How to Calculate the Weight of Structural Steel
How to calculate structural steel weight: the density, the kg/m method for beams and tubes, formulas for plate, bar and angle, and a worked beam and post example.
How to Estimate Steel Tonnage Early in a Project
Three ways to estimate structural steel tonnage before drawings are done: comparable projects, the typical bay method and a schematic member list, plus what to add.
How to Level Base Plates: Shims vs Levelling Nuts
Base plate levelling methods compared: levelling nuts, steel shims and setting plates, plus base plate height, grout holes and plates on an existing slab.
How to Read C-Channel Sizes: Naming, Web and Flange
C-channel nomenclature explained: what C200x17 and C8x11.5 mean, the parts of a channel, how to measure one you already have and how to convert metric to imperial.
How to Read HSS Designations: Size, Wall and Corner Radius
HSS nomenclature explained: what HSS 152x102x6.4 means, metric vs imperial names, why HSS isn't sold by gauge, corner radius, and how to measure an existing tube.
How to Read Steel Beam Sizes: W200x27 vs W8x18
What W200x27 and W8x18 mean, why they are the same beam, how metric and imperial beam names convert, and how to read W10x22, S, HP, C and HSS sizes.
How to Request a Steel Beam Quote: What to Send
A checklist for requesting a steel beam or column quote: drawings, sizes, lengths, connections, finish, site access and scope, plus a sample request you can copy.
How to Size a Steel Column for a House
How a steel column for a house is sized: tributary area, floor loads, height and slenderness, section choice and end plates, with an Ontario code example.
HSS Columns: Common Sizes and How Load Tables Work
Common HSS steel column sizes in Canada and how CISC column load tables work: factored resistance, effective length, Class C vs Class H, and when tables don't apply.
HSS Sizes in Canada: Metric Chart for Square, Rect and Round
Common Canadian HSS sizes in mm with wall thickness and kg/m for square, rectangular and round tube, plus Class C vs Class H, lengths and availability.
HSS Steel Grades in Canada: CSA G40.21 350W vs ASTM A500
HSS steel grades in Canada: CSA G40.21 350W Class C and H, ASTM A500 Grades B and C, and A1085, with yield strengths, design wall thickness and ordering tips.
HSS Steel Prices in Canada: What Drives the Cost of Hollow Sections
How HSS steel is priced in Canada: weight, size, wall thickness, grade, cutting, plates and finish, plus how to compare quotes and get an accurate number.
HSS vs Pipe: Round Structural Tube vs Steel Pipe
HSS vs pipe: how round HSS and steel pipe differ in sizing, grades and strength, why NPS 6 pipe and HSS 168 can share a size, and which to specify for structure.
HSS Weight per Metre: Chart and How to Calculate It
HSS weight per metre and per foot for common square, rectangular and round sizes, the formulas that reproduce the tables, and worked examples for posts.
I-Beam vs W-Beam vs H-Beam: What Is the Difference?
I-beam, W-beam, H-beam and S-beam explained: what each name means in Canada, how the shapes differ in flange width and strength, and which suits beams or columns.
Installed Structural Steel Cost: What Supply, Fabricate and Erect Includes
What an installed (furnished, fabricated and erected) structural steel price covers, what site factors drive it, which items fall between trades, and how to compare.
Installing Steel Columns and Posts: What to Expect
What happens when steel columns or posts are installed: drawings, permits, shoring, setting, plumbing and inspection, and what goes into an install estimate.
Lateral Bracing and Unbraced Length of Steel Beams
What unbraced length means for a steel beam, how lateral-torsional buckling works, and what counts as a brace: joists, deck, kickers and knee braces.