W12x53 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W12x53 is an American wide-flange beam 12.1 inches (307.3 mm) deep with a 10 in (254 mm) flange, weighing 53 pounds per foot (78.9 kg/m) — that is what the "53" 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.
W12x53: cross-section drawn to scale from the AISC dimensions (d 12.1, bf 10, tw 0.345, tf 0.575 in)Dimensions
| Depth d | 12.1 in (307.3 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 10 in (254 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.345 in (8.8 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 0.575 in (14.6 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 53 lb/ft (78.9 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 1,060 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 2,120 lb |
| Area A | 15.6 in² (100.6 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 425 in⁴ (17,690 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 70.6 in³ (1,157 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 5.23 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 95.8 in⁴ (3,987 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 19.2 in³ (315 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.48 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|
| W12x50 | 12.2 × 8.08 | 50 | 391 | 64.2 | −6 % | −8 % |
| W12x53 (this page) | 12.1 × 10 | 53 | 425 | 70.6 | — | — |
| W12x58 | 12.2 × 10 | 58 | 475 | 78 | +9 % | +12 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W12x53 spanning 19 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.2 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 425 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 0.63 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W12x53 beam weigh?
W12x53 weighs 53 pounds per foot (78.9 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 1,060 lb and a 40 ft bar 2,120 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W12x53?
W12x53 is 12.1 in (307.3 mm) deep with a 10 in (254 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.35 in thick and the flanges are 0.58 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W12 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W12x53 in mm?
W12x53 is 307.3 mm deep with a 254 mm wide flange; the web is 8.8 mm and the flange 14.6 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 17,690 cm⁴, Sx = 1,157 cm³.
How much does a W12x53 weigh in kg?
78.9 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 473 kg and a 12 m bar 946 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W12x53?
About the strong axis, Ix = 425 in⁴ (17,690 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 70.6 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 95.8 in⁴ and Sy = 19.2 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W12x53 or W12x58 — what does one size up change?
W12x58 is about 9% heavier (58 vs 53 lb/ft) but about 12% stiffer (Ix 475 vs 425 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