Aluminum Weight Calculator — Sheet, Tube, Bar & Extrusion Profile
Aluminum weight = volume × alloy density (2.66–2.81 g/cm³ depending on alloy). This calculator covers sheet, plate, round/rectangular tube, bar, and custom extrusion profiles — enter dimensions and get piece weight, weight per meter, and total shipment weight instantly.
Enter the mill's kg/m, bar length, and quantity — the batch weight updates instantly.
Next: see China mills we hold a product record for, then pick the capability you need. This is not a quote, and it does not name a mill for you.
See mills with product recordsWhen this number is accurate — and when it is not
You know the exact cross-section area, or the shape is a simple standard — round tube, rectangular tube, or flat bar.
A complex custom profile cannot be derived from outer envelope dimensions alone. A series name such as “Xingfa 55” also does not uniquely determine one profile’s weight, because one series contains many different parts. In those two cases, use the mill’s published kg/m, or skip the calculation and write up the purchase request.
Skip the geometry and write up the purchase request →
Three questions to settle before you order
Other weight calculators stop at the formula. These three are what buyers actually ask: whether a new die is worth it, what a per-kilo quote includes, and whose standard defines the wall.
A new die is a real cost, and no single order size makes it worthwhile. Public discussions often mention charges in the thousands of US dollars — that is not a quote. Only the mill can price a die; complexity, tolerance, and alloy all change it. A standard profile may already have a die.
Ask the mill: do you already have a die for this section, or is a new one required? If new, how much, and how is it charged — paid once, spread over cumulative tonnage, or loaded on the first order? Who owns the die, and can you take it if you switch mills? What design life, in tonnes or cycles, does this die have?
Full note
A new die is a real cost, and there is no single order size that makes it worthwhile. In public discussions, buyers often mention die charges in the thousands of US dollars — that is not a quote. Only the mill can price a die, and the figure depends on section complexity, the tolerance you need, and the alloy. You cannot derive it from the largest dimension. Simple sections and large, complex ones can differ by several times. You also do not need a new die on every order: a standard profile may already have one, and a die you paid for before may still be usable — ask whether any use limit applies. Ask the mill: do you already have a die for this section, or is a new one required? If new, how much, and how is it charged — paid once, spread over cumulative tonnage, or loaded on the first order? Who owns the die, and can you take it if you switch mills? What design life, in tonnes or cycles, does this die have?
A Chinese mill quote is usually ingot price plus a processing fee, and the ingot part typically settles on the spot average on the order date. The same mill's unit price therefore moves with aluminum. When you receive a figure, ask what it includes and how the ingot is settled. Convert per-tonne and per-metre quotes with the calculator above.
Ask the mill: is this a firm price, or an ingot-plus-processing price that floats? If it floats, which exchange and which day’s price? Does it include surface finish, and which type and grade? Does it include packing, inland freight, and export documents? How long is the quote valid?
Full note
A Chinese mill quote is usually built as ingot price plus a processing fee, and the ingot part is typically settled on the spot average on the order date — it is not a fixed number. The same mill’s unit price therefore moves with aluminum. When you receive a figure, the first question is not whether it is expensive, but what the price includes and how the ingot part is settled. Two quotes 15% apart may differ only because one includes a surface finish and the other does not. A per-tonne quote and a per-metre quote also cannot be compared until you know the weight per metre — convert with the calculator above. Ask the mill: is this a firm price, or an ingot-plus-processing price that floats? If it floats, which exchange and which day’s price? Does it include surface finish, and which type and grade? Does it include packing, inland freight, and export documents? How long is the quote valid?
A label such as “European standard 2020” is itself vague. Buyers have reported Chinese mills quoting that phrase while the wall they offer runs from 0.8 mm to 2.0 mm. Chinese mills produce architectural profiles to GB/T 5237.1-2017, with wall deviations in millimetres by size band and precision grade, not as one percentage. Industrial profiles follow GB/T 6892.
Ask the mill: which standard and which precision grade will you run — ordinary or high precision under GB/T 5237.1? What wall-thickness deviation does this section allow, in millimetres, not a percentage? How is an out-of-tolerance piece handled? If the drawing does not state a deviation, which grade do you apply?
Full note
A label such as “European standard 2020” is itself vague. Buyers have reported Chinese mills quoting that phrase while the wall they actually offer runs from 0.8 mm to 2.0 mm — different mills mean different things by the same words. Chinese mills produce architectural profiles to GB/T 5237.1-2017. Its wall-thickness deviations are listed in millimetres by nominal size band and by precision grade (ordinary, high, ultra-high), not as one percentage for every size. Industrial profiles follow a different standard (GB/T 6892), with different tolerance tables. The European precision-profile standard buyers often name verbally is yet another table; it does not convert into a single percentage. Ask the mill: which standard and which precision grade will you run — ordinary or high precision under GB/T 5237.1? What wall-thickness deviation does this section allow, in millimetres, not a percentage? How is an out-of-tolerance piece handled? If the drawing does not state a deviation, which grade do you apply?
