Metal Weight Calculator
Weigh steel, stainless, aluminum, copper or brass plate, bar, pipe, tube or rebar from its dimensions in inches or mm, with total weight and material cost.
Interactive calculator · Method METAL-WEIGHT-1.0 · Last reviewed: 2026-11-04
Calculate your scenario
Cross-section area: plate = width × thickness; round bar and rebar = π d² ÷ 4; square bar = side²; round tube = π (OD² − (OD − 2t)²) ÷ 4; rectangular tube = W × H − (W − 2t)(H − 2t).
Your inputs
Default worked example. Edit the inputs to calculate your scenario.
Default worked example
Weight = area 1,935.48 mm² × length 3,048 mm ÷ 1,000 = 5,899.343 cm³ × 7.85 g/cm³ = 46.3098 kg each × 1 = 46.3098 kg (102.0957 lb).
How to use the calculator
Choose the shape and cross-section unit, enter the dimensions that shape uses (width/diameter/OD, thickness or wall, and tube height for rectangular tube), the length of each piece and its unit, the quantity, material and the price you were quoted.
What the result means
A 12 in × 1/4 in carbon steel plate 10 ft long has 360 in³ of steel and weighs about 102.1 lb (46.31 kg).
Formula and units
Cross-section area: plate = width × thickness; round bar and rebar = π d² ÷ 4; square bar = side²; round tube = π (OD² − (OD − 2t)²) ÷ 4; rectangular tube = W × H − (W − 2t)(H − 2t). Volume = area × length; weight = volume × density (g/cm³ = 1,000 kg/m³). 1 in = 25.4 mm, 1 ft = 304.8 mm and 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly. Cost = total weight × price per lb or kg.
Worked examples
12 in × 1/4 in steel plate, 10 ft: Width, diameter, outside diameter or tube width: 12 section unit; Thickness (plate) or wall thickness (tubes): 0.25 section unit; Tube height (rectangular tube only): 2 section unit; Length of each piece: 10 length unit; Number of pieces: 1 pieces; Custom density (custom material only): 7.85 g/cm³; Price (example 1.00): 1 $ per lb or kg; Shape: plate; Cross-section unit: in; Length unit: ft; Material (nominal density): cs; Price is per: lb.
Example result: Total weight: 102.0957 lb · 46.3098 kg; Weight each: 102.0957 lb · 46.3098 kg; Volume each: 5,899.343 cm³ · 360 in³; Weight per length: 10.2096 lb/ft · 15.1935 kg/m; Cross-section area: 3 in² · 1,935.48 mm²; Material cost: $102.10.
Four 6 m lengths of 60.3 × 3.91 mm steel pipe: Width, diameter, outside diameter or tube width: 60.3 section unit; Thickness (plate) or wall thickness (tubes): 3.91 section unit; Tube height (rectangular tube only): 2 section unit; Length of each piece: 6 length unit; Number of pieces: 4 pieces; Custom density (custom material only): 7.85 g/cm³; Price (example 1.00): 2 $ per lb or kg; Shape: tube; Cross-section unit: mm; Length unit: m; Material (nominal density): cs; Price is per: kg.
Example result: Total weight: 287.7027 lb · 130.4997 kg; Weight each: 71.9257 lb · 32.6249 kg; Volume each: 4,156.0425 cm³ · 253.6173 in³; Weight per length: 3.6538 lb/ft · 5.4375 kg/m; Cross-section area: 1.0736 in² · 692.6737 mm²; Material cost: $261.00.
Limitations and common mistakes
Weight arithmetic only; it says nothing about strength, load capacity or code suitability. Densities are nominal values for the family (alloys vary by a few percent); choose Custom to enter your supplier's figure. Tubes are treated as sharp-cornered and rebar as a plain round of its nominal diameter, so corner radii, ribs, mill tolerance and coatings are ignored. The price is an example input, not a market price.
Entering a pipe's nominal size (e.g. 2 in pipe) as its outside diameter; a 2 in Schedule 40 pipe is actually 2.375 in OD.
Sources and assumptions
Method METAL-WEIGHT-1.0; last formula review 2026-11-04. Sources and their supported claims. Calculation methodology.