Wide Flange Steel Beams
Wide Flange Steel Beams
Also known as W-Beams, wide flange beams’ name summarizes their main difference to I-beams. Their wider flanges make their cross-section look more like an uppercase H than an uppercase I. Additionally, wide flange beams don’t have tapered flanges like I-beams do. These two factors allow W-beams to distribute loads over a wider area than other beams, essentially making them a heavier-duty version of standard beams. Wide flange beams are great for applications where this extra strength is necessary, such as structural supports in buildings, bridges, and more.
Service Steel Warehouse stocks a variety of ready-to-ship wide flange beams 4” through 44” beams, most in 5’ increments of length from 20’ to 60’ and some sizes up to 70’. We also offer full-service processing capabilities, such as cutting to length and cambering.
W-Beam Dimensions
| Nominal Size in Inches | Depth in Inches | Flange Width in Inches | Flange Thickness in Inches | Web Thickness in Inches | Weight Per Foot in Lbs | 20' Weight in Lbs | 40' Weight in Lbs | Galv Per Foot Weight in Lbs | Galv 20' Weight in Lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 | 4.16 | 4.060 | .345 | .280 | 13 | 260 | 520 | 14 | 273 |
| 5x5 | 5.01 | 5.000 | .360 | .240 | 16 | 320 | 640 | 17 | 336 |
| 5x5 | 5.15 | 5.030 | .430 | .270 | 19 | 380 | 760 | 20 | 399 |
| 6x4 | 5.90 | 3.940 | .215 | .170 | 9 | 180 | 360 | 10 | 189 |
| 6x4 | 6.03 | 4.000 | .280 | .230 | 12 | 240 | 480 | 13 | 252 |
| 6x4 | 6.28 | 4.030 | .405 | .260 | 16 | 320 | 640 | 17 | 336 |
| 6x6 | 5.99 | 5.990 | .260 | .230 | 15 | 300 | 600 | 16 | 315 |
| 6x6 | 6.20 | 6.020 | .365 | .260 | 20 | 400 | 800 | 21 | 420 |
| 6x6 | 6.38 | 6.080 | .455 | .320 | 25 | 500 | 1000 | 27 | 525 |
| 8x4 | 7.89 | 3.940 | .205 | .170 | 10 | 200 | 400 | 11 | 210 |
| 8x4 | 7.99 | 4.000 | .255 | .230 | 13 | 260 | 520 | 14 | 273 |
| 8x4 | 8.11 | 4.015 | .315 | .245 | 15 | 300 | 600 | 16 | 315 |
| 8x5 1/4 | 8.14 | 5.250 | .330 | .230 | 18 | 360 | 720 | 19 | 378 |
| 8x5 1/4 | 8.28 | 5.270 | .400 | .250 | 21 | 420 | 840 | 23 | 441 |
| 8 x 6 1/2 | 7.93 | 6.495 | .400 | .245 | 24 | 480 | 960 | 26 | 504 |
| 8 x 6 1/2 | 8.06 | 6.535 | .465 | .285 | 28 | 560 | 1120 | 30 | 588 |
| 8x8 | 8.00 | 7.995 | .435 | .285 | 31 | 620 | 1240 | 33 | 651 |
| 8x8 | 8.12 | 8.020 | .495 | .310 | 35 | 700 | 1400 | 37 | 735 |
| 8x8 | 8.25 | 8.070 | .560 | .360 | 40 | 800 | 1600 | 42 | 840 |
| 8x8 | 8.50 | 8.110 | .685 | .400 | 48 | 960 | 1920 | 51 | 1008 |
| 8x8 | 8.75 | 8.220 | .810 | .510 | 58 | 1160 | 2320 | 61 | 1218 |
| 8x8 | 9.00 | 8.280 | .935 | .570 | 67 | 1340 | 2680 | 71 | 1407 |
| 10 x 4 | 9.87 | 3.960 | .210 | .190 | 12 | 240 | 480 | 13 | 252 |
| 10 x 4 | 9.99 | 4.000 | .270 | .230 | 15 | 300 | 600 | 16 | 315 |
| 10 x 4 | 10.11 | 4.010 | .330 | .240 | 17 | 340 | 680 | 18 | 357 |
| 10 x 4 | 10.24 | 4.020 | .395 | .250 | 19 | 380 | 760 | 20 | 399 |
Wide Flange Beams FAQs
W-beams are commonly used in heavy-duty applications because of their high strength and weight. This includes stabilizing retaining walls, columns in residential and commercial construction, structural support for highway overpasses and bridges, walls for underground spaces (such as basements), and much more.
Also known as wide flange beams, W-beams have two primary differences from standard I-beams (also called S-beams). The most obvious is that the flanges (horizontal parts of a beam, connected by the vertical web) are wider and distribute load across a larger area. The second difference is that wide flange beams have uniform flanges instead of tapered flanges that I-beams often have, which narrow as they get further from the web.
Wide flange beams can have a wide range of prices based on size, rendered services, market conditions, and other factors.
For more detailed pricing please contact your sales representative. Request a quote.