Square Tube Weight Calculator: MS Square Hollow Section Weight
This square tube weight calculator gives the weight of a square hollow section (SHS) in kg per metre, kg per foot and lbs per foot, for mild steel, stainless steel or aluminium. Choose a common size or enter any side and wall thickness, then the length and number of pieces to weigh a whole gate, shed or grill order.
By Umer Sattar Updated 21 Oct 2026
40 × 40 × 2 mm, cross-section 304 mm²
2.386 kg per metre
- Per piece
- 14.32 kg
- Total
- 14.32 kg
- Per foot
- 0.727 kg
- lb per foot
- 1.604
Sharp-corner formula. Real tubes have rounded corners, so mill weights are usually 1–3% lower.
Square tube weight formula explained
Fabrication shops price square tube by the kilo, so the weight per metre is the number every gate, shed and grill quote is built on. The tube's cross-section is a square ring:
Cross-section area (mm²) = 4 × t × (A − t) A = side, t = wall Weight (kg/m) = area × density ÷ 1,000,000 Mild steel shortcut : kg/m = 4 × t × (A − t) × 0.00785
Example: a 40 × 40 × 2 mm MS square tube has an area of 4 × 2 × 38 = 304 mm², so it weighs 304 × 0.00785 = 2.39 kg/m, or about 14.3 kg for a 6 m length. Mill tables list slightly less (about 2.31 kg/m) because real tubes have rounded corners.
What is the difference between square tube and square pipe?
In everyday Indian usage they mean the same thing. Technically a “tube” is specified by outside size and wall thickness (as SHS is), while a “pipe” is specified by nominal bore. Dealers say “MS square pipe” for the same SHS sections.
MS square tube weight chart in kg
| Size (mm) | kg per metre | kg per 6 m | lb per foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 20 × 1.6 | 0.92 | 5.5 | 0.62 |
| 25 × 25 × 2 | 1.44 | 8.7 | 0.97 |
| 32 × 32 × 2 | 1.88 | 11.3 | 1.27 |
| 40 × 40 × 2 | 2.39 | 14.3 | 1.60 |
| 40 × 40 × 2.6 | 3.05 | 18.3 | 2.05 |
| 50 × 50 × 2.9 | 4.29 | 25.7 | 2.88 |
| 60 × 60 × 3.2 | 5.71 | 34.3 | 3.84 |
| 72 × 72 × 3.2 | 6.91 | 41.5 | 4.65 |
| 80 × 80 × 4 | 9.55 | 57.3 | 6.42 |
| 100 × 100 × 4 | 12.06 | 72.3 | 8.10 |
Workshops in Ludhiana, Rajkot and Coimbatore use these sizes daily: 25 × 25 and 32 × 32 for grills and furniture, 40 × 40 to 50 × 50 for gates, and 72 × 72 upwards for sheds and mezzanines.
Square tube weight in lbs
For imported specifications, multiply kg per metre by 0.672 to get pounds per foot (1 kg/m = 0.672 lb/ft). The calculator shows both.
Aluminium square tube weight calculator
Aluminium is about a third as heavy as steel (2,700 vs 7,850 kg/m³). The same 25 × 25 × 2 mm section weighs 1.44 kg/m in MS but only about 0.50 kg/m in aluminium, which is why aluminium is preferred for partitions and windows. Pick “Aluminium” in the material list.
How to use the calculator
- Pick a common size or choose “Custom size” and enter the side and wall thickness (mm or inches).
- Choose the material: mild steel, stainless steel 304 or aluminium.
- Enter the length of each piece and the number of pieces.
- Read kg/m, weight per piece and total weight.
Order by weight but check by count: a bundle of 40 × 40 × 2 tubes at 6 m should weigh about 14 kg per piece. Pieces noticeably lighter usually mean thinner walls than ordered.
For rectangular sections use the rectangular tube weight calculator; for round pipes the MS pipe weight calculator.
Square Tube Weight Calculator: questions people ask
How is MS square tube weight calculated?
Weight (kg/m) = 4 × t × (A − t) × 0.00785, where A is the side and t the wall thickness in millimetres.
What is the weight of a 1 inch MS square tube per metre?
A 25 × 25 × 2 mm (about 1 inch) MS square tube weighs about 1.44 kg/m; with a 1.6 mm wall, about 1.17 kg/m.
What is the difference between square tube and square pipe?
In Indian trade they are the same product. Formally, tubes are sized by outside dimension and wall, pipes by nominal bore.
How do I calculate aluminium square tube weight?
Use the same area formula with aluminium's density: kg/m = 4 × t × (A − t) × 0.0027.
How do I convert square tube weight from kg/m to lbs/ft?
Multiply kg per metre by 0.672.