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How to Calculate Sheet Metal Weight: Formula, Chart and Examples

Fabensan Editorial 7 min read

How do you calculate sheet metal weight?

Short answer: The weight of a sheet is its volume multiplied by the density of the material. In practice the easiest formula is:

Weight (kg) = Width (m) × Length (m) × Thickness (mm) × Density (g/cm³)

The only thing to watch is the units: width and length in metres, thickness in millimetres, density in g/cm³. The result comes out directly in kilograms.

For example, a 1 m × 1 m mild steel sheet, 1 mm thick: 1 × 1 × 1 × 7.85 = 7.85 kg. In other words, every 1 mm of steel thickness means 7.85 kg per square metre.

This gives an easy shortcut: Weight of steel sheet per m² = Thickness (mm) × 7.85. A 3 mm sheet weighs 23.55 kg per m²; a 10 mm plate weighs 78.5 kg per m².

You need the weight to work out material cost, plan transport and crane capacity, size the load a machine will carry and compare quotes. Sheet metal is mostly sold by the kilogram, so the right weight means the right price.

Density by material

The only variable in the formula is the density of the material. Commonly used values are:

  • Mild steel, cold rolled, hot rolled, S235, S275, S355: 7.85 g/cm³
  • Hardox, S690QL and other high-strength steels: 7.85 g/cm³
  • Galvanised steel: 7.85 g/cm³ + zinc coating (about 0.275 kg/m² extra for Z275)
  • Stainless 304 / 304L: 7.93 g/cm³
  • Stainless 316 / 316L: 7.98 g/cm³
  • Aluminium (5754, 5083, 6061): about 2.70 g/cm³
  • Copper: 8.96 g/cm³
  • Brass: about 8.50 g/cm³

Aluminium weighs about one third as much as steel. Stainless is about 1 – 2% heavier than mild steel of the same thickness. Small differences exist between alloy grades; check the material certificate for the exact value.

Weight of 1 m² of sheet by thickness

The values below are the weight of one square metre of sheet. For your own part, multiply this value by its area in m². Order: mild steel / stainless 304 / aluminium.

  • 0.5 mm: 3.93 kg / 3.97 kg / 1.35 kg
  • 0.8 mm: 6.28 kg / 6.34 kg / 2.16 kg
  • 1 mm: 7.85 kg / 7.93 kg / 2.70 kg
  • 1.2 mm: 9.42 kg / 9.52 kg / 3.24 kg
  • 1.5 mm: 11.78 kg / 11.90 kg / 4.05 kg
  • 2 mm: 15.70 kg / 15.86 kg / 5.40 kg
  • 2.5 mm: 19.63 kg / 19.83 kg / 6.75 kg
  • 3 mm: 23.55 kg / 23.79 kg / 8.10 kg
  • 4 mm: 31.40 kg / 31.72 kg / 10.80 kg
  • 5 mm: 39.25 kg / 39.65 kg / 13.50 kg
  • 6 mm: 47.10 kg / 47.58 kg / 16.20 kg
  • 8 mm: 62.80 kg / 63.44 kg / 21.60 kg
  • 10 mm: 78.50 kg / 79.30 kg / 27.00 kg
  • 12 mm: 94.20 kg / 95.16 kg / 32.40 kg
  • 15 mm: 117.75 kg / 118.95 kg / 40.50 kg
  • 20 mm: 157.00 kg / 158.60 kg / 54.00 kg
  • 25 mm: 196.25 kg / 198.25 kg / 67.50 kg
  • 30 mm: 235.50 kg / 237.90 kg / 81.00 kg
  • 40 mm: 314.00 kg / 317.20 kg / 108.00 kg
  • 50 mm: 392.50 kg / 396.50 kg / 135.00 kg

For stainless 316, add about 0.6% to the 304 values. For galvanised sheet, add the coating weight (0.275 kg/m² for Z275) to the mild steel value.

Standard sheet weights (mild steel)

Sheet is usually sold in standard sizes. Below are single-sheet weights for the most common sizes (density 7.85 g/cm³).

