What sizes do steel beams come in?

Wide flange beams run in nominal depth groups from W4 to W44, with 273 standard shapes across them. Within a group the nominal depth stays in the name while weight per foot varies enormously — the W14 group alone runs from 22 to 730 lb/ft.

Is an I-beam the same as a wide flange beam?

In everyday speech yes, technically no. The classic American Standard I-beam is the S shape, with narrower, sloped flanges. Nearly everything called an I-beam on a modern job is a wide flange (W shape).

What do the numbers in a beam size mean?

W21X50 is nominally 21 inches deep and weighs 50 pounds per foot. The second number is always weight per foot, which is why a takeoff runs straight off the callouts.

Is a W14 beam really 14 inches deep?

Not necessarily. The mill holds the inside distance between flanges constant and adds material outward, so actual depths in the W14 group run from 13.7 to 22.4 inches. Use the detailing dimension for anything that has to fit.

Where are the flange dimensions?

In the AISC Steel Construction Manual, which is the authority for detailing dimensions. This chart carries designation, actual depth and weight — the numbers estimating runs on — and links each shape family to the full lookup.

Steel beam sizes chart

Every wide flange group from W4 to W44 — what most people mean by "I-beam." The true American Standard I-beam is the narrower S shape; on a modern job, a beam callout is almost always a W. Nominal depth is a filing label: actual depth varies inside every group, so the detailing dimension governs anything that has to fit.

W41 shapes · 13–13 lb/ft · 4.16–4.16 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W4X13	13	4.16

W52 shapes · 16–19 lb/ft · 5.01–5.15 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W5X19	19	5.15
W5X16	16	5.01

W67 shapes · 8.5–25 lb/ft · 5.83–6.38 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W6X25	25	6.38
W6X20	20	6.2
W6X16	16	6.28
W6X15	15	5.99
W6X12	12	6.03
W6X9	9	5.9
W6X8.5	8.5	5.83

W813 shapes · 10–67 lb/ft · 7.89–9 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W8X67	67	9
W8X58	58	8.75
W8X48	48	8.5
W8X40	40	8.25
W8X35	35	8.12
W8X31	31	8
W8X28	28	8.06
W8X24	24	7.93
W8X21	21	8.28
W8X18	18	8.14
W8X15	15	8.11
W8X13	13	7.99
W8X10	10	7.89

W1018 shapes · 12–112 lb/ft · 9.73–11.4 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W10X112	112	11.4
W10X100	100	11.1
W10X88	88	10.8
W10X77	77	10.6
W10X68	68	10.4
W10X60	60	10.2
W10X54	54	10.1
W10X49	49	10
W10X45	45	10.1
W10X39	39	9.92
W10X33	33	9.73
W10X30	30	10.5
W10X26	26	10.3
W10X22	22	10.2
W10X19	19	10.2
W10X17	17	10.1
W10X15	15	9.99
W10X12	12	9.87

W1229 shapes · 14–336 lb/ft · 11.9–16.8 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W12X336	336	16.8
W12X305	305	16.3
W12X279	279	15.9
W12X252	252	15.4
W12X230	230	15.1
W12X210	210	14.7
W12X190	190	14.4
W12X170	170	14
W12X152	152	13.7
W12X136	136	13.4
W12X120	120	13.1
W12X106	106	12.9
W12X96	96	12.7
W12X87	87	12.5
W12X79	79	12.4
W12X72	72	12.3
W12X65	65	12.1
W12X58	58	12.2
W12X53	53	12.1
W12X50	50	12.2
W12X45	45	12.1
W12X40	40	11.9
W12X35	35	12.5
W12X30	30	12.3
W12X26	26	12.2
W12X22	22	12.3
W12X19	19	12.2
W12X16	16	12
W12X14	14	11.9

