Steel Weight Calculator

Steel Weight Calculator — Methods, Formulas, Charts & Online Tools

Steel Weight Calculator, this page is a practical, engineer-friendly guide to accurate mass estimation across common shapes and materials. It covers the full workflow for a Metal Weight Calculator and Steel Weight Calculator, with dedicated sections for a Sheet Weight Calculator, Pipe Weight Calculator, Round Steel Bar Weight Calculator, Angle Steel Weight Calculator, Hollow Sections Weight Calculation (RHS/SHS/CHS), as well as stainless, galvanized and structural profiles. You will also find a consolidated Steel Weight Chart, reference Metal Weight Chart, the core Metal Weight Calculation Formula, plus a Custom Size Steel Weight Calculator approach for non-standard geometries. When you need instant results, use our Online Metal Weight Calculator.

Why Weight Calculation Matters

Precise weight is fundamental to cost benchmarking (kg/ton pricing), logistics (truck/container limits), structural checks (load paths, deflection, stability), and finishing operations (galvanizing, painting). Underestimating mass can cause overloads or budget overruns; overestimating inflates quotes and shipping costs. Applying the right Steel Weight Calculator method early eliminates downstream surprises.

Practical Benefits

• Cost control: Normalize supplier quotes by grade, process and exact kg.
• Safety & compliance: Correct mass input into design codes and lifting plans.
• Lead-time optimization: Accurate nesting and cut plans reduce rework and scrap.
• Documentation: Transparent assumptions for audits and client approvals.

Metal Weight Calculation Formula & Units

The universal rule is Weight = Volume × Density. In practice we use geometry-specific shortcuts and constants so that you can input millimetric dimensions and receive kg/m or kg/piece immediately.

Unit Conversions & Notation

• 1 mm = 0.001 m; 1 mm² = 1×10⁻⁶ m²; 1 mm³ = 1×10⁻⁹ m³
• Steel density ≈ 7,850 kg/m³ (use 7.90–8.00 for many stainless grades)
• Per-meter weight: kg/m = Cross-sectional area (m²) × density (kg/m³)
• With area in mm²: kg/m ≈ 0.00785 × Area(mm²)

Common Shape Shortcuts (mm inputs)

Material Densities (Reference)

Sheet / Plate Weight Calculator

For flat products (HR/CR/galvanized), mass equals plan area × thickness × density. Example: 1500 × 3000 × 5 mm ≈ 1500×3000×5×7.85 / 1,000,000 ≈ 176.6 kg. Add 2–3% for cutting allowance if you’re comparing quotes.

Related Product Pages

• Hot Rolled Sheet & Plate
• Cold Rolled Sheet
• Galvanized Sheet

Pipe Weight Calculator (CHS)

Pipes use the hollow cylinder formula. Constant 0.02466 captures π and density for mm inputs. Example: OD 60.3, t 3.0 → kg/m ≈ 0.02466 × 3 × (60.3−3) ≈ 4.21 kg/m. A 6 m length is ≈25.26 kg.

Applications

• Scaffolding, trusses, handrails, process lines
• Weight check for crane picks and truck loading

See Pipes & Tubes.

Round Steel Bar Weight Calculator

For solid round bars: kg/m ≈ 0.006165 × d². Example: d = 30 mm → 5.55 kg/m. For shafting with tight fits, confirm tolerance (h9/h8) and straightness, as minor diameter shifts affect mass quadratically. Browse Round Steel Bar.

Angle Steel Weight Calculator (L-profiles)

Use the thin-wall shortcut: kg/m ≈ 0.0157 × t × (Leg1 + Leg2 − t). Example 50×50×5: kg/m ≈ 0.0157 × 5 × (50+50−5) ≈ 3.68. For precision work, cross-check EN 10056 tables since root radii slightly change area. See Angle Steel Products.

Hollow Sections Weight Calculation (RHS / SHS / CHS)

This section adds a focused calculator for Hollow Sections — Rectangular (RHS), Square (SHS) and Circular (CHS). For CHS, the pipe formula above applies. For RHS/SHS you can use either the exact rectangular-ring area or the thin-wall approximation.

Exact Formula (RHS/SHS)

With B = outer width (mm), H = outer height (mm), t = wall thickness (mm):

kg/m ≈ 0.00785 × ( B × H − (B − 2t) × (H − 2t) )

Thin-Wall Approximation (fast & practical)

kg/m ≈ 0.0157 × t × ( B + H − 2t )

Use the exact formula for thick walls or when t/B ratios are non-negligible. The thin-wall approach is excellent for quick bidding.

