W12x230 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W12x230 is an American wide-flange beam 15.1 inches (383.5 mm) deep with a 12.9 in (327.7 mm) flange, weighing 230 pounds per foot (342.3 kg/m) — that is what the "230" 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 | 15.1 in (383.5 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 12.9 in (327.7 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 1.29 in (32.8 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 2.07 in (52.6 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 230 lb/ft (342.3 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 4,600 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 9,200 lb |
| Area A | 67.7 in² (436.8 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 2,420 in⁴ (100,728 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 321 in³ (5,260 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 5.97 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 742 in⁴ (30,884 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 115 in³ (1,885 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 3.31 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W12x210 | 14.7 × 12.8 | 210 | 2,140 | 292 | −9 % | −12 % |
| W12x230 (this page) | 15.1 × 12.9 | 230 | 2,420 | 321 | — | — |
| W12x252 | 15.4 × 13 | 252 | 2,720 | 353 | +10 % | +12 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W12x230 spanning 24 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.07 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 2,420 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 0.8 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W12x230 beam weigh?
W12x230 weighs 230 pounds per foot (342.3 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 4,600 lb and a 40 ft bar 9,200 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W12x230?
W12x230 is 15.1 in (383.5 mm) deep with a 12.9 in (327.7 mm) wide flange. The web is 1.29 in thick and the flanges are 2.07 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W12 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W12x230 in mm?
W12x230 is 383.5 mm deep with a 327.7 mm wide flange; the web is 32.8 mm and the flange 52.6 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 100,728 cm⁴, Sx = 5,260 cm³.
How much does a W12x230 weigh in kg?
342.3 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 2,054 kg and a 12 m bar 4,107 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W12x230?
About the strong axis, Ix = 2,420 in⁴ (100,728 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 321 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 742 in⁴ and Sy = 115 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W12x230 or W12x252 — what does one size up change?
W12x252 is about 10% heavier (252 vs 230 lb/ft) but about 12% stiffer (Ix 2,720 vs 2,420 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