Hollow Sections - Structural Steel Hollows

As the UK’s leading steel stockholder, Barrett Steel maintains one of the largest and most diverse inventories of hollow sections in the country. Our stockholding includes Circular (CHS), Rectangular (RHS), and Square (SHS) profiles, available in both Hot Finished (EN 10210) and Cold Formed (EN 10219) specifications.

Hollow sections are among the most versatile components in modern engineering, providing high strength-to-weight ratios for everything from major infrastructure to precision mechanical applications. We supply a comprehensive range of structural grades, including S235, S355, and S420, with standard lengths ranging from 6 metres to 18 metres. Whether for a large-scale construction project or bespoke local fabrication, our nationwide fleet ensures immediate off-the-shelf delivery directly to your site.

 

EXPLORE OUR HOLLOW SECTION PROFILES

Select a profile to view specific sizes, grades, and technical data:

  • CHS- Circular Hollw Sections:Available in EN 10219 Cold Formed for light-to-medium fabrication and EN 10210 Hot Formed for high-load infrastructure.

  • RHS- Circular Hollow Sections: Available in high-strength EN 10210 Hot Finished girders and EN 10219 Cold Rolled precision tubes.

  • SHS- Square Hollow Sections: Symmetrical profiles ideal for balanced frameworks, columns, and architectural supports in various EN specifications.

INTEGRATED PROCESSING SERVICES

Our specialized in-house facilities ensure your hollow sections arrive on-site precision-cut and ready for immediate assembly:

  • Sawing & Cut-to-Length: We operate high-speed, automated sawing lines capable of providing millimetre-accurate straight and mitre cuts for all CHS, RHS, and SHS profiles up to 18 metres.
  • Tube Laser Cutting: Utilising state-of-the-art 3D laser technology, we provide complex profiling for tubular joints, intricate bolt-hole patterns, and notches, ensuring high-speed accuracy that eliminates the need for manual fabrication.
  • Plasma Profiling: Specialized plasma coping and profiling for heavy-wall hollow sections. This process is ideal for creating complex structural connections and "saddle" cuts on large-diameter circular sections.
  • Tube Manipulation: Specialist bending and forming services for circular, square, and rectangular sections, providing bespoke curvature for architectural and engineering projects.
Hollow Sections - Structural Steel Hollows
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VIEW OUR QUALITY CERTS
The Barrett Advantage: Hollow Section Specialism

Our stockholding is supported by the technical standards and specialized processing required for high-precision tubular projects:

·         Dedicated Account Management: Every client is supported by a dedicated account manager who acts as a consistent point of contact for order processing, logistics coordination, and delivery scheduling.

·         Massive Stock Availability: We maintain the UK’s largest hollow section inventory, with over 120,000 tonnes of steel across our network. This ensures availability for everything from 50x50 SHS to heavy-wall RHS structural girders.

·         Certified Quality & Traceability: All hollow sections are UKCA and CE marked and supplied with full Mill Test Certificates (MTC). We maintain a digital audit trail from the initial melt through to final delivery to ensure total transparency for your quality records.

·         Complex Tube Processing: We offer advanced Laser Cutting and Tube Manipulation. We deliver hollow sections pre-notched, mitred, and drilled, allowing for efficient assembly on-site.

·         Sustainability Reporting: We provide detailed environmental data for all hollow sections, helping contractors track and report on Scope 3 carbon emissions for their projects.

To order Hollow Sections, use find a depot button below, type in your postcode and contact your local depot directly.

OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SPECIALISM
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Expert FAQs

Specific to Barrett Steel
Yes, Bring a Suitable Vehicle!

Suitable Vehicles for collections are :
  • Curtain Sided Vehicles,
  • Hiab Vehicles
  • and any open topped vehicle such as a Flat Bed.

ALL vehicles must have a minimum bed length of 4m, be rated for the weight and dimensions of your order Equipped with appropriate load space Fitted with approved lashing or strapping points In a safe, roadworthy condition
We do not permit collections for items over 25kg in: Cars, Vans, estate vehicles, or SUVs,  makeshift trailers or modified vehicles, Pickups without high sides or proper strapping systems Vehicles with visible defects
We provide full traceable certification and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for our steel. Using 100% recyclable UK steel and local transport depots significantly reduces "transport carbon," helping your project achieve its sustainability targets.
With over 25+ depots nationwide, we are likely just around the corner. Our dedicated fleet offers next-day delivery across the UK, including major hubs like London, Birmingham, Leeds,Glasgow and Belfast. Because we ship from the depot closest to your site, we minimise lead times and transport costs. FInd your local depot using our depot finder.
Absolutely. All structural hollow sections supplied by Barrett Steel are UKCA and CE marked, which is a legal requirement for permanent structures in the UK. Every order is backed by full Mill Test Certificates (MTC), providing 100% traceability for your quality records and structural engineering audits. Check out our Quality Management page for more information.
Execution Class 4 (EXC4) is the highest level of structural steel quality and safety under BS EN 1090-2. It is reserved for high-consequence structures where failure would lead to catastrophic results—such as large-scale bridges, nuclear facilities, and stadiums. At Barrett Steel, our hollow sections are fully compliant and can be traceable to EXC4 standards, providing the rigorous material testing and documentation required for these safety-critical builds.
We are a trusted supplier for the UK Defence sector, providing high-strength structural hollow sections for military infrastructure, specialised vehicle chassis and more. Our inventory includes the high-yield grades (such as S420 and S460) often specified in defense projects. Combined with our Laser Cutting and plasma profiling, we provide precision-engineered components that meet strict MoD and security-cleared supply chain requirements. 
  • Our hollow sections are utilised across diverse industries where strength-to-weight ratios are critical:
  • Renewable Energy: Essential for onshore and offshore wind turbine frameworks and solar array supports. 
  • Agriculture & Machinery: Cold-formed RHS and SHS are the industry standard for robust agricultural equipment and machinery chassis. 
  • Automotive & Transport: Circular sections (CHS) are frequently used in the manufacturing of trailers, bulk carriers, and specialized transport frames.
  • Architectural & Commercial: Square and circular sections are the preferred choice for high-aesthetic frameworks, including glazed atriums, mezzanine floors, and modern retail developments
Yes. For offshore energy environments, we provide Hot Finished (EN 10210) sections.. Utilising our in house state of the art processing facilities, we can deliver heavy-wall sections, ready for the specialised welding required in offshore marine structures.
General Facts
The main difference is in the manufacturing process and resulting mechanical properties. Hot Finished (EN 10210) sections are stress-relieved during production, offering superior weldability and consistent strength across the entire profile, including the corners. Cold Formed (EN 10219) sections are shaped at room temperature, which provides tighter dimensional tolerances and a smoother surface finish, ideal for aesthetic and light-to-medium structural applications.
A 50x50mm section is a Square Hollow Section (SHS). While "RHS" (Rectangular Hollow Section) is often used as a generic industry term for all "box" profiles, SHS is the correct technical name for symmetrical square tubes.
We stock a vast range of standard lengths, typically from 6 metres up to 15 metres, with the capability to supply up to 18 metres for specific project requirements. Through our in-house cutting, we can also provide bespoke "cut-to-length" services to minimise on-site waste.
 Hollow sections are priced based on their effective weight in kilograms per metre (kg/m). This is determined by the outer dimensions (depth and width) and the wall thickness. Your total project cost will include the raw material weight plus any value-added processing like Plasma Profiling or Tube manipulation.