A UK universal beam or column is named by serial size and mass, so a 457x191x74 UB weighs about 74 kg/m. To convert to lb/ft, multiply by 0.672: 74.3 kg/m is 49.9 lb/ft. The tables below list every UB and UC weight in our section library with its exact catalogue mass, the lb/ft equivalent, and the actual depth, width, web and flange thickness, because the serial size is nominal and the real dimensions move with weight.
Our UB and UC sizes chart explains the naming and which serial sizes are used for what. This page is the lookup table you keep open while extending weights.
Where the numbers come from
Masses and dimensions are from the ArcelorMittal sections catalogue (V2024-1), which is the data behind our section library. Three UB weights that the ArcelorMittal range does not carry (1016x305x487, 914x419x388 and 914x419x343) come from our UK supplement, built from the SCI "Blue Book" tables, which only stores their mass, so the heavy-section table shows mass only. lb/ft = kg/m x 0.67197.
The catalogue mass is not always the number in the name. A 457x191x106 UB is 105.8 kg/m and a 533x210x92 is 92.1 kg/m. The difference is under 0.5%, but if you are matching a mill certificate or a supplier's invoice, use the catalogue value.
ArcelorMittal also rolls heavier and wider UB families than most UK stockholders carry (for example 1000x400, 920x420 and 610x325). They are in our library but left out of these tables to keep them usable. If one shows up on a drawing, check availability before you price it.
UB weight chart (127x76 to 610x305)
These are the universal beams on most UK commercial and industrial jobs.
| Section | kg/m | lb/ft | Depth h (mm) | Width b (mm) | Web tw (mm) | Flange tf (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 610x305x238 UB | 238 | 159.9 | 635.8 | 311.4 | 18.4 | 31.4 |
| 610x305x179 UB | 179 | 120.3 | 620.2 | 307.1 | 14.1 | 23.6 |
| 610x305x149 UB | 149 | 100.1 | 612.4 | 304.8 | 11.8 | 19.7 |
| 610x229x153 UB | 153 | 102.8 | 623 | 229 | 14 | 24.9 |
| 610x229x140 UB | 140 | 94.1 | 617.2 | 230.2 | 13.1 | 22.1 |
| 610x229x125 UB | 125 | 84.0 | 612.2 | 229 | 11.9 | 19.6 |
| 610x229x113 UB | 113 | 75.9 | 607.6 | 228.2 | 11.1 | 17.3 |
| 610x229x101 UB | 101 | 67.9 | 602.6 | 227.6 | 10.5 | 14.8 |
| 610x178x92 UB | 92 | 61.8 | 603 | 179 | 10.9 | 15 |
| 610x178x82 UB | 82 | 55.1 | 599 | 178 | 10 | 12.8 |
| 533x210x122 UB | 122 | 82.0 | 544.5 | 211.9 | 12.7 | 21.3 |
| 533x210x109 UB | 109 | 73.2 | 539.5 | 210.8 | 11.6 | 18.8 |
| 533x210x101 UB | 101 | 67.9 | 536.7 | 210 | 10.8 | 17.4 |
| 533x210x92 UB | 92.1 | 61.9 | 533.1 | 209.3 | 10.1 | 15.6 |
| 533x210x82 UB | 82.2 | 55.2 | 528.3 | 208.8 | 9.6 | 13.2 |
| 533x165x85 UB | 85 | 57.1 | 535 | 166 | 10.3 | 16.5 |
| 533x165x74 UB | 74 | 49.7 | 529 | 166 | 9.7 | 13.6 |
| 533x165x66 UB | 66 | 44.4 | 525 | 165 | 8.9 | 11.4 |
| 457x191x161 UB | 161.4 | 108.5 | 492 | 199.4 | 18 | 32 |
