← Back to Bead BoardAngle iron weight calculator
Equal-leg steel angle — what most shops call angle iron. 2" × 2" × 1/4" is 3.19 lb/ft. 3" × 3" × 3/8" is 7.18 lb/ft. Enter the leg size and thickness, get the weight per piece or total for your cut list. These numbers match AISC published tables within 1.5% for the sizes a fab shop actually uses.
Quick answer
Calculate steel angle weight per foot by leg size and thickness.
Weights are calculated from published densities and standard section geometry. Real plate and bar stock runs ±2–3% from spec.
Steel angle weight per foot
Formula: thickness × (2 × leg − thickness) × 12 × 0.2836 lb/in³. Hot-rolled angles have fillet radii at the junction and rounded toes that add a small amount of material not captured by the simple formula. For angles 1" through 4", the difference is under 1.5% — well within the ±2–3% you get from mill tolerances anyway.
Questions welders ask about this one
How do you calculate angle iron weight?
The cross-section of an equal-leg angle is two rectangles that overlap at one corner. The area formula is: thickness × (2 × leg − thickness). Multiply by 12 for inches per foot, then by the steel density 0.2836 lb/in³. Example: 2" × 2" × 1/4" angle = 0.25 × (4 − 0.25) × 12 × 0.2836 = 3.19 lb/ft.
What is angle iron?
An L-shaped steel section with two equal legs meeting at a 90-degree angle. Formally called "structural steel angle" per AISC, or "equal-leg angle" in engineering drawings. Welding shops call it angle iron regardless of whether it is A36 carbon steel or A529/A572 higher-strength steel. Common uses: brackets, frames, bracing, supports, trailer corners, equipment stands.
Do AISC published weights match the calculator?
Within about 1–1.5% for the sizes a welding shop uses (1" through 4" legs). Hot-rolled angles have fillet radii at the junction that add material the simple formula does not capture. For large structural angles (6"+), the fillet contributes more. For shop-size angles, the difference is well under the ±2–3% you get from rolling tolerances.
Is A36 the same weight as A529 or A572 angle?
Yes. A36, A529 Grade 50, and A572 Grade 50 are all 0.2836 lb/in³. The difference is yield strength: 36 ksi for A36, 50 ksi for A529/A572. Many mills dual-certify angles to both A36 and A529-50 from the same heat. The weight per foot is identical across all three specs.
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