W44x230 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W44x230 is an American wide-flange beam 42.9 inches (1,089.7 mm) deep with a 15.8 in (401.3 mm) flange, weighing 230 pounds per foot (342.3 kg/m) — that is what the "230" 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 | 42.9 in (1,089.7 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 15.8 in (401.3 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.71 in (18 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 1.22 in (31 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 230 lb/ft (342.3 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 4,600 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 9,200 lb |
| Area A | 67.8 in² (437.4 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 20,800 in⁴ (865,758 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 971 in³ (15,912 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 17.5 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 796 in⁴ (33,132 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 101 in³ (1,655 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 3.43 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W44x230 (this page) | 42.9 × 15.8 | 230 | 20,800 | 971 | — | — |
| W44x262 | 43.3 × 15.8 | 262 | 24,100 | 1,110 | +14 % | +16 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W44x230 spanning 69 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.2 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 20,800 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 2.3 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W44x230 beam weigh?
W44x230 weighs 230 pounds per foot (342.3 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 4,600 lb and a 40 ft bar 9,200 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W44x230?
W44x230 is 42.9 in (1,089.7 mm) deep with a 15.8 in (401.3 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.71 in thick and the flanges are 1.22 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W44 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W44x230 in mm?
W44x230 is 1,089.7 mm deep with a 401.3 mm wide flange; the web is 18 mm and the flange 31 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 865,758 cm⁴, Sx = 15,912 cm³.
How much does a W44x230 weigh in kg?
342.3 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 2,054 kg and a 12 m bar 4,107 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W44x230?
About the strong axis, Ix = 20,800 in⁴ (865,758 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 971 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 796 in⁴ and Sy = 101 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W44x230 or W44x262 — what does one size up change?
W44x262 is about 14% heavier (262 vs 230 lb/ft) but about 16% stiffer (Ix 24,100 vs 20,800 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