Chart to Determine Appropriate Steel Beam Size

Clear Span W8 in. W10 in. W12 in.

of Beam (ft) 10lb 13lb 15lb 18lb 21lb 24lb 28lb 15lb 22lb 26lb 22lb 26lb
(A) Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips Kips
2 74
3 54 73 79 92
4 43 55 65 75 83 76 128
5 34 44 52 67 80 78 92 61 98 107 112
6 28 36 43 56 67 77 89 51 85 102 93 112
7 24 31 37 48 57 66 76 43 73 88 80 105
8 21 27 32 42 50 .57 67 38 64 77 70 92
9 19 24 29 37 44 51 59 34 57 68 62 82
10 17 22 26 33 40 46 53 30 51 61 56 73
11 15 20 24 30 36 42 49 28 46 56 51 67
12 14 18 22 28 33 38 45 25 43 51 47 61
13 13 17 20 26 31 35 41 23 39 47 43 57
14 12 16 19 24 29 33 38 22 36 44 40 52
15 11 15 17 22 27 31 36 20 34 41 37 49
16 11 14 16 21 25 29 33 19 32 38 35 46
17 10 13 15 20 24 27 31 18 30 36 33 43
18 9 12 14 19 22 26 30 17 28 34 31 41
19 9 11 14 18 21 24 28 16 27 32 29 33
20 9 11 13 17 20 23 27 15 26 31 28 37
21 14 24 29
22 14 23 28 25 33
23 13 22 27
24 13 21 26 23 31
26 21 28
28 20 26
30 19 24

Design Loads: Floor Dead Load: 10 PSF Roof Dead Load: 10 PSF
Floor Live Load: 40 PSF Roof Live Load: 20 PSF
 Decimal Equivalents of a Lineal Foot by Inches and Fractions of an Inch

Inches
Fractions 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Fractions
of an inch of an inch
0 .0000 .0833 .1667 .2500 .3333 .4167 .5000 .5833 .6667 .7500 .8333 .9167 0
1/4 .0208 .1042 .1875 .2708 .3542 .4375 .5208 .6042 .6875 .7708 .8542 .9375 1/4
1/2 .0417 .1250 .2083 .2917 .3750 .4583 .5417 .6250 .7083 .7917 .8750 .9583 1/2
3/4 .0625 .1458 .2292 .3125 .3958 .4792 .5625 .6458 .7292 .8125 .8958 .9792 3/4

1. Determine clear span of beam (A)

2. Determine length of the floor joist the beam is to support (B)

3. (B) / 2=(C)

4. Determine vertical load

One (1) story = 62 (D)
or
Two (2) story = 124(D)
5. (A)x(C)x(D)=(E)

6. (E) / 1000=KIPS -

7. Go to the chart; find the clear span (ft); trace across to the figure which most closely exceeds your KIPS
~

Clear Span X Joists/2 X Vertical Factor = Subtotal / 1000 = KIPS

__________ X _________ X ______________ = ___________ / 1000= ________

__________ X __________ X ______________ = ___________ / 1000= ________

__________ X __________ X ______________ = ___________ / 1000= ________

__________ X __________ X ______________ = ____________ / 1000= ________