Steel Plate Weight Calculator — Formula & Thickness Chart
By Special Correspondent · SteelMath
Steel plate weight is straightforward to calculate but easy to get wrong if you don’t account for all dimensions correctly. This guide gives you the formula, a quick-reference chart by thickness, and a method for estimating the cost of your plate requirements.
The Formula
Steel Plate Weight (kg) = Length (mm) × Width (mm) × Thickness (mm) × 7.85 ÷ 1,000,000
Where 7.85 is the density of mild steel in g/cm³ (equivalent to 7,850 kg/m³).
An even simpler version for quick mental maths: Weight per square metre (kg/m²) = Thickness (mm) × 7.85.
So a 10mm plate weighs 78.5 kg per square metre. A 12mm plate weighs 94.2 kg per square metre. This is the number you should memorise for everyday use.
Weight Per Square Metre for Common Thicknesses
1mm plate: 7.85 kg/m². 2mm: 15.70 kg/m². 3mm: 23.55 kg/m². 4mm: 31.40 kg/m². 5mm: 39.25 kg/m². 6mm: 47.10 kg/m². 8mm: 62.80 kg/m². 10mm: 78.50 kg/m². 12mm: 94.20 kg/m². 16mm: 125.60 kg/m². 20mm: 157.00 kg/m². 25mm: 196.25 kg/m². 32mm: 251.20 kg/m². 40mm: 314.00 kg/m². 50mm: 392.50 kg/m².
Standard Plate Sizes in India
Indian steel mills typically produce plates in the following standard sizes: 1250mm × 2500mm, 1500mm × 3000mm, 1500mm × 6000mm, 2000mm × 6000mm, and 2500mm × 6000mm. Plates can be sheared or flame-cut to custom sizes, but standard sizes are more economical.
For a standard 1500mm × 6000mm × 10mm plate: Weight = 1500 × 6000 × 10 × 7.85 ÷ 1,000,000 = 706.5 kg.
For chequered (checkered) plates, add approximately 5% to the weight to account for the raised pattern.
Use SteelMath’s calculator for instant results with any custom dimensions.