C channel sizes
Every standard steel channel — the American Standard C series and the MC miscellaneous family — by depth, with weight per foot and a live piece-weight column. In a channel callout the second number is weight per foot and the depth is actual, which makes channels the most honest shapes on the drawing.
Channel filter
| Channel | lb/ft | Depth (in) | 20 ft piece |
|---|---|---|---|
| C3X6 | 6 | 3 | 120 lb |
| C3X5 | 5 | 3 | 100 lb |
| C3X4.1 | 4.1 | 3 | 82 lb |
| C3X3.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 70 lb |
| C4X7.25 | 7.25 | 4 | 145 lb |
| C4X6.25 | 6.25 | 4 | 125 lb |
| C4X5.4 | 5.4 | 4 | 108 lb |
| C4X4.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 90 lb |
| C5X9 | 9 | 5 | 180 lb |
| C5X6.7 | 6.7 | 5 | 134 lb |
| C6X13 | 13 | 6 | 260 lb |
| C6X10.5 | 10.5 | 6 | 210 lb |
| C6X8.2 | 8.2 | 6 | 164 lb |
| C7X14.75 | 14.75 | 7 | 295 lb |
| C7X12.25 | 12.25 | 7 | 245 lb |
| C7X9.8 | 9.8 | 7 | 196 lb |
| C8X18.75 | 18.75 | 8 | 375 lb |
| C8X13.75 | 13.75 | 8 | 275 lb |
| C8X11.5 | 11.5 | 8 | 230 lb |
| C9X20 | 20 | 9 | 400 lb |
| C9X15 | 15 | 9 | 300 lb |
| C9X13.4 | 13.4 | 9 | 268 lb |
| C10X30 | 30 | 10 | 600 lb |
| C10X25 | 25 | 10 | 500 lb |
| C10X20 | 20 | 10 | 400 lb |
| C10X15.3 | 15.3 | 10 | 306 lb |
| C12X30 | 30 | 12 | 600 lb |
| C12X25 | 25 | 12 | 500 lb |
| C12X20.7 | 20.7 | 12 | 414 lb |
| C15X50 | 50 | 15 | 1,000 lb |
| C15X40 | 40 | 15 | 800 lb |
| C15X33.9 | 33.9 | 15 | 678 lb |
Designation, actual depth and weight from the shape roster. Flange dimensions live in the AISC Steel Construction Manual; selection belongs to the engineer of record. The full roster with area: structural shape weights. How the callout shorthand works: steel drawing symbols.
Common questions
- What sizes does C channel come in?
- American Standard C channels run from C3 to C15 in depth, each depth in several weights. The MC (miscellaneous) family extends the range with different proportions — deeper webs and wider flanges at a given depth. The filter above lists every standard size with its weight.
- What do the numbers in a channel callout mean?
- C10X15.3 is 10 inches deep and weighs 15.3 pounds per foot. Unlike wide flanges, a channel's depth is its actual depth — the number you can hold a tape to.
- What is the difference between C and MC channel?
- Both are channels; MC (miscellaneous) sections are rolled to different proportions than the American Standard C series — often heavier for the same depth, with wider flanges. A callout is one or the other, and they are not interchangeable in detailing.
- How much does a 20 ft stick of C6X10.5 weigh?
- 10.5 lb/ft × 20 ft = 210 lb. The second number in any channel callout is weight per foot, so piece weight is always weight times length.
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