| 457x191x133 UB | 133.3 | 89.6 | 480.6 | 196.7 | 15.3 | 26.3 |
| 457x191x106 UB | 105.8 | 71.1 | 469 | 194 | 12.6 | 20.6 |
| 457x191x98 UB | 98.3 | 66.1 | 467.2 | 192.8 | 11.4 | 19.6 |
| 457x191x89 UB | 89.3 | 60.0 | 463.4 | 191.9 | 10.5 | 17.7 |
| 457x191x82 UB | 82 | 55.1 | 460 | 191.3 | 9.9 | 16 |
| 457x191x74 UB | 74.3 | 49.9 | 457 | 190.4 | 9 | 14.5 |
| 457x191x67 UB | 67.1 | 45.1 | 453.4 | 189.9 | 8.5 | 12.7 |
| 457x152x82 UB | 82.1 | 55.2 | 465.8 | 155.3 | 10.5 | 18.9 |
| 457x152x74 UB | 74.2 | 49.9 | 462 | 154.4 | 9.6 | 17 |
| 457x152x67 UB | 67.2 | 45.2 | 458 | 153.8 | 9 | 15 |
| 457x152x60 UB | 59.8 | 40.2 | 454.6 | 152.9 | 8.1 | 13.3 |
| 457x152x52 UB | 52.3 | 35.1 | 449.8 | 152.4 | 7.6 | 10.9 |
| 406x178x85 UB | 85 | 57.1 | 417 | 181 | 10.9 | 18.2 |
| 406x178x74 UB | 74.2 | 49.9 | 412.8 | 179.5 | 9.5 | 16 |
| 406x178x67 UB | 67.1 | 45.1 | 409.4 | 178.8 | 8.8 | 14.3 |
| 406x178x60 UB | 60.1 | 40.4 | 406.4 | 177.9 | 7.9 | 12.8 |
| 406x178x54 UB | 54.1 | 36.4 | 402.6 | 177.7 | 7.7 | 10.9 |
| 406x140x53 UB | 53.3 | 35.8 | 406.6 | 143.3 | 7.9 | 12.9 |
| 406x140x46 UB | 46 | 30.9 | 403.2 | 142.2 | 6.8 | 11.2 |
| 406x140x39 UB | 39 | 26.2 | 398 | 141.8 | 6.4 | 8.6 |
| 356x171x67 UB | 67.1 | 45.1 | 363.4 | 173.2 | 9.1 | 15.7 |
| 356x171x57 UB | 57 | 38.3 | 358 | 172.2 | 8.1 | 13 |
| 356x171x51 UB | 51 | 34.3 | 355 | 171.5 | 7.4 | 11.5 |
| 356x171x45 UB | 45 | 30.2 | 351.4 | 171.1 | 7 | 9.7 |
| 356x127x39 UB | 39.1 | 26.3 | 353.4 | 126 | 6.6 | 10.7 |
| 356x127x33 UB | 33.1 | 22.2 | 349 | 125.4 | 6 | 8.5 |
| 305x165x54 UB | 54 | 36.3 | 310.4 | 166.9 | 7.9 | 13.7 |
| 305x165x46 UB | 46.1 | 31.0 | 306.6 | 165.7 | 6.7 | 11.8 |
| 305x165x40 UB | 40.3 | 27.1 | 303.4 | 165 | 6 | 10.2 |
| 305x127x48 UB | 48.1 | 32.3 | 311 | 125.3 | 9 | 14 |
| 305x127x42 UB | 41.9 | 28.2 | 307.2 | 124.3 | 8 | 12.1 |
| 305x127x37 UB | 37 | 24.9 | 304.4 | 123.4 | 7.1 | 10.7 |
| 305x102x33 UB | 32.8 | 22.0 | 312.7 | 102.4 | 6.6 | 10.8 |
| 305x102x28 UB | 28.2 | 18.9 | 308.7 | 101.8 | 6 | 8.8 |
| 305x102x25 UB | 24.8 | 16.7 | 305.1 | 101.6 | 5.8 | 7 |
| 254x146x43 UB | 43 | 28.9 | 259.6 | 147.3 | 7.2 | 12.7 |
| 254x146x37 UB | 37 | 24.9 | 256 | 146.4 | 6.3 | 10.9 |
| 254x146x31 UB | 31.1 | 20.9 | 251.4 | 146.1 | 6 | 8.6 |
| 254x102x28 UB | 28.3 | 19.0 | 260.4 | 102.2 | 6.3 | 10 |
| 254x102x25 UB | 25.2 | 16.9 | 257.2 | 101.9 | 6 | 8.4 |
| 254x102x22 UB | 22 | 14.8 | 254 | 101.6 | 5.7 | 6.8 |
| 203x133x30 UB | 30 | 20.2 | 206.8 | 133.9 | 6.4 | 9.6 |
| 203x133x25 UB | 25.1 | 16.9 | 203.2 | 133.2 | 5.7 | 7.8 |
| 203x102x23 UB | 23.1 | 15.5 | 203.2 | 101.8 | 5.4 | 9.3 |
| 178x102x19 UB | 19 | 12.8 | 177.8 | 101.2 | 4.8 | 7.9 |
| 152x89x16 UB | 16 | 10.8 | 152.4 | 88.7 | 4.5 | 7.7 |
| 127x76x13 UB | 13 | 8.7 | 127 | 76 | 4 | 7.6 |
Heavy UB weights (533x312, and 686x254 and deeper)
Deep girders and transfer beams. Mass in kg/m with lb/ft in brackets.
