Abstract: Steel column base plates are one of the most fundamental parts of a steel structure, yet the design of base plates is commonly not given the attention that it should. This result in base plate details that are expensive, difficult to fabricate and may even contribute to the hazards of the steel erection process by not providing stability for erection load applied to the column(s). The effective area method recommended in BS5950 has been used to study the effectiveness of base plate thickness under various loading conditions with due comparison to AISC provisions. Results indicate that although it is a semi-empirical method, it is more reliable than the empirical method recommended in BS5950; also the approach offers more economy and can be used for all column sections.