Get your project’s supplies of steel I-beam, readily available for fabrication, from Structural Beam! Call 773-917-8998 today, for a free price quote!

Buy Steel I-Beam at Great Price in Chicago IL, from Structural Beam!

Steel I-beam is the most frequently used type of hot-rolled steel beam, due to its great mechanical properties and reasonable price. Whether you are looking for ceiling or floor joists and girders, or for a new lintel, a steel I-beam is a great choice for the task. Get to know more about this great construction material, to benefit your upcoming building project!

Steel I-beam basics, to your benefit

The perfect steel for the perfect I-beam

Steel I-beams, or universal beams, as they are sometimes called, are typically produced from hot-rolled ASTM A35 carbon structural steel that exhibits high yield strengths along with enough ductility to make steel I beam a perfect construction material.

The shape that makes all the difference

The construction industry is helped by civil engineering services, designing structures that utilize many types of structural steel beams, with the most often used type being steel I-beams.

The advantage of the I-beam as a construction material for load-bearing and load-transferring applications comes from its cross-section shape, which looks like a capital I, with a vertical section called “web”, and the parallel horizontal sections called “flanges”.

Horizontal flanges resist the bending moment that comes from the load-bearing, and the web resists shear forces as well. All together, it makes steel I beam-made structural members very stable and strong.

Reading steel I-beam size designation

Disambiguation

To make it clear, W-beams, H-beams, and S-beams are all often commonly referred to as steel I-beams, however, in the case of wide flange beams, or W-beams, and in the case of sturdy H-beam, the cross-section resembles capital H way more than capital I.

The hot-rolled taper flange beam or Standard American S Beam, has a cross-section that is the nearest in shape to the capital I. Let’s take a look at how the designation would read in this case.

The designation reading

All right, it reads S24 x 121, with S standing for the S-beam, 24 is the depth, measured from the outer edge of one flange to the outer edge of the other flange.

The lb/ft ratio is 121, which means that one foot of this steel I-beam would weigh 121 pounds. Which makes it a complete monster of a kind you’d never need to use in your regular residential building.

The general range

The common size of steel I beams would range from S3 x 5.7, with a depth of 3 inches and a weight of 5.7 pounds per foot, to S12 x 31.8 with a depth of 12 inches and a hefty 31.8 pounds per foot.

The size by application

Steel construction manual, used in civil engineering, specifies the appropriate sizes of steel I beam, used in different applications in residential construction. The sizes are also regulated by the IBC or International Building Codes. Following codes and standards is important to assure the lasting structural stability of the building and the safety of its occupants. Please make sure you’ll get it right, and always use a professional engineer to pick the right sizes of the steel I-beam for a particular application at hand.

Perfect replacement for timber beams

Steel I beams have, to a great extent, replaced traditional wooden beams. There are a few reasons behind it :

• Steel I-beams have a greater strength-to-weight ratio, allowing for both lighter and sturdier construction
• Steel I-beams are not affected by rot, and, if properly protected, impervious to the natural elements
• Steel I-beams are, by nature, fire-resistant
• The speed of construction, that utilizes steel I-beam based structural solutions, is way faster than one, using timber
• Steel I-beam is incredibly strong, and when I-beams are connected by welding and riveting, it makes for construction, that will serve for a long time, with virtually no maintenance costs

Load-bearing horizontal elements

The main application for the I-beam in residential construction is horizontal load-bearing structural members:

• floor steel joists and joist girders
• ceiling joists
• window lintels
• steel deck joists and girders
• steel stairs beams
• steel porch beams
• steel balcony beams

As you can see, there are many applications for the steel I beam in any residential construction project. The engineer will determine the size of the steel I beam, appropriate for any particular application.

The need for manufacturing and fabrication

For a structural steel beam to become a structural steel member, it needs to be manufactured or cut to the exact size, determined by the blueprints and fabrication shop drawings with exact detailing. The holes have to be punched or drilled by the fabricators for further riveting or bolting, so the beam stays where it is supposed to be in the structure.

All that is better done by professional structural steel manufacturers and fabricators, in a fabrication shop environment. To make sure that your house will be structurally sound and stable, get the pros at Structural Beam to do your iron beams for you!

Structural Beam is a local Chicago IL one-stop solutions company, offering comprehensive structural steel service for your residential and commercial building construction projects, including engineering, design, estimation, fabrication, erection, and installation of structural steel. If you are looking to buy steel I beam, we’ve got it for sale, get in touch with us today and order I beam supplies for your project!

If you’d like to know the cost of beams needed for your project, please upload your blueprints in the form, and we’ll get back to you with a free quote. For the fabrication project, you decide to do with us, we provide structural steel products at wholesale price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is stronger: H beam or I beam?

By design, the H-beam has a thicker web, and hence can support heavier loads, and is generally a stronger type.

What steel is used for I beams?

Mild carbon structural steel ASTM A36 is most often used to make structural steel I beam. Its mechanical properties, a combination of strength and ductility, and ease of manufacturing and welding greatly contribute to the popularity of steel I beam in the construction industry.

How strong is an I beam?

The strength of the I beam comes from its shape and the steel it is made of. The yield strength of ASTM A36 steel, the most common material for I beams, is at 36000 psi, which makes structural I beam extremely strong building material.

Where can I buy steel I beam near me in Chicago IL?

Structural Beam is a local Chicago IL steel I beam supplier. If you are looking for I beams to buy, we’ve got them for sale. Order your steel I-beams from us, call 773-917-8998 today for a free price quote!