W1436 shapes · 22–730 lb/ft · 13.7–22.4 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W14X730	730	22.4
W14X665	665	21.6
W14X605	605	20.9
W14X550	550	20.2
W14X500	500	19.6
W14X455	455	19
W14X426	426	18.7
W14X398	398	18.3
W14X370	370	17.9
W14X342	342	17.5
W14X311	311	17.1
W14X283	283	16.7
W14X257	257	16.4
W14X233	233	16
W14X211	211	15.7
W14X193	193	15.5
W14X176	176	15.2
W14X159	159	15
W14X145	145	14.8
W14X132	132	14.7
W14X120	120	14.5
W14X109	109	14.3
W14X99	99	14.2
W14X90	90	14
W14X82	82	14.3
W14X74	74	14.2
W14X68	68	14
W14X61	61	13.9
W14X53	53	13.9
W14X48	48	13.8
W14X43	43	13.7
W14X38	38	14.1
W14X34	34	14
W14X30	30	13.8
W14X26	26	13.9
W14X22	22	13.7

W1611 shapes · 26–100 lb/ft · 15.7–17 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W16X100	100	17
W16X89	89	16.8
W16X77	77	16.5
W16X67	67	16.3
W16X57	57	16.4
W16X50	50	16.3
W16X45	45	16.1
W16X40	40	16
W16X36	36	15.9
W16X31	31	15.9
W16X26	26	15.7

W1823 shapes · 35–311 lb/ft · 17.7–22.3 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W18X311	311	22.3
W18X283	283	21.9
W18X258	258	21.5
W18X234	234	21.1
W18X211	211	20.7
W18X192	192	20.4
W18X175	175	20
W18X158	158	19.7
W18X143	143	19.5
W18X130	130	19.3
W18X119	119	19
W18X106	106	18.7
W18X97	97	18.6
W18X86	86	18.4
W18X76	76	18.2
W18X71	71	18.5
W18X65	65	18.4
W18X60	60	18.2
W18X55	55	18.1
W18X50	50	18
W18X46	46	18.1
W18X40	40	17.9
W18X35	35	17.7

W2118 shapes · 44–201 lb/ft · 20.6–23 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W21X201	201	23
W21X182	182	22.7
W21X166	166	22.5
W21X147	147	22.1
W21X132	132	21.8
W21X122	122	21.7
W21X111	111	21.5
W21X101	101	21.4
W21X93	93	21.6
W21X83	83	21.4
W21X73	73	21.2
W21X68	68	21.1
W21X62	62	21
W21X57	57	21.1
W21X55	55	20.8
W21X50	50	20.8
W21X48	48	20.6
W21X44	44	20.7

W2421 shapes · 55–370 lb/ft · 23.6–28 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W24X370	370	28
W24X335	335	27.5
W24X306	306	27.1
W24X279	279	26.7
W24X250	250	26.3
W24X229	229	26
W24X207	207	25.7
W24X192	192	25.5
W24X176	176	25.2
W24X162	162	25
W24X146	146	24.7
W24X131	131	24.5
W24X117	117	24.3
W24X104	104	24.1
W24X103	103	24.5
W24X94	94	24.3
W24X84	84	24.1
W24X76	76	23.9
W24X68	68	23.7
W24X62	62	23.7
W24X55	55	23.6

W2717 shapes · 84–539 lb/ft · 26.7–32.5 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W27X539	539	32.5
W27X368	368	30.4
W27X336	336	30
W27X307	307	29.6
W27X281	281	29.3
W27X258	258	29
W27X235	235	28.7
W27X217	217	28.4
W27X194	194	28.1
W27X178	178	27.8
W27X161	161	27.6
W27X146	146	27.4
W27X129	129	27.6
W27X114	114	27.3
W27X102	102	27.1
W27X94	94	26.9
W27X84	84	26.7

W3016 shapes · 90–391 lb/ft · 29.5–33.2 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W30X391	391	33.2
W30X357	357	32.8
W30X326	326	32.4
W30X292	292	32
W30X261	261	31.6
W30X235	235	31.3
W30X211	211	30.9
W30X191	191	30.7
W30X173	173	30.4
W30X148	148	30.7
W30X132	132	30.3
W30X124	124	30.2
W30X116	116	30
W30X108	108	29.8
W30X99	99	29.7
W30X90	90	29.5