| Serial size | Weights in the library, kg/m (lb/ft) |
|---|---|
| 1016x305 UB | 222 (149.2), 249 (167.3), 272 (182.8), 314 (211.0), 350 (235.2), 393 (264.1), 415 (278.9), 438 (294.3), 487 (327.2), 494 (332.0), 584 (392.4) |
| 914x419 UB | 343.3 (230.7), 388 (260.7) |
| 914x305 UB | 201 (135.1), 224 (150.5), 238 (159.9), 253 (170.0), 271 (182.1), 289 (194.2), 313 (210.3), 345 (231.8), 381 (256.0), 425 (285.6), 474 (318.5), 521 (350.1), 576 (387.1) |
| 838x292 UB | 176 (118.3), 194 (130.4), 210 (141.1), 226 (151.9), 251 (168.7) |
| 762x267 UB | 134 (90.0), 147 (98.8), 161 (108.2), 173 (116.3), 185 (124.3), 197 (132.4), 220 (147.8) |
| 686x254 UB | 125 (84.0), 140 (94.1), 152 (102.1), 170 (114.2), 192 (129.0) |
| 533x312 UB | 150 (100.8), 165 (110.9), 182 (122.3), 196 (131.7), 219 (147.2), 248 (166.6), 272 (182.8), 300 (201.6), 332 (223.1), 369 (248.0), 409 (274.8) |
UC weight chart (152x152 to 356x368)
| Section | kg/m | lb/ft | Depth h (mm) | Width b (mm) | Web tw (mm) | Flange tf (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 356x368x202 UC | 202 | 135.7 | 374.6 | 374.7 | 16.5 | 27 |
| 356x368x196 UC | 196 | 131.7 | 372 | 374 | 16.4 | 26.2 |
| 356x368x179 UC | 179 | 120.3 | 368 | 373 | 15 | 23.9 |
| 356x368x177 UC | 177 | 118.9 | 368.2 | 372.6 | 14.4 | 23.8 |
| 356x368x162 UC | 162 | 108.9 | 364 | 371 | 13.3 | 21.8 |
| 356x368x153 UC | 153 | 102.8 | 362 | 370.5 | 12.3 | 20.7 |
| 356x368x147 UC | 147 | 98.8 | 360 | 370 | 12.3 | 19.8 |
| 356x368x134 UC | 134 | 90.0 | 356 | 369 | 11.2 | 18 |
| 356x368x129 UC | 129 | 86.7 | 355.6 | 368.6 | 10.4 | 17.5 |
| 305x305x500 UC | 500 | 336.0 | 427 | 340 | 45.1 | 75.1 |
| 305x305x454 UC | 454 | 305.1 | 415 | 336 | 41.3 | 68.7 |
| 305x305x415 UC | 415 | 278.9 | 403 | 334 | 38.9 | 62.7 |
| 305x305x375 UC | 375 | 252.0 | 391 | 330 | 35.4 | 57.2 |
| 305x305x342 UC | 342 | 229.8 | 382 | 328 | 32.6 | 52.6 |
| 305x305x313 UC | 313 | 210.3 | 374 | 325 | 30 | 48.3 |
| 305x305x283 UC | 283 | 190.2 | 365.3 | 322.2 | 26.8 | 44.1 |
| 305x305x253 UC | 253 | 170.0 | 356 | 319 | 24.4 | 39.6 |
| 305x305x240 UC | 240 | 161.3 | 352.5 | 318.4 | 23 | 37.7 |
| 305x305x226 UC | 226 | 151.9 | 348 | 317 | 22.1 | 35.6 |
| 305x305x202 UC | 202 | 135.7 | 341 | 315 | 20.1 | 31.8 |
| 305x305x198 UC | 198 | 133.1 | 339.9 | 314.5 | 19.1 | 31.4 |
| 305x305x179 UC | 179 | 120.3 | 333 | 313 | 18 | 28.1 |
| 305x305x158 UC | 158 | 106.2 | 327.1 | 311.2 | 15.8 | 25 |
| 305x305x143 UC | 143 | 96.1 | 323 | 309 | 14 | 22.9 |
| 305x305x137 UC | 137 | 92.1 | 320.5 | 309.2 | 13.8 | 21.7 |
