Profile pipes in construction

Published January 2025

This type of tubular rolled steel features a wide range of sizes and a distinctive rectangular or square cross-section. It is made from the most common and versatile structural material – carbon or low-alloy steel – which provides a wide range of mechanical and performance properties.

Thanks to these features, profile pipes have an extremely wide range of applications – from construction to furniture making and mechanical engineering.

Pipe classification

The most popular profile pipes are:

• square – our company offers them with sides from 20 mm to 100 mm;
• rectangular – products with sections from 20×40 mm to 120×60 mm.

Profile pipes of square shape are most often used in construction. Rectangular ones are considered the most popular thanks to their varied aspect ratios, which allow them to be used for almost any purpose.

There are also oval and flat-oval profile pipes, which are used less often because of their non-standard shape and relatively high price. Their main application is furniture decoration.

Classification by steel type

• Profile pipes made of rimmed steel – considered the strongest but less durable.
• Made of killed steel – the most ductile.
• Made of semi-killed steel – both strong and ductile.

Applications of profile pipe products.

Construction is the main consumer of square tubular products. This is due to their high load-bearing strength in the transverse direction, provided by natural stiffening ribs. Thanks to their versatility and design features, profile products are equally in demand in private construction and in large-scale industrial and civil construction.

Private housing construction

Square and rectangular pipes are among the most versatile types of construction rolled steel; using them significantly reduces the cost and speeds up the construction of cottages, low-rise houses, country buildings and other facilities. Depending on the cross-section, they are used as floor beams, columns, supports, reinforcing and auxiliary elements. As a result, the metal consumption and overall weight of structures are significantly reduced.

Frame structures

Recently, profile pipes have increasingly been used to build prefabricated structures, which offer not only fast installation but also high reliability and clear aesthetic advantages. Such structures include hangars, warehouses, single-span and multi-span production buildings, large retail buildings and bridges.

Profile pipes are also a rational choice because rectangular and square sections combine well with each other to form a strong structure. They can be joined by welding or assembled with fasteners (bolts, rivets, etc.). An additional advantage is the high ductility of profile pipes, and therefore their suitability for pressure forming, which makes it possible to create arched structures.

Small architectural forms

Thanks to the same advantages, these products are widely used to build kiosks, pavilions, site cabins, greenhouses, gazebos and other similar structures.

Gates, fences and stairs

A separate area of use for profile pipes is the production of gates, fences, metal doors and railings, where they serve as a load-bearing or reinforcing frame. Here steel offers high operational reliability and allows the creation of structures that are not only high-strength but also attractive and original.

Water and gas pipe is often used for posts and hangers, combined with a profile pipe frame.

And, of course, profile pipe is widely used to make various types of stairs and stair flights, providing a reliable base that can withstand significant loads and is highly wear-resistant. Such stairs come in a wide variety of shapes and designs – straight, spiral, with smooth curves, etc.