W10x68 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W10x68 is an American wide-flange beam 10.4 inches (264.2 mm) deep with a 10.1 in (256.5 mm) flange, weighing 68 pounds per foot (101.2 kg/m) — that is what the "68" in the designation means. All values below are the standard AISC published section properties used in US structural design, with metric equivalents alongside.
Typical uses: floor and roof framing, columns, headers, and general steel construction. For a quick stiffness check, see the deflection example below or open the beam calculator with your own span and load.
Dimensions
| Depth d | 10.4 in (264.2 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 10.1 in (256.5 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.47 in (11.9 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 0.77 in (19.6 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 68 lb/ft (101.2 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 1,360 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 2,720 lb |
| Area A | 20 in² (129 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 394 in⁴ (16,399 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 75.7 in³ (1,240 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 4.44 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 134 in⁴ (5,577 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 26.4 in³ (433 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.59 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W10x60 | 10.2 × 10.1 | 60 | 341 | 66.7 | −12 % | −13 % |
| W10x68 (this page) | 10.4 × 10.1 | 68 | 394 | 75.7 | — | — |
| W10x77 | 10.6 × 10.2 | 77 | 455 | 85.9 | +13 % | +15 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W10x68 spanning 17 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.16 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 394 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 0.57 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W10x68 beam weigh?
W10x68 weighs 68 pounds per foot (101.2 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 1,360 lb and a 40 ft bar 2,720 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W10x68?
W10x68 is 10.4 in (264.2 mm) deep with a 10.1 in (256.5 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.47 in thick and the flanges are 0.77 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W10 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W10x68 in mm?
W10x68 is 264.2 mm deep with a 256.5 mm wide flange; the web is 11.9 mm and the flange 19.6 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 16,399 cm⁴, Sx = 1,240 cm³.
How much does a W10x68 weigh in kg?
101.2 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 607 kg and a 12 m bar 1,214 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W10x68?
About the strong axis, Ix = 394 in⁴ (16,399 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 75.7 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 134 in⁴ and Sy = 26.4 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W10x68 or W10x77 — what does one size up change?
W10x77 is about 13% heavier (77 vs 68 lb/ft) but about 15% stiffer (Ix 455 vs 394 in⁴). Going one step up within the same depth group is usually the cheapest way to cut deflection.
Values are entered from the governing standard’s published tables and cross-checked programmatically against its mass and section formulas before publication. Spotted an error? Write to advertising@metalabout.net — verified corrections ship within days. About