The 203 x 203 UC86 universal column is the heaviest section in the 203 x 203 range — a very substantial column at 86.1kg per metre with a 20.5mm flange and a 12.7mm web. It carries the highest axial loads possible within a 203mm footprint, and is specified in multi-storey and heavily loaded commercial frames where keeping the column compact matters more than weight. Rolled to S355J0 and supplied cut free to any length from 1m to 12m in mill finish, 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.
The top of the 203 x 203 range
The UC86 is a step change from the UC71 — the flange thickens from 17.3mm to 20.5mm and the web from 10mm to 12.7mm, lifting minor-axis stiffness from 2,537 cm⁴ to 3,127 cm⁴ and the cross-sectional area to 109.6 cm². At 222.2 x 209.1mm it is noticeably chunkier than the lighter 203 sections but still detailed as a 203 x 203.
This is the section chosen when the design has to stay at 203 x 203 — usually to match an existing grid or keep the column within a wall build-up — but needs almost the capacity of a 254 x 254. Where footprint is not constrained, a 254 x 254 UC73 of similar weight offers more stiffness. See UB vs UC, what UK builders actually specify, and the UK steel beam size chart for every size with weights.
Where the UC86 is typically used
Ground-floor and transfer columns in multi-storey steel frames, posts carrying multiple beams or a full storey above, and commercial and industrial structures with high point loads. It is always part of a fully engineered frame.
Mill finish
This section is supplied in mill finish — bare structural steel exactly as it leaves the rolling mill, 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. Store it dry and ventilated, and protect it with a suitable coating system if it will be exposed or used externally.
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, the total is rounded once rather than cut by cut.
Cut tolerance is ±3mm on length. Tell us if your head detail is critical, and confirm the base plate, padstone and holding-down bolt arrangement with your engineer before ordering. More on what lengths structural steel comes in.
Section dimensions
| Depth of section (h) | 222.2 mm |
| Width of section (b) | 209.1 mm |
| Web thickness (s) | 12.7 mm |
| Flange thickness (t) | 20.5 mm |
| Root radius (r) | 10.0 mm |
| Depth between fillets (d) | 161.2 mm |
| Mass per metre | 86.1 kg/m |
| Cross-sectional area | 109.6 cm² |
| Surface area per metre | 1.238 m²/m |
Section properties
| Second moment of area, y-y (Iy) | 9,446 cm⁴ |
| Second moment of area, z-z (Iz) | 3,127 cm⁴ |
| Elastic modulus, y-y (Wel,y) | 850.2 cm³ |
| Elastic modulus, z-z (Wel,z) | 299.1 cm³ |
| Plastic modulus, y-y (Wpl,y) | 976.4 cm³ |
| Plastic modulus, z-z (Wpl,z) | 456.2 cm³ |
| Radius of gyration, y-y (iy) | 9.2 cm |
| Radius of gyration, z-z (iz) | 5.3 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 — plan the lift
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. At 86.1kg per metre a 3m post is 258kg and a 5m post is 430kg. Deliveries are kerbside and offloading assistance is required — a forklift or crane is essential at this weight; this is not a manual handling item. See how structural steel is delivered, or our delivery & lead times page. Ordering a full frame? Trade discounts are available.
Related sections
- 203 x 203 UC71 steel column — lighter section in the same serial size
- 254 x 254 UC73 steel column — larger footprint, similar weight, more stiffness
- 203 x 203 UC52 steel column — lighter option in the same serial size
- All universal columns (UC)
- All RSJ steel beams & columns