How the math works
Every shape reduces to the same base formula — volume × density. The steps below show exactly what this calculator computes, so you can re-check any result by hand or in a spreadsheet.
| Sheet / plate | Weight (kg) = Length × Width × Thickness (mm) × Density (g/cm³) ÷ 1,000,000 |
| Round tube | Weight (kg) = π/4 × (OD² − ID²) (mm²) × Length (mm) × Density (g/cm³) ÷ 1,000,000, where ID = OD − 2 × wall |
| Rectangular tube | Weight (kg) = [Width×Height − (Width−2t)×(Height−2t)] (mm²) × Length (mm) × Density (g/cm³) ÷ 1,000,000 |
| Round bar | Weight (kg) = π/4 × Diameter² (mm²) × Length (mm) × Density (g/cm³) ÷ 1,000,000 |
| Flat bar | Weight (kg) = Width × Thickness × Length (mm) × Density (g/cm³) ÷ 1,000,000 |
| Extrusion profile | kg/m = Cross-section area (cm²) × Density (g/cm³) ÷ 10; Total weight (kg) = kg/m × Length (m) |
| Known kg/m | Total theoretical weight (kg) = kg/m × Length (m) × Quantity |
Worked example
Illustrative numbers for a 6063-T5 thermal-break window-frame profile. This is an example, not a mill quote and not a real die datasheet.
| Cross-section area | 4.6 cm² |
| Length per bar | 6 m |
| Quantity | 1,000 bars |
| Alloy density | 2.69 g/cm³ (6063) |
- 01Weight per meter
4.6 × 2.69 ÷ 10 = 1.2374 kg/m
- 02Weight per bar
1.2374 × 6 = 7.4244 kg
- 03Batch theoretical weight
7.4244 × 1,000 = 7,424.4 kg ≈ 7.42 t
Keep full precision through the intermediate steps; round only at the last step. If you first round kg/m to 1.237, the batch becomes 7,422 kg — 2.4 kg short of 7,424.4 kg. On a multi-ten-tonne order, that gap becomes a settlement dispute.
3 steps to a shipment weight
- 01Pick a starting point and alloy
If you already have the mill's kg/m, choose that mode and skip the geometry. Otherwise pick sheet/plate, round or rectangular tube, bar, or a custom extrusion profile. Then pick the alloy (1050-7075).
- 02Enter what you know
Type kg/m + bar length + piece count, or type length, width/OD, wall, diameter, or the drawing's cross-section area in cm². Units can be mm or inches, m or ft.
- 03Read the weight
The result updates instantly as you type — no submit button. Switch units to kg/lb or m/ft to match your paperwork.
Common questions
Why do different aluminum alloys weigh different amounts?
Density varies by alloy family because of the alloying elements. 5xxx-series alloys (5052 ≈2.68, 5083 ≈2.66 g/cm³) use magnesium, which is lighter than aluminum itself, so they run slightly less dense. 7xxx-series alloys (7075 ≈2.81 g/cm³) add zinc and copper for strength, which raises density. For common construction alloys (6061, 6063) the difference from generic 2.70 g/cm³ is under 1%, but it adds up across a full container load.
Is this theoretical weight or actual shipping weight?
This is theoretical weight from nominal dimensions and alloy density — the same math behind a mill certificate's calculated weight. Actual piece weight can run a few percent lighter or heavier based on extrusion tolerance (wall-thickness variance is usually the largest factor), cutting-length tolerance, and any anodizing or coating add-on weight. For a firm shipping weight, ask your supplier for actual scale weight on the specific die, not the theoretical figure.
How do I get the cross-section area for an extrusion profile from a drawing?
If the supplier's drawing lists it, it's usually labeled "sectional area" near the die number, in mm² or cm². If it isn't labeled, most CAD tools (AutoCAD, SolidWorks) report the enclosed area directly from the 2D profile outline. As a fallback, some mills already quote a theoretical kg/m — divide that by the alloy density (g/cm³) and multiply by 10 to back-calculate the area in cm².
Supplier profiles to review
Chinese aluminum suppliers with product evidence on file.
- Foshan Pailian Aluminium Ltd
Guangdong
- Harbin Sayyas Windows Co., Ltd.
Heilongjiang
- Foshan Oufan Aluminum
Foshan, Guangdong
- Meitu (Fujian) Aluminum Co., Ltd.
Quanzhou, Fujian
From research to a supplier shortlist
Suppliers are ranked from public records and our published methodology — we don't sell leads or take pay-to-rank. Confirm prices and certifications directly with the supplier via RFQ.