1000 × 2000 mm (2 m²)

  • 1 mm: 15.7 kg · 2 mm: 31.4 kg · 3 mm: 47.1 kg · 5 mm: 78.5 kg · 10 mm: 157.0 kg · 20 mm: 314.0 kg

1250 × 2500 mm (3.125 m²)

  • 1 mm: 24.5 kg · 2 mm: 49.1 kg · 3 mm: 73.6 kg · 5 mm: 122.7 kg · 10 mm: 245.3 kg · 20 mm: 490.6 kg

1500 × 3000 mm (4.5 m²)

  • 1 mm: 35.3 kg · 2 mm: 70.6 kg · 3 mm: 106.0 kg · 5 mm: 176.6 kg · 10 mm: 353.3 kg · 20 mm: 706.5 kg

2000 × 6000 mm (12 m²)

  • 1 mm: 94.2 kg · 2 mm: 188.4 kg · 3 mm: 282.6 kg · 5 mm: 471.0 kg · 10 mm: 942.0 kg · 20 mm: 1,884.0 kg

For stainless 304, multiply these values by about 1.01; for aluminium, by 0.344.

Step-by-step worked examples

Example 1: Full sheet. 1500 × 3000 mm, 3 mm mild steel.

1.5 × 3 × 3 × 7.85 = 105.98 kg

Example 2: Stainless sheet. 1250 × 2500 mm, 2 mm stainless 304.

1.25 × 2.5 × 2 × 7.93 = 49.56 kg

Example 3: Aluminium sheet. 1000 × 2000 mm, 5 mm aluminium.

1 × 2 × 5 × 2.70 = 27.00 kg

Example 4: Series parts. 600 × 400 mm, 10 mm mild steel, 25 pieces.

One part: 0.6 × 0.4 × 10 × 7.85 = 18.84 kg. Total: 18.84 × 25 = 471 kg

Example 5: Part with a hole (flange). Outside diameter 500 mm, centre hole 300 mm, 20 mm mild steel ring.

  1. Find the area: π / 4 × (0.5² − 0.3²) = 0.1257 m²
  2. Multiply by the weight per m²: 0.1257 × (20 × 7.85) = 19.73 kg

For laser cut parts, the area of holes and cut-outs is subtracted. When buying sheet, however, you usually pay for the sheet the part is cut from, not the part itself; this matters most for parts with a lot of scrap.

Common mistakes

  • Mixing units: Entering width and length in millimetres and multiplying by 7.85 makes the result a million times too large. Width and length must be in metres, thickness in millimetres.
  • Calculating stainless and aluminium as steel: Multiplying aluminium by 7.85 overstates its weight almost threefold.
  • Forgetting thickness tolerance: The actual thickness of rolled sheet can differ slightly from nominal. On heavy plate, this creates a noticeable weight difference over tonnes of material.
  • Ignoring galvanised coating: On thin galvanised sheet the zinc coating can be 3 – 5% of the total weight.
  • Confusing part weight with sheet weight: The net part weight matters for transport; the weight of the sheet used matters for material cost.

Frequently asked questions

How much does 1 m² of sheet metal weigh?

It depends on thickness. For mild steel, every 1 mm of thickness means 7.85 kg/m². 1 mm sheet weighs 7.85 kg, 2 mm weighs 15.7 kg, 5 mm weighs 39.25 kg.

Why is 7.85 used in sheet weight calculations?

7.85 g/cm³ is the density of carbon steel. When units are entered in metres and millimetres, the result comes out directly in kilograms.

Is stainless steel heavier than mild steel?

Yes, but only slightly. Stainless 304 has a density of 7.93 g/cm³, so it is about 1% heavier than mild steel of the same size.

How light is aluminium sheet?

Aluminium has a density of about 2.70 g/cm³. It weighs about one third as much as steel of the same size.

Is Hardox or S355 heavier than ordinary steel?

No. Strength and hardness differ, but density is the same as normal steel (7.85 g/cm³). Hardox and S235 sheets of the same size weigh the same.

How do I find the weight of a cut part?

Calculate the part's area, subtract holes and cut-outs, then multiply by the weight per m². The mass property in your CAD software does this automatically.

Let us do the maths for you

With Fabensan's Sheet Calculator, you choose the material, enter the dimensions and see the weight instantly. You can add several products to a list, set quantities and turn your list straight into a quote request.

We supply sheet in a wide range of materials, from S235 to S690QL, from stainless 304 and 316 to aluminium, from galvanised to Hardox, and we offer laser, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting plus press brake bending. There is no minimum order; we quote anything from a single part to series production.

  1. Open the Sheet Calculator on our website and enter the material and dimensions.
  2. Build your list and send a quote request, or sign up and upload your DXF or STEP drawing.
  3. Approve your quote; your sheets are delivered cut and bent to your door.