This steel weight calculator takes the figures you already have and applies the relationship behind steel weight calculations for you, giving total weight, cross-sectional area and volume of the tube from length (l), density, depth (d), diameter (d), side (a), outer diameter (dₒ), outer side (sₒ), quantity, length of plate (l), width of plate (w), side (s), thickness (t), tube thickness (t), pipe wall thickness (t), tube thickness (t) and width (w).
What Is the Steel Weight Calculator?
The steel weight calculator turns length (l), density, depth (d), diameter (d), side (a), outer diameter (dₒ), outer side (sₒ), quantity, length of plate (l), width of plate (w), side (s), thickness (t), tube thickness (t), pipe wall thickness (t), tube thickness (t) and width (w) into total weight, cross-sectional area and volume of the tube, so you can order the right amount of material the first time.
Material estimates are where projects go over budget. Getting the quantities right before the delivery arrives is worth more than any discount on the order.
How to Measure for the Steel Weight
Measure everything in the same unit and take the largest dimension you can reasonably use rather than the average. Formwork, ground conditions and cutting waste all push the real figure above the theoretical one.
Where a plan calls for a specific thickness, check it against local building regulations before you order. The calculator reflects the relationship, not the code.
Allowing for Waste and Errors
Order a little more than the calculation suggests. The gap between the theoretical quantity and what actually arrives on site is normally waste, spillage, over-excavation and uneven grading, and all of it comes out of the same budget.
Write the figures down and compare them with what you actually used on site. That is how you build an estimate you can trust for the next job.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with length (l) set to 10, density set to 5, depth (d) set to 2, the calculator returns cross-sectional area of 7,853.98163, and cross-sectional area (area pipe) of 0, and inner diameter (dᵢ) of -5. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out total weight?
Enter length (l), density, depth (d), diameter (d), side (a), outer diameter (dₒ), outer side (sₒ), quantity, length of plate (l), width of plate (w), side (s), thickness (t), tube thickness (t), pipe wall thickness (t), tube thickness (t) and width (w). The calculator then works through the relationship and reports total weight, cross-sectional area and volume of the tube.
What does the steel weight actually calculate?
It takes length (l), density, depth (d), diameter (d), side (a), outer diameter (dₒ), outer side (sₒ), quantity, length of plate (l), width of plate (w), side (s), thickness (t), tube thickness (t), pipe wall thickness (t), tube thickness (t) and width (w) and converts them into total weight, cross-sectional area and volume of the tube using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter length (l)?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Can I use this for a quick estimate as well as a precise answer?
Yes. The calculator is built for quick checks, so round your inputs to a sensible number of significant figures and the result will be just as useful. If you need more precision, keep the same method and add digits to the inputs rather than adjusting the method itself.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.