← Back to Bead BoardAluminum square tube weight calculator
Aluminum square tube weighs about a third of the same steel HSS, which is why it ends up on trailers, frames, and railings. 6061-T6 is 0.0975 lb/in³. A 2×2×1/8 tube is 1.10 lb/ft. A 3×3×1/4 is 3.22 lb/ft. Enter the outside size and wall thickness below.
Quick answer
Calculate 6061 aluminum square tube weight by outside dimension and wall thickness.
Common 6061 aluminum square tube weights
Weight = (OD² − (OD − 2×wall)²) × length × 0.0975. Values use nominal wall thickness, so they match the calculator above. Real extrusions run ±3% from nominal due to corner radius and wall tolerance.
Questions welders ask about this one
How much does 2×2×1/8 aluminum tube weigh?
About 1.10 lb per foot in 6061. Math: (2² − 1.75²) × 12 × 0.0975 = 1.10 lb/ft. The same size in mild steel is 3.19 lb/ft, so aluminum saves you roughly two-thirds of the weight for the same section.
Is 6061 and 6063 aluminum tube the same weight?
Yes for any practical quoting. 6061-T6 and 6063-T5 differ by less than 0.5% in density (both round to 0.0975 lb/in³). 6063 is the softer architectural alloy used for clean anodized extrusions; 6061 is the structural workhorse. Weight per foot is the same.
How do I calculate custom aluminum square tube weight?
Outside² minus inside² gives the cross-section area, times length times 0.0975 lb/in³. Inside = outside − 2 × wall. Example: 2.5 × 2.5 × 3/16 over 8 ft = (2.5² − 2.125²) × 96 × 0.0975 = 16.2 lb. Or just plug it into the calculator above.
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.
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