Almost every steel enquiry in the UAE turns into a weight question sooner or later. You are quoted per tonne, you are delivered by the tonne, and your own cutting list is in metres and pieces. This page has the conversion tables and the formulas behind them, so you can work out a load without waiting for anyone to come back to you.
The one number everything comes from
Carbon steel has a density of 7.85 g/cm³, which is 7,850 kg per cubic metre. Every figure below comes from that single number and the geometry of the section. If you can work out the cross sectional area, you can work out the weight.
| Section | Formula for kg per metre |
|---|---|
| Round bar | 0.006165 × d² (d in mm) |
| Square bar | 0.00785 × a² |
| Flat bar | 0.00785 × width × thickness |
| Equal angle | 0.00785 × (2a − t) × t |
| Square hollow section | 0.00785 × 4 × (a − t) × t |
| Rectangular hollow section | 0.00785 × (2(b + h) − 4t) × t |
| Round pipe (CHS) | 0.02466 × (OD − t) × t |
| Plate and sheet | 7.85 × thickness, in kg per m² |
Two honest caveats before you use these. Angle figures ignore the root radius, so real angles run a fraction heavier than the formula. Hollow section figures ignore the corner radii, so real tube runs a fraction lighter, typically two to four per cent on smaller sizes. For estimating a load that is fine. For an invoice, go by the mill test certificate.
Plate, sheet and coil
Flat products are the easiest. Multiply the thickness in millimetres by 7.85 and you have the weight of a square metre.
| Thickness | kg per m² | Weight of a 1220 x 2440 sheet |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 mm | 7.85 | 23.4 kg |
| 1.5 mm | 11.78 | 35.1 kg |
| 2.0 mm | 15.70 | 46.7 kg |
| 3.0 mm | 23.55 | 70.1 kg |
| 4.0 mm | 31.40 | 93.5 kg |
| 5.0 mm | 39.25 | 116.9 kg |
| 6.0 mm | 47.10 | 140.2 kg |
| 8.0 mm | 62.80 | 187.0 kg |
| 10 mm | 78.50 | 233.7 kg |
| 12 mm | 94.20 | 280.5 kg |
| 16 mm | 125.60 | 373.9 kg |
| 20 mm | 157.00 | 467.4 kg |
| 25 mm | 196.25 | 584.3 kg |
Chequered plate is heavier than the same nominal thickness in plain plate, because the raised pattern adds material. Allow roughly 3 to 5 kg per square metre on top, and confirm the exact figure against the pattern being supplied.
Round bar
| Diameter | kg per metre | kg per 6 m length |
|---|---|---|
| 6 mm | 0.22 | 1.3 |
| 8 mm | 0.39 | 2.4 |
| 10 mm | 0.62 | 3.7 |
| 12 mm | 0.89 | 5.3 |
| 16 mm | 1.58 | 9.5 |
| 20 mm | 2.47 | 14.8 |
| 25 mm | 3.85 | 23.1 |
| 32 mm | 6.31 | 37.9 |
| 40 mm | 9.86 | 59.2 |
| 50 mm | 15.41 | 92.5 |
| 60 mm | 22.20 | 133.2 |
| 80 mm | 39.46 | 236.8 |
| 100 mm | 61.65 | 369.9 |
Flat bar
Figures in kg per metre.
| Width | 3 mm | 5 mm | 6 mm | 8 mm | 10 mm | 12 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mm | 0.59 | 0.98 | 1.18 | 1.57 | 1.96 | 2.36 |
| 40 mm | 0.94 | 1.57 | 1.88 | 2.51 | 3.14 | 3.77 |
| 50 mm | 1.18 | 1.96 | 2.36 | 3.14 | 3.93 | 4.71 |
| 75 mm | 1.77 | 2.94 | 3.53 | 4.71 | 5.89 | 7.07 |
| 100 mm | 2.36 | 3.93 | 4.71 | 6.28 | 7.85 | 9.42 |
Equal angles
| Size | kg per metre | kg per 6 m length |
|---|---|---|
| 25 x 25 x 3 | 1.11 | 6.7 |
| 30 x 30 x 3 | 1.34 | 8.0 |
| 40 x 40 x 4 | 2.39 | 14.3 |
| 50 x 50 x 5 | 3.73 | 22.4 |
| 60 x 60 x 6 | 5.37 | 32.2 |
| 65 x 65 x 6 | 5.84 | 35.0 |
| 75 x 75 x 6 | 6.78 | 40.7 |
| 75 x 75 x 8 | 8.92 | 53.5 |
| 90 x 90 x 9 | 12.08 | 72.5 |
| 100 x 100 x 8 | 12.06 | 72.4 |
| 100 x 100 x 10 | 14.91 | 89.5 |
| 120 x 120 x 10 | 18.05 | 108.3 |
| 150 x 150 x 12 | 27.13 | 162.8 |
Square hollow sections
| Size | kg per metre | kg per 6 m length |
|---|---|---|
| 25 x 25 x 2.0 | 1.44 | 8.6 |
| 40 x 40 x 2.0 | 2.39 | 14.3 |
| 40 x 40 x 3.0 | 3.49 | 20.9 |
| 50 x 50 x 3.0 | 4.43 | 26.6 |
| 60 x 60 x 3.0 | 5.37 | 32.2 |
| 75 x 75 x 4.0 | 8.92 | 53.5 |
| 80 x 80 x 4.0 | 9.55 | 57.3 |
| 100 x 100 x 4.0 | 12.06 | 72.4 |
| 100 x 100 x 5.0 | 14.91 | 89.5 |
| 125 x 125 x 5.0 | 18.84 | 113.0 |
| 150 x 150 x 6.0 | 27.13 | 162.8 |
Rectangular hollow sections
| Size | kg per metre | kg per 6 m length |
