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Buying guide

GI C channel, track and purlin — which size

Name: Lion Yard Trading
Address: Al Quoz 4, Warehouse No. 3, Dubai, Dubai, AE
Telephone: +971 50 910 9633

The size chart for galvanized C channel studs, U track and Z purlins, how to pair them, how many to order for a wall, and the three products that all get called "C channel" in the UAE but are not interchangeable.

Buying guide

GI C channel, track and purlin — which size

Three products called "C channel"

Ask a UAE supplier for C channel and you can be sent any of three things. They look alike on a photograph and do completely different jobs, so name the use as well as the size.

What it is	Section	Steel	Used for
Drywall C stud (GI C channel)	C, 48 – 150 mm wide, 3 m long	0.35 – 0.90 mm galvanized	Partitions, ceilings, cladding and hoarding frames
LGSF section (C89 / C150)	Lipped C, 89 or 150 mm	0.55 – 1.55 mm, G550 high-strength, Z275	Load-bearing walls, trusses and floors built as a kit
Strut channel (unistrut type)	Slotted 41 × 41 or 41 × 21 mm	1.5 – 3.0 mm	Hanging pipe, cable tray and ducting — not framing

All three are stocked. A drywall stud and an LGSF section can share a dimension and still be a different grade of steel doing a different job.

A drywall stud is not a structural member

A 0.5 mm C stud holds a board flat. It is not designed to carry a roof, a mezzanine or a person. Where the frame carries load, it is LGSF or Z purlin to an engineer's design — say so at enquiry and we will price the right product.

GI C channel and U track size chart

The stud and the track are ordered as a pair, and the pair shares one number: a 70 mm stud sits inside a 70 mm track. The track runs along the floor and the ceiling; the studs stand in it at the spacing the board needs.

Width	C channel stud	U track	Wall thickness with one 12.5 mm board each side
48 mm	3 m	—	73 mm
50 mm	3 m	3 m	75 mm
64 mm	3 m	—	89 mm
70 mm	3 m	3 m	95 mm
89 mm	3 m (0.50 – 0.90 mm)	3 m	114 mm
92 mm	3 m	3 m	117 mm
100 mm	3 m	3 m	125 mm
123 mm	3 m	—	148 mm
150 mm	3 m	3 m	175 mm

Studs 0.35 – 0.90 mm base metal unless stated. A dash means the track is not a stocked size - ask, it can be rolled to order. Wall thickness is arithmetic: stud width plus the board on both faces.

Choose the width from the wall thickness on the drawing, or from the height the wall has to stand - a taller wall needs a deeper stud.
Choose the base metal thickness for the job: the lighter gauges for ordinary internal partitions, the heavier where the wall is tall, carries doors and fixtures, or takes knocks.
The maximum height for any stud depends on its width, its gauge, the spacing and the boards fixed to it. That figure comes from the manufacturer's height table - send the height and we check it before quoting, rather than guessing a number here.

How many studs and tracks for a wall

Gypsum and cement boards are 1200 mm wide, so the studs go at 600 mm centres (every half board) or 400 mm centres (every third of a board) where the wall is tall, tiled or carries more weight. Every board edge must land on a stud.

Studs: wall length divided by the spacing, rounded up, plus one for the end. Track: the wall length twice, top and bottom, divided by 3 m and rounded up.

Wall	Spacing	Studs (3 m)	Track (3 m)
10 m long, under 3 m high	600 mm	10 ÷ 0.6 = 16.7 → 17 + 1 = 18	20 m ÷ 3 = 6.7 → 7
10 m long, under 3 m high	400 mm	10 ÷ 0.4 = 25 + 1 = 26	7
25 m long, under 3 m high	600 mm	25 ÷ 0.6 = 41.7 → 42 + 1 = 43	50 m ÷ 3 = 16.7 → 17

Add one extra stud each side of every door and window opening, and allow for the corners. A wall taller than 3 m needs studs joined or ordered to length - tell us the height.

Z purlins — the roof and wall members

Z purlins span between the main steel of a shed or warehouse and carry the roof sheet or sandwich panel. They are a different weight of steel from a drywall stud - 1.5 to 3.0 mm against under 1 mm - and they are cut to the length of the bay, up to 12 m, rather than sold in 3 m lengths.

Depth	Thickness	Length
142 mm	1.5 – 3.0 mm	Cut to length up to 12 m
172 mm	1.5 – 3.0 mm	Cut to length up to 12 m
202 mm	1.5 – 3.0 mm	Cut to length up to 12 m
232 mm	1.5 – 3.0 mm	Cut to length up to 12 m
262 mm	1.5 – 3.0 mm	Cut to length up to 12 m
302 mm	1.5 – 3.0 mm	Cut to length up to 12 m

Depth and thickness come from the structural design for the span and the load, not from the sheet. Send the steel drawing or the bay spacing with the order.

What to send for a price

Which product: drywall stud and track, LGSF, Z purlin or strut channel.
Width (or depth) and base metal thickness.
Quantity in pieces, or the wall lengths and heights and we count it.
Coating, if your specification names one (for example Z275).
The emirate and the site, for delivery.

Priced on the day, not from a list

Galvanized channel follows the steel coil price, so it is quoted against the quantity and the date rather than printed here. Send the list on WhatsApp and the written quotation comes back the same working day.

Questions

Straight answers.

What sizes does GI C channel come in?

We stock drywall C channel studs 48, 50, 64, 70, 89, 92, 100, 123 and 150 mm wide in 3 m lengths, 0.35 to 0.90 mm base metal, with matching U track in 50, 70, 89, 92, 100 and 150 mm. Other widths can be rolled to order.

What is the difference between C channel and U track?

The C channel is the stud - it stands upright and the board is screwed to it. The U track runs along the floor and ceiling and holds the studs. They are ordered as a pair of the same width: a 70 mm stud goes in a 70 mm track.

Is C channel the same as unistrut?

No. Unistrut-type strut channel is a slotted 41 × 41 mm section in 1.5 to 3.0 mm steel for hanging pipes, cable tray and ducting. A GI C channel stud is a thin drywall framing member. Both are stocked; name the use when you ask.

How many C channel studs do I need for a partition?

At 600 mm centres, divide the wall length in metres by 0.6, round up and add one. A 10 m wall needs 18 studs, plus 7 lengths of 3 m track for top and bottom. Add a stud each side of every opening.

What is the price of GI C channel in the UAE?

It is quoted on the day against the size, the gauge and the quantity, because galvanized channel moves with the steel coil price. Send the list on WhatsApp and you receive a written quotation with VAT and delivery shown separately the same working day.

Do you deliver C channel and purlins across the UAE?

Yes, to all seven Emirates. Z purlins are cut to the bay length up to 12 m, so give us the site access for a long load.

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Get in touch

Ready to get your quote?

Tell us the size, quantity and delivery emirate — we'll come back with pricing and availability.

Mon–Sat, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM · +971 50 910 9633 (Operations Director) · +971 54 241 0599 (Managing Director)