Steel Beam Size Chart — W-Shapes, IPE, HEA & HEB Dimensions

Verified steel beam size tables: 42 common AISC W-shapes with depth, flange, area, Ix and Sx, plus full IPE 80–600 and HEA/HEB 100–600 metric sections.


Updated August 16, 2026

A W-shape designation reads as W(nominal depth in inches)×(weight in pounds per foot): a W12x26 is nominally 12 in deep and weighs 26 lb/ft. The actual depth usually differs from the nominal — a W12x26 is really 12.2 in deep — so always take dimensions from the table, not the name. The table below lists the most commonly specified W-shapes from the AISC Shapes Database with the properties used in beam sizing: depth d, flange width bf, web thickness tw, area A, strong-axis moment of inertia Ix, and elastic section modulus Sx.

European hot-rolled sections use a different convention: IPE sections are narrow-flange I-beams named by their exact depth in millimetres (an IPE 300 is 300 mm deep), while HEA and HEB are wide-flange H-sections named by a nominal size — an HEA section is actually slightly shallower than its name (HEA 300 is 290 mm deep) and an HEB matches it (HEB 300 is 300 mm deep). In the European tables the strong axis is y-y, so the values given are Iy and Wel,y — the same physical quantities American tables call Ix and Sx.

Every value here is transcribed from the published source tables cited at the bottom of the page and cross-checked against a second independent tabulation. Use them for preliminary sizing and take-offs; final member selection belongs in a code check with the governing standard.

Common AISC W-Shapes (Imperial)

ShapeWeight (lb/ft)d (in)bf (in)tw (in)A (in²)Ix (in⁴)Sx (in³)
W4x13134.164.060.2803.8311.35.46
W6x995.903.940.1702.6816.45.56
W6x12126.034.000.2303.5522.17.31
W6x15155.995.990.2304.4329.19.72
W8x10107.893.940.1702.9630.87.81
W8x18188.145.250.2305.2661.915.2
W8x24247.936.500.2457.0882.720.9
W8x31318.008.000.2859.1311027.5
W10x12129.873.960.1903.5453.810.9
W10x222210.25.750.2406.4911823.2
W10x33339.737.960.2909.7117135.0
W10x494910.010.00.34014.427254.6
W12x141411.93.970.2004.1688.614.9
W12x262612.26.490.2307.6520433.4
W12x404011.98.010.29511.730751.5
W12x535312.110.00.34515.642570.6
W12x656512.112.00.39019.153387.9
W14x222213.75.000.2306.4919929.0
W14x303013.86.730.2708.8529142.0
W14x343414.06.750.28510.034048.6
W14x484813.88.030.34014.148470.2
W14x909014.014.50.44026.5999143
W16x262615.75.500.2507.6830138.4
W16x313115.95.530.2759.1337547.2
W16x404016.07.000.30511.851864.7
W16x575716.47.120.43016.875892.2
W18x353517.76.000.30010.351057.6
W18x505018.07.500.35514.780088.9
W18x606018.27.560.41517.6984108
W21x444420.76.500.35013.084381.6
W21x505020.86.530.38014.798494.5
W21x626221.08.240.40018.31330127
W24x555523.67.010.39516.21350114
W24x626223.77.040.43018.21550131
W24x686823.78.970.41520.11830154
W24x848424.19.020.47024.72370196
W27x848426.710.00.46024.72850213
W30x909029.510.40.47026.33610245
W30x11611630.010.50.56534.24930329
W33x11811832.911.50.55034.75900359
W36x13513535.612.00.60039.97800439
W36x15015035.912.00.62544.39040504

AISC Shapes Database values (Steel Construction Manual). ~40 of the most-specified shapes, not the full database; strong axis is x-x. Ix and Sx are elastic strong-axis properties.

IPE Sections 80–600 (EN 10365, Metric)

SectionMass (kg/m)h (mm)b (mm)tw (mm)tf (mm)A (cm²)Iy (cm⁴)Wel,y (cm³)
IPE 806.080463.85.27.6480.120.0
IPE 1008.1100554.15.710.317134.2
IPE 12010.4120644.46.313.231853.0
IPE 14012.9140734.76.916.454177.3
IPE 16015.8160825.07.420.1869109
IPE 18018.8180915.38.023.91317146
IPE 20022.42001005.68.528.51943194
IPE 22026.22201105.99.233.42772252
IPE 24030.72401206.29.839.13892324
IPE 27036.12701356.610.245.95790429
IPE 30042.23001507.110.753.88356557
IPE 33049.13301607.511.562.611770713
IPE 36057.13601708.012.772.716270904
IPE 40066.34001808.613.584.5231301156
IPE 45077.64501909.414.698.8337401500
IPE 50090.750020010.216.0115.5482001928
IPE 550105.555021011.117.2134.4671202441
IPE 600122.460022012.019.0156.0920803069

European convention: the strong axis is y-y, so Iy and Wel,y here correspond to Ix and Sx in American tables. h is the exact section depth.

