The W14 is the column shape of North American steel construction. The AISC catalog lists 38 W14 sections, from the W14x22 at 22 lb/ft (32.7 kg/m) to the W14x873 at 873 lb/ft (1,299.2 kg/m). That's the widest weight range of any W depth. The light W14s are ordinary beams with a 5-inch flange. From the W14x90 up, the flange is 14.5 inches or wider and the section is built to carry axial load, which is why multi-story column schedules are full of W14s.
The full chart is below, then how the W14 column range is organized, how column tiers affect a takeoff, and what changes when you get into the heavy shapes. Each size links to its page in the steel shapes reference.
W14 Sizes Chart (All 38 AISC Sections)
Weights are from the AISC shape database. Metric weight is lb/ft × 1.488. Depth (d) and flange width (bf) are actual dimensions, and on the heavy shapes they're a long way from the nominal 14 inches.
| Section | Weight (lb/ft) | Weight (kg/m) | Depth d (in) | Flange width bf (in) | Area (in²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W14x22 | 22 | 32.7 | 13.74 | 5 | 6.49 |
| W14x26 | 26 | 38.7 | 13.91 | 5.025 | 7.69 |
| W14x30 | 30 | 44.6 | 13.84 | 6.73 | 8.85 |
| W14x34 | 34 | 50.6 | 13.98 | 6.745 | 10 |
| W14x38 | 38 | 56.6 | 14.10 | 6.77 | 11.2 |
| W14x43 | 43 | 64 | 13.66 | 7.995 | 12.6 |
| W14x48 | 48 | 71.4 | 13.79 | 8.03 | 14.1 |
| W14x53 | 53 | 78.9 | 13.92 | 8.06 | 15.6 |
| W14x61 | 61 | 90.8 | 13.89 | 9.995 | 17.9 |
| W14x68 | 68 | 101.2 | 14.04 | 10.035 | 20 |
| W14x74 | 74 | 110.1 | 14.17 | 10.07 | 21.8 |
| W14x82 | 82 | 122 | 14.31 | 10.13 | 24.1 |
| W14x90 | 90 | 133.9 | 14.02 | 14.52 | 26.5 |
| W14x99 | 99 | 147.3 | 14.16 | 14.565 | 29.1 |
| W14x109 | 109 | 162.2 | 14.32 | 14.605 | 32 |
| W14x120 | 120 | 178.6 | 14.48 | 14.67 | 35.3 |
| W14x132 | 132 | 196.4 | 14.66 | 14.725 | 38.8 |
| W14x145 | 145 | 215.8 | 14.78 | 15.5 | 42.7 |
| W14x159 | 159 | 236.6 | 14.98 | 15.565 | 46.7 |
| W14x176 | 176 | 261.9 | 15.22 | 15.65 | 51.8 |
| W14x193 | 193 | 287.2 | 15.48 | 15.71 | 56.8 |
| W14x211 | 211 | 314 | 15.72 | 15.8 | 62 |
| W14x233 | 233 | 346.7 | 16.04 | 15.89 | 68.5 |
| W14x257 | 257 | 382.5 | 16.38 | 15.995 | 75.6 |
| W14x283 | 283 | 421.1 | 16.74 | 16.11 | 83.3 |
| W14x311 | 311 | 462.8 | 17.12 | 16.23 | 91.4 |
| W14x342 | 342 | 509 | 17.54 | 16.36 | 101 |
| W14x370 | 370 | 550.6 | 17.92 | 16.475 | 109 |
| W14x398 | 398 | 592.3 | 18.29 | 16.59 | 117 |
| W14x426 | 426 | 634 | 18.67 | 16.695 | 125 |
| W14x455 | 455 | 677.1 | 19.02 | 16.835 | 134 |
| W14x500 | 500 | 744.1 | 19.60 | 17.01 | 147 |
| W14x550 | 550 | 818.5 | 20.24 | 17.2 | 162 |
| W14x605 | 605 | 900.3 | 20.92 | 17.415 | 178 |
| W14x665 | 665 | 989.6 | 21.64 | 17.65 | 196 |
| W14x730 | 730 | 1086.4 | 22.42 | 17.89 | 215 |
| W14x808* | 808 | 1202.4 | 22.80 | 18.6 | 238 |
| W14x873* | 873 | 1299.2 | 23.60 | 18.8 | 257 |
* Depth, flange width, and area for the W14x808 and W14x873 are from the AISC Shapes Database v16.0 as published by Optimal Beam and cross-checked against Beam Dimensions. Weights for all 38 sections are from the AISC catalog. Some older references stop at W14x730, so if your printed tables don't show the two heaviest sizes, that's why.
Physics check: area × 3.4028 ≈ weight. A W14x82 has 24.1 in², and 24.1 × 3.4028 = 82.0 lb/ft. A W14x873 has 257 in², and 257 × 3.4028 = 874.5 lb/ft, within rounding of the catalog weight.
Why W14s Are the Standard Column
A column wants stiffness in both directions. A deep, narrow beam like a W24 is stiff in one direction and floppy in the other. The heavier W14s have flanges about as wide as the section is deep: a W14x90 is 14.02" deep with a 14.52" flange. That near-square shape, plus the enormous range of weights on one nominal depth, lets an engineer keep the same column size from basement to roof and just step the weight down as the load drops. The beam connections stay the same depth on every floor, which is simpler to detail and fabricate.
Nothing in this post is a design recommendation. Column sizes here are for estimating and budgeting, and the engineer of record picks the members.
