Metal density chart
What a cubic inch and a cubic foot of each metal weighs. Steel, stainless, aluminum, brass, copper, cast iron, and titanium, in pounds and metric. These are the same densities the metal weight calculator uses.
Updated September 2026
Quick answer
Mild steel weighs 0.2836 lb per cubic inch (490.1 lb per cubic foot). 6061 aluminum is 0.0975 lb/in³ (168.5 lb/ft³) and 304 stainless is 0.289 lb/in³ (499.4 lb/ft³).
Density of common metals
Pounds per cubic inch and per cubic foot, grams per cubic centimeter, and kilograms per cubic meter. lb/ft³ is lb/in³ × 1,728. kg/m³ is g/cm³ × 1,000.
Sources: MatWeb, AK Steel datasheets, Copper.org, AmesWeb. Stainless uses one figure for 304 and 316, which runs about 1% over both datasheets. Copper uses the theoretical figure, a little over what CDA lists for C110. Real stock varies 2–3% with mill tolerance and alloy.
From density to weight
Weight is volume times density. Get the volume in cubic inches, multiply by the lb/in³ figure above, and you have pounds. A 12" × 12" × 1" block of mild steel is 144 in³ × 0.2836 = 40.8 lb.
For real shapes, skip the volume math. The metal weight calculator handles plate, pipe, tube, angle, and bar. The plate weight chart has lb/ft² and 4×8 sheet weights by thickness already worked out.
Questions welders keep asking
What is the weight of steel per cubic inch?
A36 mild steel weighs 0.2836 lb per cubic inch (7.85 g/cm³). Most charts round it to 0.284. 1018, 1020, and the other low-carbon steels use the same number.
What is the weight of aluminum per cubic inch?
6061 aluminum weighs 0.0975 lb per cubic inch and 5052 weighs 0.0968. Either one is about 34% the weight of the same piece in mild steel.
What is the weight of 6061 aluminum per cubic inch?
6061-T6 weighs 0.0975 lb per cubic inch, 2.70 g/cm³, or 168.5 lb per cubic foot. The temper doesn't change the weight, so 6061-O and 6061-T6 use the same number.
What is the weight of stainless steel per cubic inch?
We use 0.289 lb per cubic inch (8.00 g/cm³) for both 304 and 316. The datasheets list both a little lower, so stainless weights on our pages run about 1% heavy. Stainless is about 2% heavier than mild steel.
What is the weight of steel per cubic foot?
Mild steel weighs 490.1 lb per cubic foot. That is 0.2836 lb/in³ times the 1,728 cubic inches in a cubic foot. In metric it is 7,850 kg/m³.
What is the weight of aluminum per cubic foot?
6061 aluminum weighs 168.5 lb per cubic foot and 5052 weighs 167.3. In metric, 6061 is 2,700 kg/m³.
What is the weight of stainless steel per cubic foot?
304 and 316 stainless weigh 499.4 lb per cubic foot at the 0.289 lb/in³ we use, or 8,000 kg/m³.
How do I use density to get the weight of a part?
Multiply the volume by the density. A 12" × 12" × 1" block of mild steel is 144 cubic inches, and 144 × 0.2836 = 40.8 lb. For plate, pipe, tube, and bar, the metal weight calculator works out the volume for you.
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 24, Schedule 40/80/XXS.
Steel Round Bar Weight
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A36 flat bar by width and thickness.
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Equal-leg angle by leg and thickness.
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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.
Aluminum Round Bar Weight
6061-T6 round bar by diameter and length.
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.
Schedule 40 Pipe Weight
Sch 40 lb/ft and kg/m, NPS 1/2 through 24.
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