|---|---|---|
| 50 x 25 x 2.0 | 2.23 | 13.4 |
| 60 x 40 x 3.0 | 4.43 | 26.6 |
| 80 x 40 x 3.0 | 5.37 | 32.2 |
| 100 x 50 x 3.0 | 6.78 | 40.7 |
| 100 x 50 x 4.0 | 8.92 | 53.5 |
| 120 x 60 x 4.0 | 10.80 | 64.8 |
| 150 x 100 x 5.0 | 18.84 | 113.0 |
| 200 x 100 x 6.0 | 27.13 | 162.8 |
Round pipe and circular hollow section
| Outside diameter x wall | kg per metre | kg per 6 m length |
|---|---|---|
| 21.3 x 2.6 | 1.20 | 7.2 |
| 26.9 x 2.6 | 1.56 | 9.4 |
| 33.7 x 3.2 | 2.41 | 14.5 |
| 42.4 x 3.2 | 3.09 | 18.5 |
| 48.3 x 3.2 | 3.56 | 21.4 |
| 60.3 x 3.6 | 5.03 | 30.2 |
| 76.1 x 3.6 | 6.44 | 38.6 |
| 88.9 x 4.0 | 8.37 | 50.2 |
| 114.3 x 4.5 | 12.18 | 73.1 |
| 168.3 x 5.0 | 20.13 | 120.8 |
GI gratings
Grating weight depends on the bearing bar size and the pitch, so it is quoted per square metre. These are bare steel figures with 6 mm twisted cross bars at 100 mm centres. Hot dip galvanizing adds roughly 3 to 5 per cent.
| Bearing bar | Pitch 30 mm (kg/m²) | Pitch 40 mm (kg/m²) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 x 3 mm | 22.5 | 17.5 |
| 25 x 5 mm | 35.5 | 27.4 |
| 32 x 5 mm | 44.7 | 34.2 |
| 40 x 5 mm | 55.2 | 42.1 |
| 50 x 5 mm | 68.2 | 51.9 |
The full size range, panel sizes and heavy duty options are on our GI gratings page.
Beams and channels: read the designation
Universal beams and columns tell you their own weight. A 356 x 171 x 51 UB is 51 kg per metre. A 203 x 203 x 46 UC is 46 kg per metre. The third number in the designation is the mass per metre, so there is nothing to calculate. Multiply by your length and you have the piece weight.
European and Japanese profiles work off standard tables instead. The common ones:
| IPE | kg/m | HEA | kg/m | UPN | kg/m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPE 100 | 8.1 | HEA 100 | 16.7 | UPN 80 | 8.64 |
| IPE 120 | 10.4 | HEA 120 | 19.9 | UPN 100 | 10.6 |
| IPE 140 | 12.9 | HEA 140 | 24.7 | UPN 120 | 13.4 |
| IPE 160 | 15.8 | HEA 160 | 30.4 | UPN 140 | 16.0 |
| IPE 180 | 18.8 | HEA 180 | 35.5 | UPN 160 | 18.8 |
| IPE 200 | 22.4 | HEA 200 | 42.3 | UPN 180 | 22.0 |
| IPE 220 | 26.2 | HEA 220 | 50.5 | UPN 200 | 25.3 |
| IPE 240 | 30.7 | HEA 240 | 60.3 | UPN 220 | 29.4 |
| IPE 270 | 36.1 | HEA 260 | 68.2 | UPN 240 | 33.2 |
| IPE 300 | 42.2 | HEA 280 | 76.4 | UPN 260 | 37.9 |
| IPE 330 | 49.1 | HEA 300 | 88.3 | UPN 280 | 41.8 |
| IPE 360 | 57.1 | UPN 300 | 46.2 | ||
| IPE 400 | 66.3 |
Working out a load
An example from a real enquiry shape. Say you need 40 lengths of 100 x 50 x 4 RHS at 6 m, 20 lengths of 75 x 75 x 6 angle at 6 m, and 12 sheets of 6 mm plate at 1500 x 3000.
- RHS: 8.92 kg/m × 6 m × 40 = 2,141 kg
- Angle: 6.78 kg/m × 6 m × 20 = 814 kg
- Plate: 47.10 kg/m² × 4.5 m² × 12 = 2,543 kg
Total roughly 5.5 tonnes, which is a comfortable single truck. Knowing that before you send the enquiry tells you whether you are looking at a part load or a full one, and part loads always cost more per tonne.
Where the figures can mislead you
- Galvanizing adds weight. Hot dip galvanizing typically adds 3 to 6 per cent depending on the surface area to mass ratio. Thin sections pick up proportionally more.
- Rolling tolerances are real. Mills work to a thickness tolerance, and a coil rolled at the bottom of tolerance weighs measurably less than the nominal figure over a full load.
- Theoretical weight is not invoice weight. Some material is sold on theoretical weight and some on actual weighbridge weight. Agree which one applies before you order, because on a 20 tonne load the difference is worth arguing about.
- Stainless and aluminium are different metals. These figures are for carbon steel at 7.85 g/cm³. Stainless runs around 7.9 to 8.0, aluminium around 2.7.
Getting a price
Send your list through the steel quote request form or straight to WhatsApp on +971 56 227 5722. Sizes, grades, quantities and the delivery point are enough to get a rate back. We deliver across all seven emirates, cut to length, with mill test certificates supplied.