Stainless steel weight calculator
Stainless steel 1.4301 (304) has a density of 7.90 g/cm³, acid-resistant 1.4404 (316L) 8.00. A 2 mm sheet weighs 15.80 kg/m², a 42.4×2 tube 2.005 kg/m, a 40×40×2 box section 2.402 kg/m. The calculator is already set to stainless — pick the shape and enter the dimensions.
Short answer
Stainless steel weight is worked out exactly like carbon steel, only with a density of 7.90 g/cm³ instead of 7.85: kg/m = cross-section in mm² × 7.90 / 1000, and for sheet, thickness in mm × 7.90 kg/m². So 304 is only 0.6 % heavier than mild steel, and 316L 1.9 %. Examples: a 1250×2500×2 sheet is 49.4 kg, a 6 m length of 42.4×2 tube 12.0 kg, a Ø20 round bar 2.482 kg/m.
A calculator for each shape
This calculator handles every shape, but if you already know what you need, the product’s own page is quicker: it opens with that shape selected and has a table of the common sizes, with the mass for 1.4301 and 1.4404 side by side.
| Calculator | What it works out |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel sheet | Stainless sheet 1 mm — 7.90 kg/m², 2 mm — 15.80; a 1250×2500×2 sheet 49.4 kg, ×3 74.1 kg. Grades 304 and 316L, thicknesses 0.5–10 mm and a calculator. |
| Stainless steel tube | Stainless tube 42.4×2 — 2.005 kg/m, 48.3×2 — 2.298, 29×1.5 hygienic (DN25) — 1.024 kg/m. Tables to EN 10217-7, EN 10296-2, DIN 11850 and a calculator. |
| Stainless round bar | Stainless round bar Ø10 — 0.620 kg/m, Ø20 — 2.482, Ø30 — 5.584 kg/m (304). Mass for 304 and 316L, formula 0.006205·d², square and hexagon bar. |
Weight of common stainless steel products
The most commonly bought sizes of every shape in one table. Masses come from the cross-section and a density of 7.90 g/cm³ (1.4301), the same way the calculator above works.
| Product | Size, mm | kg/m (sheet: kg/m²), 1.4301 | 6 m length, kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet | 1 | 7.90 | — |
| Sheet | 2 | 15.80 | — |
| Sheet | 3 | 23.70 | — |
| Round tube | 42.4×2 | 2.005 | 12.03 |
| Round tube | 48.3×2 | 2.298 | 13.79 |
| Round tube | 25×1.5 | 0.875 | 5.25 |
| Box section | 20×20×1.5 | 0.877 | 5.26 |
| Box section | 30×30×2 | 1.770 | 10.62 |
| Box section | 40×40×2 | 2.402 | 14.41 |
| Box section | 40×20×2 | 1.770 | 10.62 |
| Box section | 50×50×2 | 3.034 | 18.20 |
| Flat bar | 30×3 | 0.711 | 4.27 |
| Flat bar | 40×4 | 1.264 | 7.58 |
| Angle | 30×30×3 | 1.351 | 8.11 |
| Angle | 40×40×4 | 2.402 | 14.41 |
| Round bar | 10 | 0.620 | 3.72 |
| Round bar | 20 | 2.482 | 14.89 |
| Square bar | 10 | 0.790 | 4.74 |
| Square bar | 20 | 3.160 | 18.96 |
Box sections and angles are worked out without corner radii — the real section is 1–3 % lighter, more so the thinner the wall and the larger the radius. For 1.4404 (316L) add 1.3 % to every figure.
Density of stainless steel: 7.90 or 8.00
Density depends on the grade — more precisely on its nickel and molybdenum content. The values below are the informative data of EN 10088-1 (density at 20 °C):
| EN grade | Designation | AISI / UNS | Structure | Density, g/cm³ | Difference from 1.4301 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4301 | X5CrNi18-10 | 304 | austenitic | 7.90 | 0 |
| 1.4307 | X2CrNi18-9 | 304L | austenitic | 7.90 | 0 |
| 1.4541 | X6CrNiTi18-10 | 321 | austenitic | 7.90 | 0 |
| 1.4401 | X5CrNiMo17-12-2 | 316 | austenitic | 8.00 | +1.3 % |
| 1.4404 | X2CrNiMo17-12-2 | 316L | austenitic | 8.00 | +1.3 % |
| 1.4571 | X6CrNiMoTi17-12-2 | 316Ti | austenitic | 8.00 | +1.3 % |
| 1.4016 | X6Cr17 | 430 | ferritic | 7.70 | −2.5 % |
| 1.4462 | X2CrNiMoN22-5-3 | 2205 | duplex | 7.80 | −1.3 % |
In practice two numbers are enough: 7.90 for ordinary 304/304L (and 321) and 8.00 for acid-resistant 316/316L/316Ti. Ferritic 430 (1.4016) is 2.5 % lighter, duplex 1.4462 1.3 %. The calculator has one entry, “stainless steel — 7.90”; for 316L add 1.3 % to the result.
Stainless, mild steel and aluminium — same sheet, same section
A 1250×2500×2 sheet weighs 49.1 kg in structural steel, 49.4 kg in 1.4301 stainless, 50.0 kg in 1.4404 and 16.9 kg in aluminium. A 40×40×2 box section: 2.386, 2.402 and 0.821 kg/m.
The upshot: carbon steel weight tables will do for quoting stainless without conversion — a 0.6 % error is smaller than the thickness tolerance. For invoicing by the kilogram on large 316L orders, though, use 8.00.
Where next
The same shapes in other materials: steel weight calculator, steel tube and hollow section, aluminium weight calculator. How to weld 304 and 316L, with which wire and gas — in welding stainless steel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the density of stainless steel?
7.90 g/cm³ (7900 kg/m³) for 1.4301/304 and 304L, 8.00 g/cm³ for acid-resistant 1.4401/1.4404 (316/316L), 7.70 for ferritic 1.4016 (430) and 7.80 for duplex 1.4462 — from the informative data of EN 10088-1.
Is stainless steel heavier than ordinary steel?
Marginally: 304 by 0.6 % (7.90 against 7.85), 316L by 1.9 %. A 1250×2500×2 sheet weighs 49.1 kg in mild steel and 49.4 kg in 304 — less than the thickness tolerance of the sheet.
How much does a metre of 40×40×2 stainless box section weigh?
2.402 kg/m in 1.4301, so about 14.4 kg for a 6 m length. The cross-section is 40·40 − 36·36 = 304 mm². A 30×30×2 weighs 1.770 kg/m and a 50×50×2 3.034 kg/m (corner radii ignored).
How do I get the weight of 316L when the calculator only has 7.90?
Work it out as “stainless steel” and multiply by 1.013 (8.00 / 7.90). A 1250×2500×3 sheet weighs 74.1 kg in 304 and 75.0 kg in 316L.
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