Calculator
Steel Weight Calculator
Pounds per foot, per piece and for the whole order, for steel plate, sheet, bar, tube, pipe and angle. Type sizes the way you write them: 0.375, 3/8 or 1-1/2.
How the weight is figured
Weight is the cross-section area in square inches, times the length in inches, times the material density. For carbon steel that density is 0.2836 lb per cubic inch (490 lb per cubic foot); stainless runs about 2% heavier and aluminum about a third of steel.
lb/ft = area (sq in.) × 12 × 0.2836
plate, lb/sq ft = thickness (in.) × 144 × 0.2836 = thickness × 40.84
- Round bar: area = 0.7854 × diameter²
- Round tube and pipe: area = 0.7854 × (OD² − ID²), where ID = OD − 2 × wall
- Square and rectangular tube: area = A × B − (A − 2t) × (B − 2t), square corners
- Angle: area = t × (A + B − t)
- Hex bar: area = 0.866 × (across flats)²
Example: a ½ in. × 48 in. × 96 in. carbon steel plate is 0.5 × 48 × 96 × 0.2836 = 653 lb, or 20.4 lb per square foot.
Sheet gauges: the gauge chart lists weights on the Manufacturers’ Standard Gauge basis (41.82 lb per square foot per inch). This calculator uses the steel density instead, so gauge sheet reads about 2% lighter here.
Questions
How much does steel weigh?
Carbon steel weighs about 490 lb per cubic foot, or 0.2836 lb per cubic inch. A square foot of steel plate weighs about 40.8 lb for every inch of thickness, so ¼ in. plate runs about 10.2 lb per square foot.
How do I calculate the weight of a steel plate?
Multiply thickness × width × length in inches by 0.2836 for carbon steel. A ½ in. × 48 in. × 96 in. plate is 0.5 × 48 × 96 × 0.2836 = about 653 lb.
Why does my tube weight differ from the mill’s figure?
This calculator treats square and rectangular tube as having square corners, so it reads a little heavy. Real tube has rounded corners, and every product rolls within ASTM thickness tolerances, so mill weights differ slightly from nominal.
Does galvanizing add weight?
Yes. Hot-dip galvanizing adds a zinc coating, typically a few percent of the steel weight on structural sections and more on thin material. Send us the list and we can figure galvanized weights for your order.
Request a quote
Send us the drawing, or the cut list.
We take DXF, DWG and STEP files, dimensioned PDFs and bills of material. Our estimating team reviews every request and comes back with an itemized quote.
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