W14x53 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W14x53 is an American wide-flange beam 13.9 inches (353.1 mm) deep with a 8.06 in (204.7 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.
Dimensions
| Depth d | 13.9 in (353.1 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 8.06 in (204.7 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.37 in (9.4 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 0.66 in (16.8 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 | 541 in⁴ (22,518 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 77.8 in³ (1,275 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 5.89 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 57.7 in⁴ (2,402 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 14.3 in³ (234 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 1.92 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W14x48 | 13.8 × 8.03 | 48 | 484 | 70.2 | −9 % | −11 % |
| W14x53 (this page) | 13.9 × 8.06 | 53 | 541 | 77.8 | — | — |
| W14x61 | 13.9 × 10 | 61 | 640 | 92.1 | +15 % | +18 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W14x53 spanning 22 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.24 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 541 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 0.73 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W14x53 beam weigh?
W14x53 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 W14x53?
W14x53 is 13.9 in (353.1 mm) deep with a 8.06 in (204.7 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.37 in thick and the flanges are 0.66 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W14 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W14x53 in mm?
W14x53 is 353.1 mm deep with a 204.7 mm wide flange; the web is 9.4 mm and the flange 16.8 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 22,518 cm⁴, Sx = 1,275 cm³.
How much does a W14x53 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 W14x53?
About the strong axis, Ix = 541 in⁴ (22,518 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 77.8 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 57.7 in⁴ and Sy = 14.3 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W14x53 or W14x61 — what does one size up change?
W14x61 is about 15% heavier (61 vs 53 lb/ft) but about 18% stiffer (Ix 640 vs 541 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