W36x170 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W36x170 is an American wide-flange beam 36.2 inches (919.5 mm) deep with a 12 in (304.8 mm) flange, weighing 170 pounds per foot (253 kg/m) — that is what the "170" 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 | 36.2 in (919.5 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 12 in (304.8 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.68 in (17.3 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 1.1 in (27.9 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 170 lb/ft (253 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 3,400 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 6,800 lb |
| Area A | 50 in² (322.6 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 10,500 in⁴ (437,042 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 581 in³ (9,521 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 14.5 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 320 in⁴ (13,319 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 53.2 in³ (872 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.53 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W36x160 | 36 × 12 | 160 | 9,760 | 542 | −6 % | −7 % |
| W36x170 (this page) | 36.2 × 12 | 170 | 10,500 | 581 | — | — |
| W36x182 | 36.3 × 12.1 | 182 | 11,300 | 623 | +7 % | +8 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W36x170 spanning 58 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.23 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 10,500 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 1.93 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W36x170 beam weigh?
W36x170 weighs 170 pounds per foot (253 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 3,400 lb and a 40 ft bar 6,800 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W36x170?
W36x170 is 36.2 in (919.5 mm) deep with a 12 in (304.8 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.68 in thick and the flanges are 1.1 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W36 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W36x170 in mm?
W36x170 is 919.5 mm deep with a 304.8 mm wide flange; the web is 17.3 mm and the flange 27.9 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 437,042 cm⁴, Sx = 9,521 cm³.
How much does a W36x170 weigh in kg?
253 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 1,518 kg and a 12 m bar 3,036 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W36x170?
About the strong axis, Ix = 10,500 in⁴ (437,042 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 581 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 320 in⁴ and Sy = 53.2 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W36x170 or W36x182 — what does one size up change?
W36x182 is about 7% heavier (182 vs 170 lb/ft) but about 8% stiffer (Ix 11,300 vs 10,500 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