| 305x305x129 UC | 129 | 86.7 | 318 | 308 | 13.1 | 20.6 |
| 305x305x118 UC | 118 | 79.3 | 314.5 | 307.4 | 12 | 18.7 |
| 305x305x107 UC | 107 | 71.9 | 311 | 306 | 10.9 | 17 |
| 305x305x97 UC | 96.9 | 65.1 | 307.9 | 305.3 | 9.9 | 15.4 |
| 254x254x167 UC | 167 | 112.2 | 289.1 | 265.2 | 19.2 | 31.7 |
| 254x254x149 UC | 149 | 100.1 | 282 | 263 | 17.3 | 28.4 |
| 254x254x132 UC | 132 | 88.7 | 276.3 | 261.3 | 15.3 | 25.3 |
| 254x254x115 UC | 115 | 77.3 | 269 | 259 | 13.5 | 22.1 |
| 254x254x107 UC | 107 | 71.9 | 266.7 | 258.8 | 12.8 | 20.5 |
| 254x254x101 UC | 101 | 67.9 | 264 | 257 | 11.9 | 19.6 |
| 254x254x89 UC | 88.9 | 59.7 | 260.3 | 256.3 | 10.3 | 17.3 |
| 254x254x81 UC | 81 | 54.4 | 256 | 255 | 9.4 | 15.6 |
| 254x254x73 UC | 73.1 | 49.1 | 254.1 | 254.6 | 8.6 | 14.2 |
| 203x203x100 UC | 100 | 67.2 | 229 | 210 | 14.5 | 23.7 |
| 203x203x86 UC | 86.1 | 57.9 | 222.2 | 209.1 | 12.7 | 20.5 |
| 203x203x71 UC | 71 | 47.7 | 215.8 | 206.4 | 10 | 17.3 |
| 203x203x60 UC | 60 | 40.3 | 209.6 | 205.8 | 9.4 | 14.2 |
| 203x203x52 UC | 52 | 34.9 | 206.2 | 204.3 | 7.9 | 12.5 |
| 203x203x46 UC | 46.1 | 31.0 | 203.2 | 203.6 | 7.2 | 11 |
| 152x152x51 UC | 51 | 34.3 | 170.2 | 157.4 | 11 | 15.7 |
| 152x152x44 UC | 44 | 29.6 | 166 | 155.9 | 9.5 | 13.6 |
| 152x152x37 UC | 37 | 24.9 | 161.8 | 154.4 | 8 | 11.5 |
| 152x152x30 UC | 30 | 20.2 | 157.6 | 152.9 | 6.5 | 9.4 |
| 152x152x23 UC | 23 | 15.5 | 152.4 | 152.2 | 5.8 | 6.8 |
The heaviest 305x305 weights are not stocked everywhere. Check availability before you price them.
Heavy UC weights (356x406)
The column-core sections. At the top of the range these are more than a tonne per metre.
| Serial size | Weights in the library, kg/m (lb/ft) |
|---|---|
| 356x406 UC | 216 (145.1), 235 (157.9), 237 (159.3), 262 (176.1), 287 (192.9), 314 (211.0), 340 (228.5), 347 (233.2), 382 (256.7), 393 (264.1), 421 (282.9), 463 (311.1), 467 (313.8), 509 (342.0), 551 (370.3), 592 (397.8), 634 (426.0), 677 (454.9), 744 (499.9), 818 (549.7), 900 (604.8), 990 (665.3), 1086 (729.8), 1202 (807.7), 1299 (872.9) |
Reading the chart: three things that trip people up
The same weight appears in several serial sizes. 67 kg/m is a 457x191, a 457x152, a 406x178 and a 356x171 UB. 74 kg/m is a 457x191, a 457x152 or a 406x178. If a schedule gets truncated to "UB 67" you know the weight but not the beam, and the depth difference matters for connections, fire protection and cladding zones. Weight alone will get the tonnage right and everything else wrong.
