Articles
C-section purlins: uses in steel buildings and how to order them
Last reviewed:
Short answer
A C-section is a cold-formed channel with lips, made from black or galvanized strip. Its main use is as roof purlins and wall girts in hangars and warehouses. To order, specify depth, flange width, lip, thickness, length and material.
What is a C-section?
C-sections are cold-formed by bending strip, not hot-rolled like beams, so they are light and thin and usually galvanized against corrosion. The lip at the flange edge stiffens the section and stops the flange buckling.
Where is it used?
- Roof purlins: fixed across the rafters to carry sheeting or sandwich panels
- Wall girts: carry the side cladding
- Light frames: canopies, small roofs and partitions
What to put in your order
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Depth × flange × lip | 200 × 70 × 20 mm |
| Thickness | 2 mm |
| Length | 6 m or to suit rafter spacing |
| Material | Galvanized or black |
| Punching | Hole sizes and positions if required |
FAQ
What is the difference between C and Z sections?
Z sections can be lapped over rafters to act continuously, which suits longer runs; C sections are simpler to fit and store and suit simple spans.
General guidance — not an offer or commitment by BUILDORA.