Heavier Than Your Truck

5,400 pounds.

That’s how much each of those Wide Flange Beams on that truck weighs.

More than a Ford F150! (Even the older ones made of steel.)

Those beams are 30 inches wide, they weigh 90 pounds per foot, and are 60 feet long.

Wide Flange beams are sometimes called H-Beams and are widely used in construction projects.

They are typically used in for structural support. The web provides resistance to shear forces like breaking and collapsing and the flanges to resist bending movements.

The very first beams were made out of wood and stone, but the steel revolution of the mid-1800s is what led to the modern, much-stronger steel beams of today. Over time, beams improved in malleability, tensile strength, and durability.

Learn more about beams on our website.