Rectangular Tube Weight Calculator
Estimate the weight of a rectangular (or square) metal tube based on its dimensions, length, and material. This is useful for project planning, shipping cost estimation, and structural analysis.
Enter the tube’s dimensions and material, then click “Calculate Weight.”
How Rectangular Tube Weight is Calculated
The weight of a rectangular tube is determined by its volume and the density of the material it’s made from. The key steps are:
- Calculate Cross-Sectional Area: This is the area of the material in a slice of the tube. It’s found by subtracting the area of the inner void from the area of the outer rectangle.
- Outer Area = Outer Width × Outer Height
- Inner Width = Outer Width – (2 × Wall Thickness)
- Inner Height = Outer Height – (2 × Wall Thickness)
- Inner Area = Inner Width × Inner Height
- Cross-Sectional Area of Material = Outer Area – Inner Area
- Calculate Volume: The total volume of the material is the Cross-Sectional Area multiplied by the Length of the tube. Ensure all dimensions are in consistent units before this step!
- Calculate Weight: The weight is then the Volume of material multiplied by the Density of the chosen material.
Weight = Volume × Density
This calculator converts all your input dimensions into centimeters (cm) for consistent calculation with the material densities provided in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³). The final weight is then presented in kilograms (kg) and pounds (lbs).
Important Considerations:
- Wall Thickness: The wall thickness must be less than half of both the outer width and outer height. Otherwise, there would be no hollow space.
- Material Density: Densities are approximate averages. Actual density can vary slightly based on specific alloy composition and manufacturing processes.
- Tolerances: Manufacturing tolerances mean actual dimensions can vary slightly from nominal values, which will affect the final weight.