 460 lb.

What are the lightest and heaviest sizes in this chart?

The lightest is C3x3.5 at 3.50 lb/ft (5.2 kg/m) and the heaviest is MC18x58 at 58.00 lb/ft (86 kg/m). The chart lists 72 sizes.

How is the weight of a C-channel calculated?

For American shapes the nominal weight is part of the name: C8x11.5 weighs about 11.5 lb per foot. Multiply by the length in feet for the weight of a piece; the exact value from the cross-sectional area is in the table.

Which C gives the most bending strength per kilogram?

Measured by elastic section modulus per kg of weight, MC18x42.7 is the most efficient in this chart (Zx = 1,010 cm³ for 63.5 kg/m). Deeper sections are generally more efficient in bending; check deflection, lateral buckling and available depth before choosing.

Is there a printable C and MC channel chart?

Yes. The PDF version of this chart (steelweight-calculator.com/charts/c-channel-weight-chart.pdf) has the same table on A4 pages and can be printed or saved for site use.