The 152 x 152 UC30 universal column is the middle section in the 152 x 152 range and the one specified when a UC23 has been checked and come up short — usually because the storey height is greater than standard, or because the column is carrying two beams rather than one. Rolled to S355J0 and supplied cut free to any length from 1m to 12m, in mill finish or red oxide primer at no extra cost, with free UK mainland delivery included in the price.
Steel grade — S355J0 to BS EN 10025-2
This column is rolled in S355J0: a 355 N/mm² minimum yield structural steel with impact toughness certified at 0°C. S355 is the grade UK structural engineers design to by default, carrying roughly 29% more yield strength than the older S275 material some merchants still stock. If your engineer has calculated to S275, an S355 section of the same size will always satisfy that design — but never substitute in the opposite direction without going back to them first.
For a fuller comparison see our guide to S275 vs S355 steel, or the steel grades & standards reference for the full specification we supply against.
What the extra 7kg per metre buys
The UC30 is not simply a heavier UC23. The flange thickens from 6.8mm to 9.4mm and the web from 5.8mm to 6.5mm, which lifts minor-axis stiffness from 399.9 cm⁴ to 560.4 cm⁴ — a 40% increase.
Minor-axis stiffness is what matters in a column, because that is the direction it will buckle in. The radius of gyration about the weak axis rises from 3.6cm to 3.8cm, and since buckling capacity scales with the square of that figure against effective length, the practical gain over a tall storey is larger than the weight difference suggests. Where a UC23 is marginal at 3m, a UC30 usually clears it comfortably.
The section also grows slightly — 157.6mm deep against 152.4mm — so if the column is being boxed into a stud wall, check the finished dimension before ordering. See UB vs UC, what UK builders actually specify for how columns differ from beams, and the UK steel beam size chart for every size with weights.
Where the UC30 is typically used
Commonly as a post carrying the ends of two beams meeting at a corner when removing a load-bearing wall, in taller open-plan spaces where storey height pushes the slenderness up, and in garden rooms, mezzanine frames and car ports where the column stands unrestrained over its full height.
Available finishes — both at the same price
Mill finish is the column exactly as it leaves the rolling mill: bare structural steel carrying the usual blue-grey mill scale. It suits any job where the column will be encased, boxed in, fire-protected or painted on site — see our guide to boxing in steelwork, or whether structural steel needs painting at all.
Red oxide primer is a factory-applied anti-corrosive coating, shot blasted and painted, that protects the steel while it stands on site before the building is closed in. On this section we supply it at no additional cost over mill finish. Columns often go in early in a build programme and stand exposed longer than beams do, so it is worth taking. It is a primer rather than a topcoat — designed to be overpainted, and not a substitute for intumescent fire protection or galvanising outdoors. More in what red oxide primer actually means.
Cut to size — free, to the millimetre
Tell us the length you need and we cut it. There is no charge for cutting and no minimum order beyond a single metre. Enter your dimensions in the calculator above — you can specify several cut lengths on one order and the tool works out what you need. Steel is supplied and billed in whole metres, so a 2.7m requirement is charged as 3m; where you order more than one cut in the same finish, the total is rounded once rather than cut by cut, which keeps the cost down when you need a pair of posts.
Cut tolerance is ±3mm on length. Tell us if your head detail is critical, and confirm the base plate and padstone arrangement with your engineer before ordering. More on what lengths structural steel comes in.
Section dimensions
| Depth of section (h) | 157.6 mm |
| Width of section (b) | 152.9 mm |
| Web thickness (s) | 6.5 mm |
| Flange thickness (t) | 9.4 mm |
| Root radius (r) | 8.0 mm |
| Depth between fillets (d) | 122.8 mm |
| Mass per metre | 30.0 kg/m |
| Cross-sectional area | 38.3 cm² |
| Surface area per metre | 0.900 m²/m |
Section properties
| Second moment of area, y-y (Iy) | 1,750 cm⁴ |
| Second moment of area, z-z (Iz) | 560.4 cm⁴ |
| Elastic modulus, y-y (Wel,y) | 222.1 cm³ |
| Elastic modulus, z-z (Wel,z) | 73.31 cm³ |
| Plastic modulus, y-y (Wpl,y) | 248.0 cm³ |
| Plastic modulus, z-z (Wpl,z) | 111.6 cm³ |
| Radius of gyration, y-y (iy) | 6.7 cm |
| Radius of gyration, z-z (iz) | 3.8 cm |
Nominal dimensions and properties to BS EN 10365. Figures are published for reference only.
Structural engineer notice
Column sizing cannot be taken from a table. Capacity depends on the axial load, the effective length between restraints, the end fixity, any bending applied at the connections, and the base and head details — all of which must be calculated by a qualified structural engineer, and in most cases will form part of your building control submission. Base plates, padstones and holding-down bolts are part of that design. We supply steel to the specification you give us; we do not provide structural design.
Delivery
Cut-to-size steel is dispatched on a 5–10 working day lead time, with free delivery to UK mainland addresses included in the price — no carriage is added at checkout. A 152 x 152 UC30 weighs 30kg per metre, so a 3m post is 90kg. Deliveries are kerbside and offloading assistance is required.
See how structural steel is delivered for what to expect on the day, or our delivery & lead times page. Ordering columns and beams together for one project? Trade discounts are available.
Related sections
- 152 x 152 UC23 steel column — lighter section in the same serial size
- 152 x 152 UC37 steel column — heaviest in the same serial size
- 203 x 203 UC46 steel column — next size up for higher loads
- All universal columns (UC)
- All RSJ steel beams & columns