W3313 shapes · 118–387 lb/ft · 32.9–36 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W33X387	387	36
W33X354	354	35.6
W33X318	318	35.2
W33X291	291	34.8
W33X263	263	34.5
W33X241	241	34.2
W33X221	221	33.9
W33X201	201	33.7
W33X169	169	33.8
W33X152	152	33.5
W33X141	141	33.3
W33X130	130	33.1
W33X118	118	32.9

W3621 shapes · 135–652 lb/ft · 35.6–41.1 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W36X652	652	41.1
W36X529	529	39.8
W36X487	487	39.3
W36X441	441	38.9
W36X395	395	38.4
W36X361	361	38
W36X330	330	37.7
W36X302	302	37.3
W36X282	282	37.1
W36X262	262	36.9
W36X256	256	37.4
W36X247	247	36.7
W36X232	232	37.1
W36X231	231	36.5
W36X210	210	36.7
W36X194	194	36.5
W36X182	182	36.3
W36X170	170	36.2
W36X160	160	36
W36X150	150	35.9
W36X135	135	35.6

W4023 shapes · 149–593 lb/ft · 38.2–43 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W40X593	593	43
W40X503	503	42.1
W40X431	431	41.3
W40X397	397	41
W40X392	392	41.6
W40X372	372	40.6
W40X362	362	40.6
W40X331	331	40.8
W40X327	327	40.8
W40X324	324	40.2
W40X297	297	39.8
W40X294	294	40.4
W40X278	278	40.2
W40X277	277	39.7
W40X264	264	40
W40X249	249	39.4
W40X235	235	39.7
W40X215	215	39
W40X211	211	39.4
W40X199	199	38.7
W40X183	183	39
W40X167	167	38.6
W40X149	149	38.2

W444 shapes · 230–335 lb/ft · 42.9–44 in actual depthexpand ↓

Shape	lb/ft	Depth (in)
W44X335	335	44
W44X290	290	43.6
W44X262	262	43.3
W44X230	230	42.9

Designation, actual depth and weight from the shape roster — the numbers estimating runs on. Flange and web dimensions live in the AISC Steel Construction Manual; selection belongs to the engineer of record. Piece weights for any length and count: structural shape weights. The full story on nominal depth: wide flange beam sizes explained.

Common questions

What sizes do steel beams come in?: Wide flange beams run in nominal depth groups from W4 to W44, with 273 standard shapes across them. Within a group the nominal depth stays in the name while weight per foot varies enormously — the W14 group alone runs from 22 to 730 lb/ft.
Is an I-beam the same as a wide flange beam?: In everyday speech yes, technically no. The classic American Standard I-beam is the S shape, with narrower, sloped flanges. Nearly everything called an I-beam on a modern job is a wide flange (W shape).
What do the numbers in a beam size mean?: W21X50 is nominally 21 inches deep and weighs 50 pounds per foot. The second number is always weight per foot, which is why a takeoff runs straight off the callouts.
Is a W14 beam really 14 inches deep?: Not necessarily. The mill holds the inside distance between flanges constant and adds material outward, so actual depths in the W14 group run from 13.7 to 22.4 inches. Use the detailing dimension for anything that has to fit.
Where are the flange dimensions?: In the AISC Steel Construction Manual, which is the authority for detailing dimensions. This chart carries designation, actual depth and weight — the numbers estimating runs on — and links each shape family to the full lookup.

Want these for yourself?

We can put these tools on your site, in your systems, or in front of your customers.

Everything here is something we built for ourselves first. If a calculator like this would earn its keep in your business, we build the same thing against your data and your brand.

On your website

Branded to your shop and hosted on your own domain. Reference tools are the reason people bookmark a fabricator's site — they come back for the chart and remember who published it.

Wired to your data

The same math running against your inventory, your mill certs and your job costs, so a takeoff pulls real weights from real material instead of a lookup table.

As internal tooling

Built into whatever your estimators already open. Fewer spreadsheets passed around, and one place where the numbers are known to be right.

Talk about a build See what we've built

Custom builds start at $8,500 · Free 30-minute walk first