HEA & HEB Sections 100–600 (EN 10365, Metric)

SectionMass (kg/m)h (mm)b (mm)tw (mm)tf (mm)A (cm²)Iy (cm⁴)Wel,y (cm³)
HEA 10016.7961005.08.021.234972.8
HEA 12019.91141205.08.025.3606106
HEA 14024.71331405.58.531.41033155
HEA 16030.41521606.09.038.81673220
HEA 18035.51711806.09.545.32510294
HEA 20042.31902006.510.053.83692389
HEA 22050.52102207.011.064.35410515
HEA 24060.32302407.512.076.87763675
HEA 26068.22502607.512.586.810450836
HEA 28076.42702808.013.097.3136701013
HEA 30088.32903008.514.0112.5182601260
HEA 32097.63103009.015.5124.4229301479
HEA 3401053303009.516.5133.5276901678
HEA 36011235030010.017.5142.8330901891
HEA 40012539030011.019.0159.0450702311
HEA 45014044030011.521.0178.0637202896
HEA 50015549030012.023.0197.5869703550
HEA 55016654030012.524.0211.81119004146
HEA 60017859030013.025.0226.51412004787
HEB 10020.41001006.010.026.045089.9
HEB 12026.71201206.511.034.0864144
HEB 14033.71401407.012.043.01509216
HEB 16042.61601608.013.054.32492312
HEB 18051.21801808.514.065.33831426
HEB 20061.32002009.015.078.15696570
HEB 22071.52202209.516.091.08091736
HEB 24083.224024010.017.0106.011260938
HEB 26093.026026010.017.5118.4149201148
HEB 28010328028010.518.0131.4192701376
HEB 30011730030011.019.0149.1251701678
HEB 32012732030011.520.5161.3308201926
HEB 34013434030012.021.5170.9366602156
HEB 36014236030012.522.5180.6431902400
HEB 40015540030013.524.0197.8576802884
HEB 45017145030014.026.0218.0798903551
HEB 50018750030014.528.0238.61072004287
HEB 55019955030015.029.0254.11367004971
HEB 60021260030015.530.0270.01710005701

Hot-rolled Euronorm 53-62 / DIN 1025 values. An HEA section is shallower and lighter than the HEB of the same designation; above size 300 both keep a 300 mm flange while the depth keeps growing.

Sources & Further Reading

  • AISC Shapes Database v15.0, American Institute of Steel Construction (Steel Construction Manual) — W-shape dimensions and properties
  • EN 10365:2017 hot-rolled I and H sections — IPE properties as tabulated by eurocodeapplied.com
  • Euronorm 53-62 / DIN 1025 HEA & HEB tables (b2bmetal mirror), cross-checked against piping-world.com and structolution.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a designation like W12x26 mean?

W means wide-flange, 12 is the nominal depth in inches, and 26 is the weight in pounds per linear foot. The actual depth of a W12x26 is 12.2 in — always read dimensions from the table, because actual depths within a nominal family vary by more than an inch for the heavier shapes.

What is the difference between HEA and HEB sections?

Both are European wide-flange H-sections with the same nominal sizes. HEA is the lighter series — its actual depth is slightly less than the nominal (HEA 300 is 290 mm deep) — while HEB is the standard series whose depth matches the name. For the same nominal size the HEB has thicker web and flanges, more area, and roughly 30–40% more strong-axis stiffness.

Why do European tables call the strong axis y-y when American tables call it x-x?

It is purely a labeling convention. Eurocode drawings put the y axis across the flanges (strong axis) and z down the web, while American practice uses x for strong and y for weak. Iy/Wel,y in the metric tables here are the same physical quantities as Ix/Sx in the W-shape table.

Can I pick a beam size straight from this chart?

Use the chart to shortlist by section modulus or moment of inertia, then verify the candidate with a proper design check — bending, shear, deflection, and lateral-torsional buckling all depend on span, bracing, and loading, not just the section properties.

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