Metal Weight Calculator
Select a shape and material, then select the size to calculate the weight of the metal or alloy.
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How to Calculate Metal Weight
You can find the weight of a metal object or material in a few simple steps.
Step One: Calculate the Volume of the Metal
The first step in finding the weight of a metal object is to find its volume. For a rectangular object such as a metal plate or bar, use the following volume formula:
volume = length × width × height
The volume is equal to the length times the width times the height.
When measuring the volume, it is essential to keep all dimensions in the same unit. So, you should measure the length, width, and height in only inches or only centimeters. The resulting volume will thus be in cubic inches or in cubic centimeters.
Use the following volume formulas for various metal shapes:
square bar:
width × width × length
round bar:
3.14 × (diameter ÷ 2) × (diameter ÷ 2) × length
square tubing:
(width – wall thickness) × wall thickness × 4 × length
round tubing:
(outer diameter – wall thickness) × wall thickness × 3.14 × length
plate/sheet:
width × thickness × length
Step Two: Find the Metal Density
The next step in calculating the weight is to find the density of the metal object. You’ll need to know what type of metal the object is, then reference a density chart to locate the density.
Use our metal density chart to locate the density of the metal you’re using. For instance, steel has a density of 490.1 lb/ft³.
Step Three: Multiply the Volume by the Density
Once you know the volume and the density, the final step is to multiply the volume by the density to calculate the weight.
weight = volume × density
Thus, the weight, or mass, of a metal object is equal to its volume multiplied by its density.
For example, let’s calculate the weight of a 1/2″ diameter steel round bar that is 48″ long.
The density of the steel bar is 490.1 lb/ft³, which is equal to 0.2836 lb/in³. We need to calculate the volume using the formula above.
volume = 3.14 × (1/2″ ÷ 2) × (1/2″ ÷ 2) × 48″
volume = 3.14 × 0.25 × 0.25 × 48
volume = 9.42477 in³
Now, use the weight formula using the density in pounds per cubic inch and the volume in cubic inches.
steel weight = 9.42477 in³ × 0.2836 lb/in³
steel weight = 2.67 lbs
So, this bar weighs 2.67 lbs. You can use this method to calculate steel weight or the weight of any other metal.
Metal and Alloy Density Chart
The chart below shows the density in various units of measure for commonly used metals and alloys.
| Metal / Alloy | Density | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kg/m³ | g/cm³ | lb/in³ | lb/ft³ | |
| Aluminum | 2,700 kg/m³ | 2.7 g/cm³ | 0.0975 lb/in³ | 168.56 lb/ft³ |
| Aluminum 1000 Series | 2,710 kg/m³ | 2.71 g/cm³ | 0.098 lb/in³ | 169.2 lb/ft³ |
| Aluminum 2000 Series | 2,795 kg/m³ | 2.795 g/cm³ | 0.101 lb/in³ | 174.5 lb/ft³ |
| Aluminum 3000 Series | 2,740 kg/m³ | 2.74 g/cm³ | 0.099 lb/in³ | 171.1 lb/ft³ |
| Aluminum 5000 Series | 2,655 kg/m³ | 2.655 g/cm³ | 0.096 lb/in³ | 165.7 lb/ft³ |
