W36x150 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W36x150 is an American wide-flange beam 35.9 inches (911.9 mm) deep with a 12 in (304.8 mm) flange, weighing 150 pounds per foot (223.2 kg/m) — that is what the "150" 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 | 35.9 in (911.9 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 12 in (304.8 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.625 in (15.9 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 0.94 in (23.9 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 150 lb/ft (223.2 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 3,000 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 6,000 lb |
| Area A | 44.3 in² (285.8 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 9,040 in⁴ (376,272 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 504 in³ (8,259 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 14.3 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 270 in⁴ (11,238 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 45.1 in³ (739 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.47 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W36x135 | 35.6 × 12 | 135 | 7,800 | 439 | −10 % | −14 % |
| W36x150 (this page) | 35.9 × 12 | 150 | 9,040 | 504 | — | — |
| W36x160 | 36 × 12 | 160 | 9,760 | 542 | +7 % | +8 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W36x150 spanning 57 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.25 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 9,040 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 1.9 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W36x150 beam weigh?
W36x150 weighs 150 pounds per foot (223.2 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 3,000 lb and a 40 ft bar 6,000 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W36x150?
W36x150 is 35.9 in (911.9 mm) deep with a 12 in (304.8 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.63 in thick and the flanges are 0.94 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W36 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W36x150 in mm?
W36x150 is 911.9 mm deep with a 304.8 mm wide flange; the web is 15.9 mm and the flange 23.9 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 376,272 cm⁴, Sx = 8,259 cm³.
How much does a W36x150 weigh in kg?
223.2 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 1,339 kg and a 12 m bar 2,679 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W36x150?
About the strong axis, Ix = 9,040 in⁴ (376,272 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 504 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 270 in⁴ and Sy = 45.1 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W36x150 or W36x160 — what does one size up change?
W36x160 is about 7% heavier (160 vs 150 lb/ft) but about 8% stiffer (Ix 9,760 vs 9,040 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