Rectangular Tube Weight Calculator: RHS Weight per Metre in kg
This rectangular tube weight calculator gives the weight of a rectangular hollow section (RHS) per metre in kg, per foot and in lbs, in metric or inch sizes. It covers mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium, and totals the weight for any number of pieces: handy for checking a fabrication bill or a structural steel list.
By Umer Sattar Updated 21 Oct 2026
60 × 40 × 2.6 mm, cross-section 493 mm²
3.87 kg per metre
- Per piece
- 23.22 kg
- Total
- 23.22 kg
- Per foot
- 1.179 kg
- lb per foot
- 2.6
Sharp-corner formula. Real tubes have rounded corners, so mill weights are usually 1–3% lower.
Rectangular hollow section weight formula
Cross-section area (mm²) = 2 × t × (A + B) − 4 × t² A, B = sides, t = wall Weight (kg/m) = area × density ÷ 1,000,000 Mild steel : kg/m = area × 0.00785
Example: a 60 × 40 × 2.6 mm RHS has an area of 2 × 2.6 × 100 − 4 × 6.76 = 493 mm², so it weighs 493 × 0.00785 = 3.87 kg/m, about 23.2 kg per 6 m length. This RHS weight calculator metric formula is exact for sharp corners; mill tables are 1–3% lower because of corner radii.
Why subtract 4t²?
Adding the four walls as 2 × t × (A + B) counts each corner square twice. Subtracting 4 × t² removes the four double-counted corners.
Common RHS weight chart (kg/m)
| Size (mm) | kg per metre | kg per 6 m | kg per foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 × 20 × 1.6 | 1.43 | 8.6 | 0.44 |
| 48 × 24 × 2 | 2.14 | 12.8 | 0.65 |
| 50 × 25 × 2.9 | 3.15 | 18.9 | 0.96 |
| 60 × 40 × 2.6 | 3.87 | 23.2 | 1.18 |
| 66 × 33 × 2.9 | 4.24 | 25.5 | 1.29 |
| 80 × 40 × 3.2 | 5.71 | 34.3 | 1.74 |
| 96 × 48 × 3.2 | 6.91 | 41.5 | 2.11 |
| 100 × 50 × 4 | 8.92 | 53.5 | 2.72 |
| 122 × 61 × 4.5 | 12.29 | 73.7 | 3.75 |
| 150 × 100 × 5 | 18.84 | 113.0 | 5.74 |
Rectangular sections carry load better in one direction, so they are the usual choice for purlins, door frames, staircase stringers and shop shutters. Fabricators in Pune's Bhosari MIDC or Chennai's Ambattur estate will recognise most of these sizes from the stock lists of SAIL- and Tata-supplied dealers.
Steel tubing weight per foot
For drawings in feet, multiply kg per metre by 0.3048 for kg per foot, or by 0.672 for lbs per foot. Both appear in the result, so the same calculator serves as a steel tubing weight per foot calculator.
Aluminium rectangular tube weight
Aluminium RHS weighs about 34% of a steel tube of the same size. A 50 × 25 × 2 mm aluminium section, for example, is around 0.77 kg/m. Choose aluminium in the material list; for anodised window sections, the real weight also depends on the profile's internal webs, so supplier catalogues should be checked.
RHS vs SHS sections
- RHS (rectangular): two different sides; stronger about the long axis; used for beams, purlins and frames.
- SHS (square): equal sides; equal strength both ways; used for columns, posts and gates. See the square tube weight calculator.
- CHS (circular): round pipe; best in torsion and for fluids. See the MS pipe weight calculator.
For a structural member, pick the section from the structural engineer's design; the weight calculator is for quantities, costing and checking deliveries.
Rectangular Tube Weight Calculator: questions people ask
How do I calculate rectangular hollow section weight per metre?
Area = 2 × t × (A + B) − 4 × t² in mm², then kg/m = area × density ÷ 1,000,000 (× 0.00785 for mild steel).
What is the RHS weight calculator metric formula?
kg/m = (2t(A + B) − 4t²) × 0.00785 for mild steel, with A, B and t in millimetres.
How do I calculate aluminium rectangular tube weight?
Use the same area formula with aluminium's density: kg/m = area × 0.0027.
What is steel tubing weight per foot for rectangular sections?
Multiply kg per metre by 0.3048 for kg/ft, or by 0.672 for lb/ft.
What is the difference between RHS and SHS sections?
RHS has two different side lengths and is stronger about its long axis; SHS has equal sides and equal strength in both directions.