01
Formula
Pounds = length × width × thickness ÷ 1,728 × density.
Dimensions are inches. Density is pounds per cubic foot. 490 divided by 1,728 is the steel pounds per cubic inch implied by that density.
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Steel weight calculator for plate and sheet
This metal weight calculator multiplies a plate's volume by a density in pounds per cubic foot. Steel starts at 490, aluminum at 169, and stainless at 500. A sheet metal weight calculator is the same plate with the thickness of the sheet.
Plate weight
326.67lb
Cubic inches1,152
Density490 lb/cu ft
Planning estimate from the numbers you enter. Coverage, density, waste and price are assumptions, not a supplier quote or an engineering specification.
How it works
Weight is volume times density.
Volume in cubic inches is length times width times thickness, all in inches. Divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet, then multiply by pounds per cubic foot. Steel at 490, aluminum at 169, and stainless at 500 are planning densities for common alloys, not a mill certificate. Change the density when the alloy is different. The form is a rectangular plate or sheet. Round bar, tube, and structural shapes are not this rectangle. Holes and cutouts are not subtracted. An aluminum weight calculator on this page is the aluminum density with your dimensions.
02
Example
A 96 by 48 inch plate, 1/4 inch thick, at 490 pounds per cubic foot.
The plate is 1,152 cubic inches. At 490 pounds per cubic foot it weighs 326.67 pounds. Choose aluminum and the same plate uses 169 pounds per cubic foot. The sheet metal weight calculator path is this formula with a thinner gauge you measure, not a gauge chart this page invents.
03
Tips
Gauge numbers are not inches until you convert them.
Enter the thickness in inches. A gauge chart depends on the metal. This steel weight calculator will not guess a gauge. Density still varies by grade. Replace 490 when you have the mill figure.
04
Equipment
The plate weight is not the brake or the laser.
Fabrication equipment from $15,000 to $2 million can be financed through Dengaro. The pounds stay a material estimate.
Important questions
Know what to expect.
What density does the aluminum weight calculator use?+
169 pounds per cubic foot, until you edit the density field. That is a planning figure for common aluminum, not every alloy.
How do I run a sheet metal weight calculator for a thin sheet?+
Enter the sheet's length, width, and thickness in inches. A quarter inch is 0.25. A thinner sheet is a smaller thickness. The formula does not change.
Why is steel 490 pounds per cubic foot?+
It is a common planning density for carbon steel. Stainless starts at 500 so the two are not treated as the same metal. Change either number to match the material.
Does the weight include holes or bends?+
No. It is a solid rectangle of the three dimensions. Subtract cutouts yourself, or accept that the rectangle is heavier than the finished part.
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