W18x130 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W18x130 is an American wide-flange beam 19.3 inches (490.2 mm) deep with a 11.2 in (284.5 mm) flange, weighing 130 pounds per foot (193.5 kg/m) — that is what the "130" 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.
W18x130: cross-section drawn to scale from the AISC dimensions (d 19.3, bf 11.2, tw 0.67, tf 1.2 in)Dimensions
| Depth d | 19.3 in (490.2 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 11.2 in (284.5 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.67 in (17 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 1.2 in (30.5 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 130 lb/ft (193.5 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 2,600 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 5,200 lb |
| Area A | 38.3 in² (247.1 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 2,460 in⁴ (102,393 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 256 in³ (4,195 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 8.03 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 278 in⁴ (11,571 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 49.9 in³ (818 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.7 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|
| W18x119 | 19 × 11.3 | 119 | 2,190 | 231 | −8 % | −11 % |
| W18x130 (this page) | 19.3 × 11.2 | 130 | 2,460 | 256 | — | — |
| W18x143 | 19.5 × 11.2 | 143 | 2,750 | 282 | +10 % | +12 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W18x130 spanning 31 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.15 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 2,460 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 1.03 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W18x130 beam weigh?
W18x130 weighs 130 pounds per foot (193.5 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 2,600 lb and a 40 ft bar 5,200 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W18x130?
W18x130 is 19.3 in (490.2 mm) deep with a 11.2 in (284.5 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.67 in thick and the flanges are 1.2 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W18 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W18x130 in mm?
W18x130 is 490.2 mm deep with a 284.5 mm wide flange; the web is 17 mm and the flange 30.5 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 102,393 cm⁴, Sx = 4,195 cm³.
How much does a W18x130 weigh in kg?
193.5 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 1,161 kg and a 12 m bar 2,322 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W18x130?
About the strong axis, Ix = 2,460 in⁴ (102,393 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 256 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 278 in⁴ and Sy = 49.9 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W18x130 or W18x143 — what does one size up change?
W18x143 is about 10% heavier (143 vs 130 lb/ft) but about 12% stiffer (Ix 2,750 vs 2,460 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