W14x426 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W14x426 is an American wide-flange beam 18.7 inches (475 mm) deep with a 16.7 in (424.2 mm) flange, weighing 426 pounds per foot (634 kg/m) — that is what the "426" 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.
W14x426: cross-section drawn to scale from the AISC dimensions (d 18.7, bf 16.7, tw 1.88, tf 3.04 in)Dimensions
| Depth d | 18.7 in (475 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 16.7 in (424.2 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 1.88 in (47.8 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 3.04 in (77.2 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 426 lb/ft (634 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 8,520 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 17,040 lb |
| Area A | 125 in² (806.5 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 6,600 in⁴ (274,712 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 706 in³ (11,569 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 7.26 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 2,360 in⁴ (98,230 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 283 in³ (4,638 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 4.34 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|
| W14x398 | 18.3 × 16.6 | 398 | 6,000 | 656 | −7 % | −9 % |
| W14x426 (this page) | 18.7 × 16.7 | 426 | 6,600 | 706 | — | — |
| W14x455 | 19 × 16.8 | 455 | 7,190 | 756 | +7 % | +9 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W14x426 spanning 30 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.05 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 6,600 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 1 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W14x426 beam weigh?
W14x426 weighs 426 pounds per foot (634 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 8,520 lb and a 40 ft bar 17,040 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W14x426?
W14x426 is 18.7 in (475 mm) deep with a 16.7 in (424.2 mm) wide flange. The web is 1.88 in thick and the flanges are 3.04 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W14 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W14x426 in mm?
W14x426 is 475 mm deep with a 424.2 mm wide flange; the web is 47.8 mm and the flange 77.2 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 274,712 cm⁴, Sx = 11,569 cm³.
How much does a W14x426 weigh in kg?
634 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 3,804 kg and a 12 m bar 7,608 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W14x426?
About the strong axis, Ix = 6,600 in⁴ (274,712 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 706 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 2,360 in⁴ and Sy = 283 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W14x426 or W14x455 — what does one size up change?
W14x455 is about 7% heavier (455 vs 426 lb/ft) but about 9% stiffer (Ix 7,190 vs 6,600 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