Oct 13, 2026Buying Guides
Steel Profiles: H Beam, Channel and Angle Sizes, Grades and How to Order
Steel profiles cover H beams, channels, angles and bars. This guide explains the common structural grades (Q235B, SS400, S355JR, A36), how sizes are written and what to send for a quote.
What counts as a steel profile
Steel profiles is the family name for long products with a shaped cross-section: H beams and I beams, channels, angles, and flat, square and round bars. They are the parts of a structure that carry the load, which is why size and grade are always specified together - one without the other is not orderable.
H beam, channel and angle
H beams and I beams
An H beam is written as height x width x web thickness x flange thickness, for example 200 x 200 x 8 x 12 mm, or by the European name such as IPE 200 or HEB 200. H beams and I beams are specified for columns, beams, crane rails and long spans in workshops, warehouses and mezzanine floors.
Channels
A channel has a C-shaped section and is written as height x width x web thickness, for example 100 x 48 x 5.3 mm, or as UPN 100. Channels are used for purlins, frames, machine bases and vehicle chassis.
Angles
Angles come in equal leg and unequal leg versions, written as leg x leg x thickness - 50 x 50 x 5 mm, for example. They are used for bracing, brackets, towers, supports and general fabrication.
Bars
Flat, square and round bars are used for machining, frames, grating and general fabrication, and are usually ordered by width or diameter in millimetres.
Grades you will see on a mill certificate
- Q235B (GB/T 700) - the standard Chinese structural grade, minimum yield strength around 235 MPa
- Q355B / S355JR (GB/T 1591, EN 10025-2) - higher strength for heavier structures
- SS400 (JIS G3101) - common in Asian markets, close to Q235
- A36 (ASTM A36) - the standard US structural carbon steel
- S235JR / S275JR (EN 10025-2) - European structural grades
The grade sets the yield strength and the impact testing requirement, and it has to match the design. A lower grade should never be substituted without written approval.
Length, surface and packing
Profiles are normally supplied in 6 m, 9 m or 12 m lengths, or cut to length on request. Surface is usually black mill finish; hot dip galvanizing or painting is added for outdoor and coastal projects. The usual reference standards are GB/T 706 for angles and channels and GB/T 11263 for H beams.
What to send for a quote
- Profile type (H beam, channel, angle, flat bar)
- Exact size in millimetres, or the standard designation
- Length and total quantity
- Grade
- Surface treatment (black, galvanized or painted)
- Standard to be met
- Destination port and packing requirements
Send your profile list - even a simple table is enough - to our team and we will quote line by line.
