W14x68 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W14x68 is an American wide-flange beam 14 inches (355.6 mm) deep with a 10 in (254 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 | 14 in (355.6 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 10 in (254 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.415 in (10.5 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 0.72 in (18.3 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 | 722 in⁴ (30,052 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 103 in³ (1,688 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 6.01 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 121 in⁴ (5,036 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 24.2 in³ (397 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.46 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W14x61 | 13.9 × 10 | 61 | 640 | 92.1 | −10 % | −11 % |
| W14x68 (this page) | 14 × 10 | 68 | 722 | 103 | — | — |
| W14x74 | 14.2 × 10.1 | 74 | 795 | 112 | +9 % | +10 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W14x68 spanning 22 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.18 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 722 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 W14x68 beam weigh?
W14x68 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 W14x68?
W14x68 is 14 in (355.6 mm) deep with a 10 in (254 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.42 in thick and the flanges are 0.72 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W14 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W14x68 in mm?
W14x68 is 355.6 mm deep with a 254 mm wide flange; the web is 10.5 mm and the flange 18.3 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 30,052 cm⁴, Sx = 1,688 cm³.
How much does a W14x68 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 W14x68?
About the strong axis, Ix = 722 in⁴ (30,052 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 103 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 121 in⁴ and Sy = 24.2 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W14x68 or W14x74 — what does one size up change?
W14x74 is about 9% heavier (74 vs 68 lb/ft) but about 10% stiffer (Ix 795 vs 722 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