A steel channel is a structure made of hot-rolled mild steel. The interior corners of steel channels have a specified radius. This provides the strength and rigidity they need to sustain steel angles and building projects. With the correct equipment and proportions, they're fairly simple to prepare. Steel channels are usually manufactured to ASTM 36 dimensional specifications.

Steel channels are usually subjected to extra inline fabrication after being hot-rolled. They are coated or galvanized after fabrication to make them corrosion-resistant. Steel channels can be cut, drilled, or machined according to given specifications. They can also be easily welded. The laser fusion technique is commonly used to create large channels.

The distinctive shape of U channels is achieved by forming two right angles on a roll formed flat piece of metal. U shaped metal channels, as with other forms of channels, come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes with round or flat bottoms and sides of a few inches up to several inches. The width of the bottom and the height of the right angled sides varies depending on how the U channel is to be used.