SpecCalcsReference calculators for the shop floor

Rectangular Tube Weight

A steel 80×40×4 mm rectangular tube weighs about 7.03 kg/m (4.73 lb/ft). Change the size, material or length below for an exact figure.

Rectangular Tube weight calculator m = A·L·ρ
Weight
Cross-section area
A=wh(w2t)(h2t)A = w h - (w-2t)(h-2t)
Then mass = A · length · ρ, with density ρ from the material.
Mass per metre
m=Aρm = A \cdot \rho
A cross-section (mm²) · ρ density (steel 7.85 g/cm³)

Common rectangular tube sizes — steel weight

Size (mm)kg/mlb/ft
40×20×2 mm1.761.18
50×30×3 mm3.492.34
60×40×3 mm4.432.98
80×40×4 mm7.034.73
100×50×4 mm8.925.99
120×60×5 mm13.38.97

Carbon steel, ρ = 7.85 g/cm³. Other materials scale linearly with density — use the selector above.

How rectangular tube weight is calculated

Weight comes straight from geometry and density: work out the cross-section area of the profile, then multiply by length and the material's density. For rectangular tube the cross-section follows rectangular tube geometry, and mass per metre is that area times density. Carbon steel is 7.85 g/cm³; that single number is why a steel part weighs almost three times an identical aluminium one (2.70 g/cm³).

The quick-reference table above is calculated for carbon steel. For any other material, use the calculator's material selector — the weight scales linearly with density, so stainless (8.0) comes out about 2% heavier than steel, and aluminium about 66% lighter, for the same dimensions.

Per-metre vs. total weight

Bar, tube and section stock is usually quoted in kg per metre (or lb per foot). The calculator shows both the per-metre rate and the total for the cut length you enter — handy for working out shipping weight or checking a delivery against the packing list.

Why calculated beats a printed chart

Stock charts only list round-number sizes in one material. Real jobs use odd cut lengths, mixed materials and non-standard sections. Computing the weight from dimensions means you get the exact figure for your piece — not the nearest row on a wall chart.

References

  1. Densities: standard handbook values (ASM Metals Reference Book; matweb typical values). Mill stock varies a few percent with alloy and tolerance.
  2. Cross-section relations: standard mensuration formulas per profile geometry.

Last reviewed: 2026-07 · Calculation method & assumptions