W18x211 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W18x211 is an American wide-flange beam 20.7 inches (525.8 mm) deep with a 11.6 in (294.6 mm) flange, weighing 211 pounds per foot (314 kg/m) — that is what the "211" 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 | 20.7 in (525.8 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 11.6 in (294.6 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 1.06 in (26.9 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 1.91 in (48.5 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 211 lb/ft (314 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 4,220 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 8,440 lb |
| Area A | 62.3 in² (401.9 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 4,330 in⁴ (180,228 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 419 in³ (6,866 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 8.35 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 493 in⁴ (20,520 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 85.3 in³ (1,398 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.82 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W18x192 | 20.4 × 11.5 | 192 | 3,870 | 380 | −9 % | −11 % |
| W18x211 (this page) | 20.7 × 11.6 | 211 | 4,330 | 419 | — | — |
| W18x234 | 21.1 × 11.7 | 234 | 4,900 | 466 | +11 % | +13 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W18x211 spanning 33 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.1 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 4,330 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 1.1 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W18x211 beam weigh?
W18x211 weighs 211 pounds per foot (314 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 4,220 lb and a 40 ft bar 8,440 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W18x211?
W18x211 is 20.7 in (525.8 mm) deep with a 11.6 in (294.6 mm) wide flange. The web is 1.06 in thick and the flanges are 1.91 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W18 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W18x211 in mm?
W18x211 is 525.8 mm deep with a 294.6 mm wide flange; the web is 26.9 mm and the flange 48.5 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 180,228 cm⁴, Sx = 6,866 cm³.
How much does a W18x211 weigh in kg?
314 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 1,884 kg and a 12 m bar 3,768 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W18x211?
About the strong axis, Ix = 4,330 in⁴ (180,228 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 419 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 493 in⁴ and Sy = 85.3 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W18x211 or W18x234 — what does one size up change?
W18x234 is about 11% heavier (234 vs 211 lb/ft) but about 13% stiffer (Ix 4,900 vs 4,330 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