← Back to Bead BoardAluminum bar weight calculator
Aluminum round bar at 0.0975 lb/in³ for 6061-T6. That is about a third the weight of mild steel. A 1 inch round 12 feet long is 11 lb in aluminum versus 32 lb in steel. Plug in the diameter and length, get the weight.
Quick answer
Calculate 6061-T6 aluminum round bar weight by diameter and length.
Aluminum round bar weight per foot (6061-T6)
Formula: π × (D/2)² × length × 0.0975 lb/in³ (ASM/MatWeb datasheet density for 6061-T6). Some supplier catalogs show values 1–2% higher because they use the industry shortcut 0.924 × D², which implies a slightly higher effective density. Both are within manufacturing tolerance. 5052 aluminum is 0.7% lighter (0.0968 lb/in³).
Questions welders ask about this one
How much does 6061 aluminum round bar weigh per foot?
It depends on the diameter. A 1 inch round weighs 0.92 lb/ft. A 2 inch round weighs 3.68 lb/ft. A 3 inch round weighs 8.27 lb/ft. The formula is π × (D/2)² × 12 × 0.0975 lb/in³. These are about 34% of the weight of the same size in mild steel.
What is the density of 6061-T6 aluminum?
0.0975 lb/in³ (2.70 g/cm³). The T6 temper changes the yield strength and hardness but not the density. All 6000-series aluminum alloys (6061, 6063, 6082) are effectively the same density for weight calculations.
Is aluminum bar sold by weight or by length?
Both. Service centers and metal suppliers typically list price per pound, but you order by length (12 foot sticks are standard). The weight-per-foot number lets you convert between the two for quoting. A 12 foot stick of 1 inch 6061 round is about 11 lb.
What is the difference between 6061 and 2024 aluminum round bar?
For weight, 2024 is about 3% heavier — 0.1005 lb/in³ (2.78 g/cm³) versus 0.0975 for 6061. The bigger difference is strength and weldability. 2024 is stronger (used in aerospace), harder to weld, and more expensive. 6061-T6 is the standard shop alloy: weldable, machinable, and readily available from every metal supplier.
Weight is only half of material cost. To turn these pounds into a number you can quote, run the weld cost calculator for wire, gas, and labor per inch, or the job pricing calculator to build the whole bid.
Other metal weight calculators
Steel Plate Weight
A36 mild steel. Every thickness from 1/16 up.
Steel Pipe Weight
NPS 1/2 through 8, Schedule 40/80/XXS.
Steel Round Bar Weight
1018, A36, hot-rolled round stock.
Steel Flat Bar Weight
A36 flat bar by width and thickness.
Steel Angle (Angle Iron)
Equal-leg angle by leg and thickness.
Steel Square Tube (HSS)
Hollow structural section by size and wall.
Steel Rectangular Tube (HSS)
Rectangular HSS by width, height, and wall.
Steel Round Tube Weight
DOM and ERW mechanical tubing by OD and wall.
Aluminum Plate Weight
6061-T6 and 5052 plate.
Aluminum Square Tube Weight
6061 square HSS by outside size and wall.
Aluminum Angle Weight
6061 equal-leg angle by leg and thickness.
Aluminum Flat Bar Weight
6061 flat bar by width and thickness.
Stainless Plate Weight
304 and 316 plate in lb or kg.
Stainless Square Tube Weight
304/316 square HSS by outside size and wall.
Stainless Angle Weight
304/316 equal-leg angle by leg and thickness.
Stainless Round Bar Weight
304/316 stainless round bar by diameter.
Sheet Metal Gauge Chart
Gauge to thickness for steel, stainless, aluminum.
Plate Weight Chart
Weight per square foot by thickness. Steel, stainless, aluminum.
Pipe Weight Chart
Weight per foot by NPS and schedule. Sch 40, 80, XXS.
Other tools in the Tack Box
Welding Shop Rate Calculator
What should you charge per hour? Break-even and recommended rate.
Welding Cost Calculator
Cost per inch of weld — labor, filler, gas, and markup by process.
Gas Usage Calculator
Cylinder count and cost for a project. MIG, TIG, flux-core.
Filler Metal Calculator
Pounds of wire or rod for a joint. Spool count and cost.
Job Pricing Calculator
Build a bid from scratch — tasks, materials, overhead, margin.
Welding Settings Chart
Amps, voltage, wire speed by process, metal, and thickness.
Wire & Gas Selection Guide
Which wire and shielding gas for your process and base metal.
Welding Symbol Chart
Every AWS A2.4 weld symbol. Searchable with visual diagrams.