W44x290 — Dimensions, Weight & Section Properties
American wide-flange (W) beam per ASTM A6 / AISC Steel Construction Manual
W44x290 is an American wide-flange beam 43.6 inches (1,107.4 mm) deep with a 15.8 in (401.3 mm) flange, weighing 290 pounds per foot (431.6 kg/m) — that is what the "290" 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 | 43.6 in (1,107.4 mm) |
| Flange width bf | 15.8 in (401.3 mm) |
| Web thickness tw | 0.865 in (22 mm) |
| Flange thickness tf | 1.58 in (40.1 mm) |
Weight & Cross-Section
| Weight per foot | 290 lb/ft (431.6 kg/m) |
| 20 ft bar | 5,800 lb |
| 40 ft bar | 11,600 lb |
| Area A | 85.4 in² (551 cm²) |
Section Properties (strong / weak axis)
| Moment of inertia Ix | 27,000 in⁴ (1,123,821 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sx | 1,240 in³ (20,320 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration rx | 17.8 in |
| Moment of inertia Iy | 1,040 in⁴ (43,288 cm⁴) |
| Section modulus Sy | 132 in³ (2,163 cm³) |
| Radius of gyration ry | 3.49 in |
Compared with the neighbouring sizes
| Shape | d × bf (in) | lb/ft | Ix (in⁴) | Sx (in³) | Δ weight | Δ Ix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W44x262 | 43.3 × 15.8 | 262 | 24,100 | 1,110 | −10 % | −11 % |
| W44x290 (this page) | 43.6 × 15.8 | 290 | 27,000 | 1,240 | — | — |
| W44x335 | 44 × 15.9 | 335 | 31,100 | 1,410 | +16 % | +15 % |
Deflection example
A simply supported W44x290 spanning 70 ft with a 10 kip point load at midspan deflects 0.16 in (E = 29,000 ksi, Ix = 27,000 in⁴). The L/360 serviceability limit for this span is 2.33 in — the shape passes this quick check.
Calculate with your own span and load →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a W44x290 beam weigh?
W44x290 weighs 290 pounds per foot (431.6 kg/m). The number after the "x" in the designation is always the weight in lb/ft. A 20 ft bar weighs 5,800 lb and a 40 ft bar 11,600 lb.
What are the dimensions of a W44x290?
W44x290 is 43.6 in (1,107.4 mm) deep with a 15.8 in (401.3 mm) wide flange. The web is 0.87 in thick and the flanges are 1.58 in thick. Note the actual depth differs from the nominal W44 label — always design with the actual value.
What are the dimensions of a W44x290 in mm?
W44x290 is 1,107.4 mm deep with a 401.3 mm wide flange; the web is 22 mm and the flange 40.1 mm thick. In metric section properties: Ix = 1,123,821 cm⁴, Sx = 20,320 cm³.
How much does a W44x290 weigh in kg?
431.6 kg per meter. A 6 m bar weighs 2,589 kg and a 12 m bar 5,179 kg — handy when ordering US shapes from metric suppliers.
What is the moment of inertia of a W44x290?
About the strong axis, Ix = 27,000 in⁴ (1,123,821 cm⁴) with section modulus Sx = 1,240 in³. About the weak axis, Iy = 1,040 in⁴ and Sy = 132 in³. Use the beam deflection calculator to turn these into deflection and stress for your span and load.
W44x290 or W44x335 — what does one size up change?
W44x335 is about 16% heavier (335 vs 290 lb/ft) but about 15% stiffer (Ix 31,100 vs 27,000 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