The W14 Families
| Family | Sections | Flange width | Typical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrow | W14x22, W14x26 | about 5" | Beams, light framing |
| Beam | W14x30, W14x34, W14x38 | about 6.75" | Floor and roof beams |
| Medium | W14x43, W14x48, W14x53 | about 8" | Beams, light columns |
| Light column | W14x61 through W14x82 | about 10" | Columns on low- and mid-rise buildings |
| Column | W14x90 through W14x132 | about 14.5" to 14.7" | Mid-rise columns |
| Heavy column | W14x145 through W14x873 | about 15.5" to 18.8" | Lower-floor and high-rise columns, transfer columns |
Within the heavy group, depth grows fast. A W14x145 is 14.78" deep. A W14x730 is 22.42" deep and a W14x873 is 23.60". If you're checking column fit against a wall, a shaft, or a fireproofing envelope, use the actual depth from the chart. The nominal 14 inches is off by more than 9 inches at the top of the range.
How Column Tiers Change the Takeoff
On a multi-story building, a column line is rarely one piece. It's usually split into tiers, often two floors each, with a splice a few feet above a floor. Each tier can be a different weight, and the schedule will show something like W14x176 at the base, W14x120 in the middle, and W14x74 at the top.
That has three effects on a takeoff:
- Each tier is its own line item. Same column mark, different weight, different length. If you take off the column line at the base weight all the way up, you'll be heavy.
- Every splice adds material and labor. Splice plates, bolts or welds, and sometimes filler plates where the flange thickness changes between tiers.
- Tier lengths set the nest. Tier lengths are often chosen with stock lengths in mind, so read the actual tier lengths off the elevation or schedule instead of assuming floor-to-floor.
A worked example. A six-story building has 24 column lines, each in three two-story tiers:
- Base tier: 24 × W14x176 at 30 ft = 24 × 30 × 176 = 126,720 lb
- Middle tier: 24 × W14x120 at 26 ft = 24 × 26 × 120 = 74,880 lb
- Top tier: 24 × W14x74 at 26 ft = 24 × 26 × 74 = 46,176 lb
- Total: 247,776 lb, or about 123.9 tons
If someone took off every tier at the base weight, 24 lines × 82 ft × 176 lb/ft would come to 346,368 lb, about 49 tons too heavy. At an assumed $0.60/lb, used only to illustrate, that is roughly $59,000 of steel that isn't on the job. For current pricing, see structural steel cost per ton. The column schedule takeoff example shows how to read tiers off a schedule.
Estimating Heavy W14s
Above about 200 lb/ft, a few things change beyond the weight.
Piece weight and handling. A 30-foot W14x176 weighs 5,280 lb. A 30-foot W14x730 weighs 21,900 lb. Shop cranes, erection picks, and truck loads all have to be checked against individual piece weights, and one heavy column can fill a truck by itself.
Availability and lead time. The heaviest W14s aren't service-center stock. Expect a mill order with a rolling schedule, and check lead times early; the steel lead times guide covers what to ask.
Material toughness requirements. AISC 360 Section A3.1c sets Charpy V-notch testing requirements for hot-rolled shapes with flanges thicker than 2 inches when they're used as tension members and spliced with complete-joint-penetration welds. That affects the heavy end of the W14 range. When the specs call for it, the testing adds cost and the mill cert needs to show it. Check the flange thickness in the AISC Manual for the specific section and read the project specs.
Base plates and splices get heavy too. A heavy W14 column sits on a thick base plate with large anchor rods, and splices on heavy tiers are often welded. Price these as separate items. The base plate and anchor bolt guide lists what to pick up.
Grade. Most W14s are specified in A992, but heavy columns sometimes call for A913 Grade 65 or another higher-strength grade. Read the general notes before you price material.
Takeoff Mistakes With W14s
Reading W14x145 as W14x14. A dropped digit on a scan turns a real column into a shape that doesn't exist. Catch it by checking every callout against the catalog. The same scan problem turns W14x48 into W14x43, which does exist and is 10% lighter.
Counting the column once. A column mark on the plan represents a full column line, which may be three or four tiers. Count tiers, not marks.
Using W14 beams at column rates. W14x22 through W14x53 are mostly beams. Keep them in your beam line so they get beam connection labor, not column fittings.
SteelFlo reads W14 callouts from plans, column schedules, and elevations across the whole set and fills in catalog weights for each one, so tier changes show up as separate lines. Try it on a column-heavy job.
For lighter W shapes, see the W12 chart, W10 chart, and W8 chart, or the full wide flange chart for every depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the heaviest W14 column?
The heaviest W14 in the AISC catalog is the W14x873 at 873 lb/ft (1,299.2 kg/m). It is 23.6" deep with an 18.8" flange and 257 in² of area. Some older references list the W14x730 as the heaviest because they predate the two heaviest sizes.
How much does a W14x90 weigh?
A W14x90 weighs 90 lb/ft (133.9 kg/m). It is 14.02" deep with a 14.52" flange and 26.5 in² of area. A 26-foot W14x90 column tier weighs 2,340 lb.
Why are W14s used for columns?
The heavier W14s have flanges about as wide as the section is deep, which gives similar stiffness in both directions. The family also covers a huge weight range at one nominal depth, so a column line can step down in weight floor by floor without changing the beam connection depth.
How many W14 sizes are there?
The AISC catalog lists 38 W14 sections, from W14x22 to W14x873. The eight lightest (W14x22 to W14x53) are mostly used as beams, and W14x61 and up are column shapes.
How deep is a W14x730?
A W14x730 is 22.42" deep, not 14 inches. Its flange is 17.89" wide and it has 215 in² of area. The heavy W14s get much deeper than nominal because extra flange thickness is added to the outside of the section.