| Aluminum 6000 Series | 2,710 kg/m³ | 2.71 g/cm³ | 0.098 lb/in³ | 169.2 lb/ft³ |
| Aluminum 7000 Series | 2,825 kg/m³ | 2.825 g/cm³ | 0.102 lb/in³ | 176.4 lb/ft³ |
| Beryllium | 1,855 kg/m³ | 1.855 g/cm³ | 0.067 lb/in³ | 115.8 lb/ft³ |
| Brass | 8,525 kg/m³ | 8.525 g/cm³ | 0.308 lb/in³ | 532.2 lb/ft³ |
| Cast Iron | 7,090 kg/m³ | 7.09 g/cm³ | 0.256 lb/in³ | 442.6 lb/ft³ |
| Columbium | 8,580 kg/m³ | 8.58 g/cm³ | 0.31 lb/in³ | 535.6 lb/ft³ |
| Copper | 8,970 kg/m³ | 8.97 g/cm³ | 0.324 lb/in³ | 560 lb/ft³ |
| Gold | 19,320 kg/m³ | 19.32 g/cm³ | 0.698 lb/in³ | 1,206.1 lb/ft³ |
| Lead | 11,350 kg/m³ | 11.35 g/cm³ | 0.41 lb/in³ | 708.6 lb/ft³ |
| Magnesium | 1,800 kg/m³ | 1.8 g/cm³ | 0.065 lb/in³ | 112.4 lb/ft³ |
| Molybdenum | 10,215 kg/m³ | 10.215 g/cm³ | 0.369 lb/in³ | 637.7 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 200 | 8,885 kg/m³ | 8.885 g/cm³ | 0.321 lb/in³ | 554.7 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 201 | 8,885 kg/m³ | 8.885 g/cm³ | 0.321 lb/in³ | 554.7 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 400 | 8,830 kg/m³ | 8.83 g/cm³ | 0.319 lb/in³ | 551.2 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 600 | 8,415 kg/m³ | 8.415 g/cm³ | 0.304 lb/in³ | 525.3 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 625 | 8,440 kg/m³ | 8.44 g/cm³ | 0.305 lb/in³ | 526.9 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 718 | 8,220 kg/m³ | 8.22 g/cm³ | 0.297 lb/in³ | 513.2 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel X750 | 8,250 kg/m³ | 8.25 g/cm³ | 0.298 lb/in³ | 515 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 800 | 7,945 kg/m³ | 7.945 g/cm³ | 0.287 lb/in³ | 496 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 800H | 7,945 kg/m³ | 7.945 g/cm³ | 0.287 lb/in³ | 496 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 825 | 8,140 kg/m³ | 8.14 g/cm³ | 0.294 lb/in³ | 508.2 lb/ft³ |
| Nickel 904L | 8,055 kg/m³ | 8.055 g/cm³ | 0.291 lb/in³ | 502.9 lb/ft³ |
| Silver | 10,490 kg/m³ | 10.49 g/cm³ | 0.379 lb/in³ | 654.9 lb/ft³ |
| Steel | 7,850 kg/m³ | 7.85 g/cm³ | 0.2836 lb/in³ | 490.1 lb/ft³ |
| Steel 1000 series | 7,830 kg/m³ | 7.83 g/cm³ | 0.283 lb/in³ | 488.8 lb/ft³ |
| Steel 4000 series | 7,750 kg/m³ | 7.75 g/cm³ | 0.28 lb/in³ | 483.8 lb/ft³ |
| Steel 9000 series | 7,830 kg/m³ | 7.83 g/cm³ | 0.283 lb/in³ | 488.8 lb/ft³ |
| Stainless 15-5 | 7,750 kg/m³ | 7.75 g/cm³ | 0.28 lb/in³ | 483.8 lb/ft³ |
| Stainless 17-4 | 8,025 kg/m³ | 8.025 g/cm³ | 0.29 lb/in³ | 501.1 lb/ft³ |
| Stainless 300 Series | 7,920 kg/m³ | 7.92 g/cm³ | 0.286 lb/in³ | 494.4 lb/ft³ |
| Stainless 400 Series | 7,830 kg/m³ | 7.83 g/cm³ | 0.283 lb/in³ | 488.8 lb/ft³ |
| Tantalum | 16,610 kg/m³ | 16.61 g/cm³ | 0.6 lb/in³ | 1,036.9 lb/ft³ |
| Titanium | 4,510 kg/m³ | 4.51 g/cm³ | 0.163 lb/in³ | 281.6 lb/ft³ |
| Tungsten | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.3 g/cm³ | 0.697 lb/in³ | 1,204.9 lb/ft³ |
| Zinc | 7,141 kg/m³ | 7.141 g/cm³ | 0.258 lb/in³ | 445.8 lb/ft³ |
| Zirconium | 6,370 kg/m³ | 6.37 g/cm³ | 0.23 lb/in³ | 397.7 lb/ft³ |