TAHA Engineering Toolsby TAHA Knowledge Lab

Material Weight

Angle Weight Calculator

Weight of equal and unequal angle (L-section) per metre and per piece.

Inputs

Angle section with vertical leg a, horizontal leg b and thickness t.abt — thickness
Angle section: leg lengths a and b measured over the outside, thickness t. Area ≈ t × (a + b − t), treating the corners as sharp. Diagram not to scale.

Density used: 7,850 kg/m³ — nominal value used in steel section mass tables, e.g. EN 10210-2 and EN 10219-2 (7.85 kg/dm³).

For an equal angle, enter the same value as leg A.

Result

Weight per piece
22.3725
Weight per length
3.72875
Total weight
22.3725
Cross-section area
475
Density used
7,850

A 50 mm × 50 mm × 5 mm angle in carbon / mild steel weighs about 3.72875 kg/m (sharp-corner estimate). One 6 m piece weighs about 22.3725 kg.

Educational estimate — check the assumptions below.

About this calculator

Angles (L-sections, angle iron) are used for frames, brackets, racks and supports. This calculator estimates their weight from the two leg lengths and the thickness. It treats the corners as sharp, so it is a close estimate rather than the exact table value.

Formula

A = t × (a + b − t)    m = A × L × ρ

a, b = leg lengths, t = thickness, L = length (m), ρ = density (kg/m³). The two legs overlap in a t × t square at the corner, which is why t is subtracted once.

Worked example

Equal angle 50 × 50 × 5 mm in carbon steel:

  • Area = 5 × (50 + 50 − 5) = 475 mm²
  • Weight = 475 × 10⁻⁶ × 7850 = 3.73 kg/m
  • A 6 m piece = 22.4 kg

Section tables for hot-rolled angles (EN 10056-1) list 3.77 kg/m for this size. The table value is about 1% higher because rolled angles have a fillet (root radius) inside the corner, which adds a little material.

Assumptions and limitations

  • Sharp inside and outside corners. Hot-rolled angles have a root radius and rounded toes, so table weights are usually about 1–2% higher than this estimate. For exact values, use the product standard’s table.
  • Rolling tolerances affect real weight.
  • Densities are typical values for estimating.

References

  • EN 10056-1: Structural steel equal and unequal leg angles — dimensions (for comparison with table weights).