PFC Channel Sizes & Weights Chart

If you've been handed a drawing that says 200x90x30 PFC and you're trying to work out whether it'll go on the trailer, this is the page for you. Parallel flange channel is priced and handled by weight, so the size designation tells you nearly everything you need — once you know how to read it. Below is the full chart, plus a plain-English explanation of what the numbers mean.

PFC size and weight chart

PFC is designated depth × flange width × nominal weight. The third figure is the give-away: it's kilograms per metre. Multiply it by your length and you have the weight of the piece.

Weights shown are the nominal figures from the size designation and are what the trade prices on. Actual rolled weights vary by a fraction of a kilo either way. Web and flange thicknesses are to the standard section tables — ask us and we'll send the full spec for any size.

How to read a PFC size

Take 150x90x24 PFC. The first number, 150, is the depth of the web — the height of the C. The second, 90, is the flange width — how far the two legs stick out. The third, 24, is the weight in kg per metre.

The "parallel flange" part matters in practice. On older RSJ-style channel the flanges were tapered, so a bolt head or a packer never sat flat. On PFC both flanges are parallel to each other and square to the web, which means you can bolt straight through, sit a plate on it, or fix it flush against blockwork without shimming. That's the reason it turns up so often on edge beams, lintels and door frames.

Sizes with the same depth but different flange widths — 200x75 versus 200x90, for example — fit the same opening but carry different loads. Don't swap one for the other without asking whoever sized it.

Choosing the right PFC for the job

The size comes off your engineer's drawing, not off a chart. Span, the load above it and the bearing at each end all change the answer, and a channel that looks hefty in the yard can still be undersized on paper.

What the chart is good for is everything after that decision: checking the weight before you book a lift, and sanity-checking a quote. As a rough feel — 100x50 and 125x65 turn up on light frames, brackets and gate work; 150x90 and 200x90 are the everyday sizes for lintels and edge beams on extensions; anything from 300x90 up is usually commercial or agricultural steelwork.

All of it is supplied with mill test certificates as standard, in S275 or S355 — if your drawing doesn't say which, our S275 vs S355 guide explains the difference. If a channel isn't quite right for the job, the universal beam range is usually the alternative your engineer will look at, and our steel beam price guide gives you a feel for the cost either way.

Common questions

What do the numbers in a PFC size mean?

Depth of the web in millimetres, then flange width in millimetres, then nominal weight in kilograms per metre. A 150x90x24 PFC is 150mm deep, 90mm wide and about 24kg per metre.

How much does a 6 metre length of PFC weigh?

Multiply the third number by six. A 6m length of 150x90x24 is roughly 144kg; a 6m of 100x50x10 is about 60kg. The price calculator does this for any length you type in.

What's the difference between PFC and a universal beam?

PFC is a C-shape with one open side and a flat back, easy to bolt or fix flush. A universal beam is an I-shape and carries more load for its weight. Engineers pick PFC where the flat face earns its keep.

Do you cut PFC to length?

Yes, free of charge, same day on stock sections, black or sandblasted and primed. Drilling, mitres and notching can be added — put the details on the enquiry form.

What's the biggest PFC you stock?

We hold the common sizes up to 260x90 in stock and order larger channel to suit the drawing. Send us the schedule and we'll confirm availability and lead time the same day.