W33x118 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W33x118 is an American wide-flange beam 32.9 inches (835.7 mm) deep with a 11.5 in (292.1 mm) flange, weighing 118 pounds per foot (175.6 kg/m) — that is what the "118" 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 | 32.9 in (835.7 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 11.5 in (292.1 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.55 in (14 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 0.74 in (18.8 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 118 lb/ft (175.6 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 2,360 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 4,720 lb |
| Area A | 34.7 in² (223.9 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 5,900 in⁴ (245,576 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 359 in³ (5,883 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 13 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 187 in⁴ (7,784 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 32.6 in³ (534 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.32 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W33x118 (this page) | 32.9 × 11.5 | 118 | 5,900 | 359 | — | — |
| W33x130 | 33.1 × 11.5 | 130 | 6,710 | 406 | +10 % | +14 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W33x118 spanning 53 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.31 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 5,900 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 1.77 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W33x118 beam weigh?
W33x118 weighs 118 pounds per foot (175.6 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 2,360 lb and a 40 ft bar 4,720 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W33x118?
W33x118 is 32.9 in (835.7 mm) deep with a 11.5 in (292.1 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.55 in thick and the flanges are 0.74 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W33 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W33x118 in mm?
W33x118 is 835.7 mm deep with a 292.1 mm wide flange; the web is 14 mm and the flange 18.8 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 245,576 cm⁴, Sx = 5,883 cm³.
How much does a W33x118 weigh in kg?
175.6 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 1,054 kg and a 12 m bar 2,107 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W33x118?
About the strong axis, Ix = 5,900 in⁴ (245,576 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 359 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 187 in⁴ and Sy = 32.6 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W33x118 or W33x130 — what does one size up change?
W33x130 is about 10% heavier (130 vs 118 lb/ft) but about 14% stiffer (Ix 6,710 vs 5,900 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