W36x194 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W36x194 is an American wide-flange beam 36.5 inches (927.1 mm) deep with a 12.1 in (307.3 mm) flange, weighing 194 pounds per foot (288.7 kg/m) — that is what the "194" 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.
W36x194: cross-section drawn to scale from the AISC dimensions (d 36.5, bf 12.1, tw 0.765, tf 1.26 in)Dimensions
| Depth d | 36.5 in (927.1 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 12.1 in (307.3 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.765 in (19.4 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 1.26 in (32 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 194 lb/ft (288.7 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 3,880 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 7,760 lb |
| Area A | 57 in² (367.7 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 12,100 in⁴ (503,638 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 664 in³ (10,881 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 14.6 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 375 in⁴ (15,609 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 61.9 in³ (1,014 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 2.56 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|
| W36x182 | 36.3 × 12.1 | 182 | 11,300 | 623 | −6 % | −7 % |
| W36x194 (this page) | 36.5 × 12.1 | 194 | 12,100 | 664 | — | — |
| W36x210 | 36.7 × 12.2 | 210 | 13,200 | 719 | +8 % | +9 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W36x194 spanning 58 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.2 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 12,100 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 W36x194 beam weigh?
W36x194 weighs 194 pounds per foot (288.7 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 3,880 lb and a 40 ft bar 7,760 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W36x194?
W36x194 is 36.5 in (927.1 mm) deep with a 12.1 in (307.3 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.77 in thick and the flanges are 1.26 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W36 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W36x194 in mm?
W36x194 is 927.1 mm deep with a 307.3 mm wide flange; the web is 19.4 mm and the flange 32 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 503,638 cm⁴, Sx = 10,881 cm³.
How much does a W36x194 weigh in kg?
288.7 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 1,732 kg and a 12 m bar 3,465 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W36x194?
About the strong axis, Ix = 12,100 in⁴ (503,638 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 664 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 375 in⁴ and Sy = 61.9 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W36x194 or W36x210 — what does one size up change?
W36x210 is about 8% heavier (210 vs 194 lb/ft) but about 9% stiffer (Ix 13,200 vs 12,100 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