Metal Weight Calculator
Calculate the weight of metal stock from dimensions and alloy type.
Supports round bar, flat bar, tube, sheet, and plate in steel, aluminum, copper, and brass.
Why Calculate Metal Weight? Knowing the weight of metal stock is essential for estimating shipping costs, ensuring structural load limits, purchasing raw materials, and planning fabrication projects. Metal is typically sold by weight (per pound or per kilogram), so knowing the weight helps estimate costs.
The Basic Formula Weight = Volume x Density. For a rectangular bar: Volume = Length x Width x Thickness. For a round bar: Volume = pi x (Diameter/2)^2 x Length. For a tube: Volume = pi x ((OD/2)^2 - (ID/2)^2) x Length.
Common Metal Densities Mild Steel (A36): 0.2836 lb/in^3 (7,850 kg/m^3). Stainless Steel (304): 0.289 lb/in^3 (8,000 kg/m^3). Aluminum (6061): 0.0975 lb/in^3 (2,700 kg/m^3). Copper: 0.323 lb/in^3 (8,940 kg/m^3). Brass: 0.307 lb/in^3 (8,500 kg/m^3). Cast Iron: 0.260 lb/in^3 (7,200 kg/m^3). Titanium (Grade 5): 0.160 lb/in^3 (4,430 kg/m^3).
Steel vs Aluminum Steel is about 2.9 times heavier than aluminum by volume. This is why aircraft use aluminum (and increasingly titanium and composites) — weight savings translate directly to fuel savings. For structural applications where weight is not critical, steel is preferred because it is cheaper and stronger per dollar.
Practical Use Fabrication shops use metal weight calculators daily for quoting jobs, ordering material, and calculating shipping. A single 4x8 foot sheet of 1/4-inch steel plate weighs approximately 327 pounds (148 kg). The same size in aluminum weighs only about 113 pounds (51 kg).