W27x161 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W27x161 is an American wide-flange beam 27.6 inches (701 mm) deep with a 14 in (355.6 mm) flange, weighing 161 pounds per foot (239.6 kg/m) — that is what the "161" 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 | 27.6 in (701 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 14 in (355.6 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.66 in (16.8 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 1.08 in (27.4 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 161 lb/ft (239.6 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 3,220 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 6,440 lb |
| Area A | 47.6 in² (307.1 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 6,310 in⁴ (262,641 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 458 in³ (7,505 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 11.5 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 497 in⁴ (20,687 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 70.9 in³ (1,162 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 3.23 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W27x146 | 27.4 × 14 | 146 | 5,660 | 414 | −9 % | −10 % |
| W27x161 (this page) | 27.6 × 14 | 161 | 6,310 | 458 | — | — |
| W27x178 | 27.8 × 14.1 | 178 | 7,020 | 505 | +11 % | +11 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W27x161 spanning 44 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.17 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 6,310 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 1.47 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W27x161 beam weigh?
W27x161 weighs 161 pounds per foot (239.6 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 3,220 lb and a 40 ft bar 6,440 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W27x161?
W27x161 is 27.6 in (701 mm) deep with a 14 in (355.6 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.66 in thick and the flanges are 1.08 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W27 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W27x161 in mm?
W27x161 is 701 mm deep with a 355.6 mm wide flange; the web is 16.8 mm and the flange 27.4 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 262,641 cm⁴, Sx = 7,505 cm³.
How much does a W27x161 weigh in kg?
239.6 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 1,438 kg and a 12 m bar 2,875 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W27x161?
About the strong axis, Ix = 6,310 in⁴ (262,641 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 458 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 497 in⁴ and Sy = 70.9 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W27x161 or W27x178 — what does one size up change?
W27x178 is about 11% heavier (178 vs 161 lb/ft) but about 11% stiffer (Ix 7,020 vs 6,310 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