By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Metal is priced by weight, so every quote starts with volume × density. This calculator supports the shapes that show up on shop drawings — plate, round bar, square bar and pipe — and the common alloys, with a price-per-pound field for a landed cost.
Weight and cost for steel, aluminium, copper and stainless shapes.
m = V × ρ
Densities in kg/m³: carbon steel 7,850, stainless 8,000, aluminium 2,700, copper 8,940, brass 8,500. Theoretical weight ignores mill tolerance, which is typically ±2.5% for plate and ±5% for bar.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| V | Volume of the shape. |
| ρ | Density of the alloy. |
| m | Mass in kilograms and pounds. |
The bar is π × 0.5² × 48 = 37.7 cu in, or 0.000618 m³. At 7,850 kg/m³ that is 4.85 kg, or 10.7 lb.
Continue with the Gravel Calculator, Sand Calculator, Rock Calculator, or the River Rock Calculator — or browse more materials & quantities and all construction calculators.
0.284 lb (0.128 kg) for carbon steel. Stainless is about 0.289 lb/in³.
Results use standard construction estimating arithmetic: volumes from measured area and depth, unit weights from published material densities, and code-referenced spans or clearances where the page names a code. Quantities are rounded up to whole saleable units and include the stated waste allowance. These tools are planning aids, not structural design, and do not replace a licensed engineer, a local code check, or a contractor's site measurement.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
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Content updated: September 2026