Metal Weight Calculator
Calculate the weight of steel, aluminum, stainless steel, copper, brass, and titanium by shape and dimensions. Supports plate, round bar, tube, pipe, flat bar, hex bar, and angle. Density values sourced from Machinery’s Handbook, 29th Edition.
A metal weight calculator computes the weight of a metal part from its shape, dimensions, and material density using the formula Weight = Volume × Density. Volume formulas vary by cross-section: for plate it is Length × Width × Thickness; for round bar, π/4 × D² × Length; for tube, π/4 × (OD² − ID²) × Length. Material densities used in this calculator come from Machinery’s Handbook 29th Ed., Tables 13 and 15 (pp. 382–386).
Weight Calculator
Formulas
Weight = Volume × Density
Sheet / Plate: V = L × W × T
Round Bar: V = π/4 × D² × L
Round Tube / Pipe: V = π/4 × (OD² − ID²) × L (ID = OD − 2 × Wall)
Square Tube: V = [W² − (W − 2t)²] × L
Rectangular Tube: V = [W × H − (W − 2t)(H − 2t)] × L
Flat Bar: V = W × T × L
Hex Bar: V = (√3/2) × F² × L (F = across flats)
Angle: Weight = tabulated lb/ft × length (AISC via MH29 Tables 5 & 6, pp. 2600–2602)
I-Beam / Wide Flange: Weight = tabulated lb/ft × length (AISC via MH29 Tables 2a & 3, pp. 2594–2599)
Steel Plate Weight per Square Foot — Reference Table
Source: Densities from Machinery’s Handbook 29th Ed. — Carbon steel SG 7.9 (Table 15, p. 386); Stainless 304/316: 0.290 lb/in³ (Table 13, p. 383); Aluminum 6061: 0.098 lb/in³ (Table 13, p. 382); Copper C11000: 0.321 lb/in³ (Table 13, p. 382); Brass C36000: 0.307 lb/in³ (Table 13, p. 382); Titanium CP: 0.163 lb/in³ (Table 13, p. 383). Weight/ft² = Thickness × 144 × Density. Steel gauge thicknesses per Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge (NIST).
How to Use This Metal Weight Calculator
Select a material and shape from the dropdowns, then enter the dimensions in inches or millimeters. Click Calculate Weight to see the total weight in pounds and kilograms. For multiple identical pieces, set the Quantity field before calculating. The reference table below shows weight per square foot for common plate thicknesses across six materials — click More Columns to see copper, brass, titanium, and metric equivalents.
To convert fractions to decimal inches for input, use our fraction to decimal chart.
Example: Weight of a 4’ × 8’ × 1/4" Steel Plate
A procurement engineer needs the shipping weight of a standard 4’ × 8’ carbon steel plate, 1/4" thick. Volume = 48 × 96 × 0.25 = 1,152 in³. Weight = 1,152 × 0.2852 = 328.6 lbs (149.1 kg). Alternatively, from the reference table: 1/4" steel weighs 10.27 lb/ft², so 4 × 8 = 32 ft² × 10.27 = 328.6 lbs.
If the same plate were aluminum 6061 (0.098 lb/in³), it would weigh only 112.9 lbs — about 34% of the steel weight. This density ratio is useful for material substitution estimates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the weight of a steel plate?
Use the formula Weight = Length × Width × Thickness × Density. For carbon steel, density is 0.2852 lb/in³ (specific gravity 7.9 per Machinery’s Handbook 29th Ed., Table 15). For example, a 4 ft × 8 ft × 1/4 in plate: 48 × 96 × 0.25 × 0.2852 = 328.6 lbs. Select Sheet / Plate in the calculator above, enter your dimensions, and choose Carbon Steel.
How much does steel weigh per cubic inch?
Carbon steel weighs 0.2852 lb/in³, based on a specific gravity of 7.9 (Machinery’s Handbook 29th Ed., Table 15, p. 380). Per cubic foot, steel weighs approximately 491 lbs. Stainless steel (304/316) is slightly heavier at 0.290 lb/in³. Aluminum 6061 is roughly one-third the weight of steel at 0.098 lb/in³.
How do I calculate the weight of a pipe or tube?
Pipe weight per linear foot = π ÷ 4 × (OD² − ID²) × Density × 12, where OD is the outside diameter and ID is the inside diameter (OD minus twice the wall thickness), all in inches. For example, a 2.375 in OD × 0.154 in wall steel pipe (NPS 2, Schedule 40) weighs 3.68 lb/ft. Select Round Tube / Pipe in the calculator, enter OD, wall thickness, and length.
What is the density of aluminum compared to steel?
Aluminum 6061 has a density of 0.098 lb/in³ (2.713 g/cm³), roughly one-third that of carbon steel at 0.2852 lb/in³ (7.9 g/cm³). This means an aluminum part of identical dimensions weighs about 34% of the same part in steel. Stainless steel 304/316 is heavier than carbon steel at 0.290 lb/in³. All values per Machinery’s Handbook 29th Ed., Tables 13 and 15.
How do I calculate the weight of square tubing?
Square tube weight = [(W × W) − ((W − 2t) × (W − 2t))] × Length × Density, where W is the outer width and t is the wall thickness, all in inches. This calculates the hollow cross-sectional area times length and density. For example, a 2 in × 2 in × 0.125 in wall carbon steel tube at 10 ft: cross-section = 4 − 3.0625 = 0.9375 in², weight = 0.9375 × 120 × 0.2852 = 32.1 lbs.
How much does a steel I-beam weigh?
Steel I-beam weights are standardized by AISC and published in Machinery’s Handbook. The weight per foot is part of the designation — for example, a W10×49 beam weighs 49 lb/ft, so a 20 ft length weighs 980 lbs. Select “I-Beam / Wide Flange” in the calculator above, choose W-Beam or S-Beam series, pick the size, and enter the length. The calculator includes all standard W-shapes (W4 through W27) and S-shapes (S3 through S24) per MH29 Tables 2a and 3.
Related Calculators
- Fraction to Decimal Chart — Quick-reference fraction to decimal conversion table
- Drill Bit Size Chart — Number, letter, fractional, and metric drill sizes with decimal equivalents
- Stainless Steel Grades Chart — Properties, composition, and comparison for common stainless grades
References
- Oberg, E. et al. Machinery’s Handbook, 29th Edition, Industrial Press, 2012, Table 15, pp. 380–381. Average specific gravity of various substances. Carbon steel SG = 7.9; density conversion: lb/in³ = SG × 0.0361.
- Oberg, E. et al. Machinery’s Handbook, 29th Edition, Table 13, pp. 376–377. Typical thermal properties of various metals including density in lb/in³ for aluminum, copper, brass, stainless steel, and titanium alloys.
- Oberg, E. et al. Machinery’s Handbook, 29th Edition, Tables 2a, 3, 5, and 6, pp. 2594–2602. Steel wide-flange (W) and standard (S) beam sections (Tables 2a–3); equal and unequal leg angle sections (Tables 5–6). Weights per foot from AISC Manual of Steel Construction, 8th Edition.
- NIST — Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge for sheet steel thickness per ASTM A568. Gauge-to-thickness conversions used in the reference table.
Data last verified: March 2026
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