Actual depth grows with weight. Within the 457x191 family the 67 kg/m section is 453.4 mm deep and the 161 kg/m section is 492 mm deep. A 305x305 UC runs from 307.9 mm (97 kg/m) to 365.3 mm (283 kg/m). If you are checking a clear height or a stair headroom from the section, use the actual depth in the table, not the serial size.
Weight differences inside a serial size are large. 203x203x46 and 203x203x86 UC look alike on a drawing and one is 87% heavier. On 40 columns at 3.5 m, that is 5.6 tonnes. Always carry the third number.
Why the dimensions matter, not just the weight
Tonnage prices the steel, but the depth and width drive other lines on the estimate. Fire protection, intumescent paint and shop primer are priced by surface area or perimeter, and a 457x191x67 and a 356x171x67 weigh the same while having quite different perimeters. Cladding rails, floor zones and service penetrations are set by actual depth. Coping and end-plate details depend on flange width and thickness. That is why the tables carry all four dimensions. When a paint or fire protection subcontractor asks for a schedule, give them the section list with dimensions from this chart rather than a tonnage, and they can take their own area off it.
Worked tonnage example
Say a floor has 24 primary beams, 457x191x74 UB, each 9.0 m long:
- Mass per metre from the chart: 74.3 kg/m
- Total length: 24 x 9.0 = 216 m
- Tonnage: 216 x 74.3 = 16,049 kg, or 16.0 tonnes
- In US short tons: 16,049 kg x 2.20462 / 2000 = 17.7 tons
- In lb/ft terms: 49.9 lb/ft x 708.7 ft = about 35,380 lb
Run the check both ways if your pricing is in imperial and the drawing is metric. A units slip is the one error that doesn't look wrong at a glance, since 16 and 17.7 are both believable numbers. For the rest of the method, including connections, see how to calculate steel beam weight.
UB and UC vs AISC W-shapes
If you price both UK and US work, a few rough neighbours help you sense-check a total:
- 305x165x40 UB (40.3 kg/m, 27.1 lb/ft) is close to a W12x26.
- 305x305x97 UC (96.9 kg/m, 65.1 lb/ft) is close to a W12x65.
- 203x203x46 UC (46.1 kg/m, 31.0 lb/ft) sits near the W8x31 column.
These are neighbours, not substitutes. Swapping standards needs the engineer's sign-off. The W-shape metric equivalents table goes the other direction, and for continental sections see the HEA vs HEB vs HEM chart.
Steelflo reads full UB and UC designations, width and weight included, off your PDFs and puts a box on each callout for you to review, so the weight that goes into the BOM is the weight on the drawing. For one-off checks, the free steel calculator has the same catalogue.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a UB weigh per metre?
The third number in the designation is the mass in kg/m, so a 406x178x54 UB weighs about 54 kg/m (54.1 kg/m in the catalogue). UBs in common use range from 13 kg/m (127x76x13) to over 200 kg/m for deep girders.
How do I convert UB or UC weight from kg/m to lb/ft?
Multiply kg/m by 0.672. A 457x191x74 UB at 74.3 kg/m is about 49.9 lb/ft, and a 203x203x46 UC at 46.1 kg/m is about 31.0 lb/ft.
What is the heaviest universal column?
The heaviest in our library is the 356x406x1299 UC from the ArcelorMittal range, at 1,299 kg/m (about 873 lb/ft). Sections that heavy are rolled for very heavy column cores, and most stockholders carry far lighter weights, so check availability.
Why is the actual depth different from the serial size?
The serial size is nominal. Mills keep the inside dimensions roughly constant within a family and add thickness to the flanges, so heavier sections are deeper and wider than the name suggests.
Can I identify a UB from its weight alone?
No. Several serial sizes share the same weight. 67 kg/m, for example, exists as a 457x191, 457x152, 406x178 and 356x171 UB. You need all three numbers.