A structured packing bed for a column is provided. The structured packing bed comprises at least two layers stacked vertically above each other, and at least two of the layers each comprise at least one structured cross-channel packing element having a specific surface area of 60 to 500 m.sup.2/m.sup.3 and a height of 50 to less than 150 mm. At least 50% of the structured cross-channel packing elements are a block comprising a plurality of sheets with periodic deformations. The sheets are arranged in a longitudinal direction parallel and in touching contact with each other such that an open space is provided between them. Adjacent sheets are oriented such that their deformations intersect in crisscross fashion with each other, and a structured cross-channel packing element of a layer is rotated with regard to a structured cross-channel packing element of an adjacent layer by 70 to 110.