Quick answer
Metal weight = volume × density. A 500 × 300 × 5 mm aluminium plate (density 2,700 kg/m³) weighs 2.025 kg, or 4.464 lb.
Choose a material and shape, then enter the dimensions and unit. The calculator returns weight in kilograms and pounds.
Related tools: Pipe Weight Calculator: Weight of a hollow round pipe from its outside diameter, wall thickness and length. Glass Weight Calculator: Weight of a glass pane from its dimensions. Gold Weight Calculator: Mass of pure gold from its volume.
How to use the Metal Weight Calculator
- Choose material: Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³), Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³), Copper (8,960 kg/m³), Lead (11,340 kg/m³), Zinc (7,140 kg/m³) and Titanium (4,506 kg/m³).
- Choose shape: Plate (A × B × C), Round bar (diameter A, length B) and Square bar (side A, length B).
- Enter dimension A (above 0).
- Enter dimension B (above 0).
- Optionally, enter dimension C (plate thickness) (above 0).
- Choose unit for all dimensions: Millimeters and Inches.
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Choose one: Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³); Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³); Copper (8,960 kg/m³); Lead (11,340 kg/m³); Zinc (7,140 kg/m³); Titanium (4,506 kg/m³) | Starts at Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³) |
| Shape | Choose one: Plate (A × B × C); Round bar (diameter A, length B); Square bar (side A, length B) | Starts at Plate (A × B × C) |
| Dimension A | A number | > 0 |
| Dimension B | A number | > 0 |
| Dimension C (plate thickness) (optional) | A number | > 0 |
| Unit for all dimensions | Choose one: Millimeters; Inches | Starts at Millimeters |
Formula and method
Formula
plate: A·B·C; round: π/4·A²·B; square: A²·B; mass = volume × density
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Density values are typical for the pure metal or common grade; alloys differ by a few percent. Plan geometry only; confirm quantities with your supplier and local code before ordering.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Material = Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³); Shape = Plate (A × B × C); Dimension A = 500; Dimension B = 300; Unit for all dimensions = Millimeters; Dimension C (plate thickness) = 5.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2.025 kg |
| In pounds | 4.464 |
Example 2
Inputs: Material = Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³); Shape = Round bar (diameter A, length B); Dimension A = 20; Dimension B = 1000; Unit for all dimensions = Millimeters.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2.466 kg |
| In pounds | 5.437 |
Example 3
Inputs: Material = Copper (8,960 kg/m³); Shape = Square bar (side A, length B); Dimension A = 2; Dimension B = 36; Unit for all dimensions = Inches.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 21.143 kg |
| In pounds | 46.613 |
The first line is the headline result (weight). Below it the metal Weight Calculator lists in pounds, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Shapes
Plate volume is A × B × C; a round bar is π ÷ 4 × A² × B; a square bar is A² × B. Dimension C is needed only for plates.
Densities
Typical densities: aluminium 2,700 kg/m³, mild steel 7,850, copper 8,960, brass about 8,500. Alloys vary a little. Use the same unit for every dimension.
How the result changes with dimension A
Holding every other input at the first worked example, this table changes only dimension A. It shows how sensitive the answer is to that one value; each row was produced by running this calculator.
| Dimension A | Weight | In pounds |
|---|---|---|
| 250 | 1.013 kg | 2.232 |
| 500 | 2.025 kg | 4.464 |
| 1000 | 4.05 kg | 8.929 |
| 2000 | 8.1 kg | 17.857 |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Dimension C (plate thickness): left empty shows "Enter the plate thickness." beside that field and no result.
- Dimension A: entering "0" shows "Dimension A must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Metal Weight Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Pipe Weight Calculator](/construction/pipe-weight/) | outside diameter, wall thickness and length | Pipe weight |
| [Glass Weight Calculator](/construction/glass-weight/) | length, width and thickness | Glass weight |
| [Gold Weight Calculator](/construction/gold-weight/) | volume and unit | Mass |
| [Rebar Weight Calculator](/construction/rebar-weight-calculator/) | bar size, length of each bar and number of bars | Total weight |
| [Money Weight Calculator](/construction/money-weight/) | denomination and amount | Weight |
Background: construction estimates
Material quantities are geometry plus a margin. Calculate the exact volume or area, add an allowance for waste, spillage, cuts and uneven ground (calculator pages commonly mention 5 to 10 percent, a rule of thumb that varies by material and job) and round up to whole units. One cubic yard is exactly 27 cubic feet.
Suppliers often have minimum order sizes and may charge for small loads, so confirm quantities, product yields and local code with your supplier or a qualified estimator before ordering.
Assumptions and limitations
- Dimension C is needed for plates only
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for dimension C (plate thickness) and dimension A to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
How heavy is steel compared with aluminium?
About 2.9 times as heavy for the same volume.
Are tolerances included?
No, it uses nominal dimensions.
Can I weigh a tube?
Use the Pipe Weight calculator.
What does the Metal Weight Calculator calculate?
Weight of a plate, round bar or square bar in common metals. It returns Weight and In pounds.
What formula does the Metal Weight Calculator use?
plate: A·B·C; round: π/4·A²·B; square: A²·B; mass = volume × density. Density values are typical for the pure metal or common grade; alloys differ by a few percent.
What do I need to enter in the metal Weight Calculator?
You enter Material, Shape, Dimension A, Dimension B and Unit for all dimensions. Optional: Dimension C (plate thickness).
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated. Dimension C is needed for plates only.
What does the “Material” option change?
It sets how the metal Weight is worked out. The choices are Carbon steel (7,850 kg/m³), Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³), Copper (8,960 kg/m³), Lead (11,340 kg/m³), Zinc (7,140 kg/m³) and Titanium (4,506 kg/m³).
What is an example of a metal Weight result?
With material Aluminum (2,700 kg/m³), shape Plate (A × B × C), dimension A 500, dimension B 300 and unit for all dimensions Millimeters, the weight is 2.025 kg.
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: Handbook densities (CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics; AISC for steel).
Can I rely on this calculator for a decision?
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work. For this calculator in particular: Dimension C is needed for plates only.
Related calculators
- Pipe Weight Calculator — Weight of a hollow round pipe from its outside diameter, wall thickness and length.
- Glass Weight Calculator — Weight of a glass pane from its dimensions.
- Gold Weight Calculator — Mass of pure gold from its volume.
- Rebar Weight Calculator — Weight of reinforcing bar by size and length.
- Money Weight Calculator — Weight of an amount of US bills or coins.
- Steel Plate Weight Calculator — Weight of a carbon steel plate from its dimensions.
Sources
- Handbook densities (CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics; AISC for steel)
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.