W36 Beam Sizes and Section Properties

Compare AISC W36 wide-flange sections by weight, actual depth, flange width, moment of inertia and section modulus.

Search Sections Compare Sections Open in Beam Calculator Export Excel or PDF Open 2D Structural Analysis

Steel Section Finder

Search or browse standard steel sections.

Showing AISC · W36 · Imperial

AISC Shapes Database v16.0 · 2,299 sections

Searches every available library and shape family. Leave the field empty to browse the filters below.

Showing the most relevant 75 sections.

AISC W-shape dimensions and section properties in imperial units
Designation Weight (lb/ft) Depth, d (in) Flange width, bf (in) Area (in²) Ix (in⁴) Sx (in³)
W36x853 853 43.1 18.2 251 70000 3250
W36x925 925 43.1 18.6 272 73000 3390
W36x802 802 42.6 18 236 64800 3040
W36x723 723 41.8 17.8 213 57300 2740
W36x652 652 41.1 17.6 192 50600 2460
W36x529 529 39.8 17.2 156 39600 1990
W36x487 487 39.3 17.1 143 36000 1830
W36x387 387 39.1 12.7 114 26500 1360
W36x441 441 38.9 17 130 32100 1650
W36x350 350 38.6 12.6 103 23600 1220
W36x395 395 38.4 16.8 116 28500 1490
W36x318 318 38.2 12.4 93.4 21200 1110
W36x361 361 38 16.7 106 25700 1350
W36x286 286 37.8 12.3 83.9 18900 1000
W36x330 330 37.7 16.6 96.9 23300 1240
W36x256 256 37.4 12.2 75.3 16800 895
W36x302 302 37.3 16.7 89 21100 1130
W36x232 232 37.1 12.1 68 15000 809
W36x282 282 37.1 16.6 82.9 19600 1050
W36x262 262 36.9 16.6 77.2 17900 972
W36x210 210 36.7 12.2 61.9 13200 719
W36x247 247 36.7 16.5 72.5 16700 913
W36x194 194 36.5 12.1 57 12100 664
W36x231 231 36.5 16.5 68.2 15600 854
W36x182 182 36.3 12.1 53.6 11300 623
W36x170 170 36.2 12 50 10500 581
W36x160 160 36 12 47 9760 542
W36x150 150 35.9 12 44.3 9040 504
W36x135 135 35.6 12 39.9 7800 439

Series overview

W36 series

The W36 series groups AISC W-family shapes that share the same nominal-depth designation prefix. Weights and actual depths still vary within the series, so use the table below to compare candidates before analysis.

The AISC W36 series contains 29 published sections ranging from 135.00 to 925.00 lb/ft . Actual depths range from 35.60 to 43.10 inches, despite the shared W36 nominal designation .

Lightest W36
W36X135
Highest Ix
W36X925
Shallowest actual depth
W36X135
Widest flange
W36X925

Beam calculator

Analyze a W36 section

Select a designation above and load it into Optimal Beam for span, support and load analysis.

Open beam calculator

Source: AISC Shapes Database v16.0 · Methodology

Questions & answers

W36 FAQs

What is the W36 series?

It is the set of published AISC W shapes whose designation begins with W36. Members share a nominal-depth label but can differ in weight, actual depth and properties.

Why do actual depths differ within W36?

The number in the designation is nominal. Published overall depth varies by weight. Always use the tabulated depth for clearance and detailing.

How should I choose among W36 weights?

Compare weight, Ix, Sx, flange geometry and project constraints, then analyze finalists under the same span and loads. There is no universal “best” section.

Can I analyze a W36 section in Optimal Beam?

Yes. Select a designation above and choose Analyze to load its properties into the beam calculator.