Guides
Technical guides
Practical, standard-based guides to choosing and specifying cold roll-formed sections, hollow sections and coatings.
C, Z or Sigma purlins: how to choose the right cold-formed section
How C, C Plus, Z, Sigma and U cold roll-formed sections differ, where each is typically used, the size ranges available, and what to send for a quote.
Read the guidePurlin coatings: black steel, galvanized Z275, Magnelis (ZM) or Aluzinc?
How the four material options for cold roll-formed purlins compare — grades, coating mass, cut-edge behaviour and typical exposure — and how to specify them.
Read the guidePurlin sizes and weights: C, Z and Sigma section tables
Complete size tables for cold roll-formed C, C Plus, Z, Sigma, Sigma Plus and U sections: dimensions, weight per metre, area, Ix and Wx from the mill catalogue.
Read the guideHollow section steel grades: S235JRH, S275J0H, S355J2H and S420MC–S700MC
What the EN 10219 grade names mean, minimum yield and tensile strength of S235JRH, S275J0H and S355J2H, impact test temperatures, and when high-strength S420MC–S700MC tubes make sense.
Read the guideEN 10219 vs ASTM A500: hollow section standards compared
European EN 10219 and American ASTM A500 hollow sections compared: grades and minimum strengths, impact testing, wall thickness tolerance and design wall, sizes and how to order for each market.
Read the guideHollow section sizes and weights: square, rectangular and round tube tables (EN 10219)
Size tables for EN 10219 square, rectangular and circular hollow sections: every size and wall we supply with weight per metre, area, second moment of area and section modulus.
Read the guideHow to read an EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate for steel tubes
What the EN 10204 inspection document types 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 mean, what a 3.1 certificate for hollow sections contains, and a checklist for checking it against the delivery.
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