Worked Examples

• SHS 50×50×3 mm: Exact area = 50×50 − 44×44 = 2,500 − 1,936 = 564 mm² → kg/m ≈ 0.00785 × 564 ≈ 4.43 kg/m
• RHS 100×50×3 mm: 100×50 − 94×44 = 5,000 − 4,136 = 864 mm² → kg/m ≈ 0.00785 × 864 ≈ 6.78 kg/m
• RHS 120×60×4 mm: 120×60 − 112×52 = 7,200 − 5,824 = 1,376 mm² → kg/m ≈ 0.00785 × 1,376 ≈ 10.80 kg/m

Reference Table (Indicative)

For full dimensional ranges and tolerances see Hollow Sections (RHS/SHS/CHS).

Stainless & Galvanized Adjustments

For a Stainless Steel Weight Calculator, use density ≈ 7,900–8,050 kg/m³ (304/316 families). For a Galvanized Steel Weight Calculator, add zinc mass (supplier usually quotes g/m²). The net effect is modest (often <1%) but in high-volume shipments it matters for freight and CoC documentation.

• Stainless: corrosion resistance increases mass slightly vs carbon steel (due to higher density).
• Galvanized: adjust totals to include coating pickup; use bath spec or coating class.

Explore Stainless Steel and Galvanizing Services.

Structural Steel Weight Calculator (Beams/Channels)

Structural sections (IPE, HEA/HEB, UPN/UPE) are specified by nominal kg/m in EN/ASTM tables. A Structural Steel Weight Calculator aggregates mixed members and plates to generate lifting and shipping weights by phase/zone. Example: IPE-300 ≈ 42.2 kg/m; HEA-200 ≈ 30.6 kg/m (values vary by standard edition). See Structural Steel Profiles.

Custom Size Steel Weight Calculator

Non-standard parts (gussets, brackets, cones, flanges) can be split into primitives (rectangles, circles, rings). Sum their volumes and apply density. For complex 3D geometries, export CAD mass with correct material assignment or use our tool’s “composite shape” mode. The Custom Size Steel Weight Calculator is ideal for one-off fabrications.

Steel & Metal Weight Charts

Charts list kg/m or kg/pc for standard sizes and are invaluable for quick estimates without re-deriving formulas. Always cross-check the standard revision and tolerance notes. If corner radii or inner fillets are significant, theoretical area changes slightly.

• Steel Weight Chart (PDF)
• Metal Weight Chart (PDF)

Online Steel Weight Calculator

Our Online Steel Weight Calculator supports sheet/plate, pipe (CHS), round bar, angles, and hollow sections (RHS/SHS) with metric/imperial units. Input dimensions, choose material, and get kg/m, kg/pc, and total tonnage. Export to CSV/PDF for tenders, MTOs, and shipping manifests.

• Shape picker (Sheet, Pipe, Round, Angle, SHS/RHS, CHS)
• Material presets (Carbon, Stainless, Aluminium, Custom density)
• BOM mode (batch multiple items to a single total)
• Shareable permalink for design reviews

Try it now: Metal Weight Calculator

FAQ — Metal & Steel Weight Calculators

Do calculators include production tolerances?

Default formulas rely on nominal dimensions. For critical lifts or billing, validate with mill certificates or weigh a sample batch. RHS/SHS inner radii and corner profiles can add small deviations from theoretical area.

How do I handle galvanizing pickup?

Multiply coating mass (g/m²) by surface area to get added grams; convert to kg and add to steel mass. Your galvanizer can provide typical ranges per section type.

What if I need both metric and imperial?

The tool supports both. For manual conversions, keep a single system during calculation and convert at the end to avoid rounding drift.

Why do pipe weights differ between schedules?

Schedules change wall thickness at a constant OD, altering area and thus kg/m. Use exact OD and t for reliability.

Can I aggregate mixed shapes quickly?

Use BOM mode in the Online Calculator; paste your cut list and get total weight per shipment phase or crane pick.

Related Links & Internal Navigation

• Hollow Sections (RHS/SHS/CHS)
• Round Bars
• Beams & Channels
• Galvanized Sheets
• Stainless Steel
• Online Metal Weight Calculator

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Summary & Next Steps

You now have a complete playbook for using a Metal Weight Calculator and Steel Weight Calculator across sheet/plate, pipe (CHS), round bars, angles, and hollow sections (RHS/SHS/CHS), with density references, fast formulas, worked examples and indicative charts. For live projects, run your data through our Online Metal Weight Calculator, attach the export to your RFQs, and standardize comparisons across suppliers and phases. If you need assistance or a bulk cut-list quote, contact our sales team.

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