The　Direct　Strength　Method　(DSM)　is　a　recently　adopted　design　approach　by　the　North　American　Specifications　for　Cold-Formed　Steel　Structural　Members　(AISI　S100)　for　calculating　the　nominal　strength　of　cold-formed　steel　(CFS)　sections.　The　critical　elastic　buckling　load　shall　be　obtained　in　order　to　employ　the　DSM　in　computing　the　nominal　strength　of　CFS　members.　The　AISI　S100　provides　simplified　methods　for　determining　the　critical　elastic　distortional　buckling　load.　However　it　is　found　that　the　AISI　S100　simplified　methods　are　over　conservative　for　the　industrial　standard　C　and　Z　sections　in　the　U.S.　This　paper　presents　revised　simplified　methods　for　calculating　the　critical　elastic　distortional　buckling　loads　of　typical　CFS　C　and　Z　sections　in　bending　and　axial　compression　loading　respectively.　The　new　methods　yield　more　accurate　results　but　similar　computation　cost　compared　to　the　existing　methods.　The　new　methods　can　be　added　to　the　DSM　methodologies　for　designing　CFS　members.