Aluminum 5052-H32 Flat Bar Weight
Mass per metre and per foot for aluminum 5052-h32 flat bar at 2,680 kg/m³ (ASTM B209 (H32 temper)). Every figure is for the section as drawn. A 6 m length of this size weighs 4.8 kg (10.8 lb per 20 ft).
At the reference dimensions (w = 50 mm, t = 6 mm) this section has a cross-sectional area of 300.0 mm², giving 0.804 kg/m (0.540 lb/ft). Against carbon steel's 7,850 kg/m³ that is -65.9 % — the same section in steel would be 2.355 kg/m.
Flat Bar — formula and derivation
Area of a flat bar
A = w · t
A = w × t, where w is width and t is thickness
Worked through with the default dimensions:
A = w × tA = 50 × 6A = 300.0 mm²
- w
- Width
- t
- Thickness
Weight follows from the area with no further geometry: m = A × 10⁻⁶ × ρ, where A is in mm², ρ in kg/m³ and m in kg/m. At 2,680 kg/m³ that is 0.8040 kg/m for the reference size above.
AL 5052 flat bar — size series
| Width | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 mm | 0.096 kg/m · 0.065 lb/ft | 0.129 kg/m · 0.086 lb/ft | 0.161 kg/m · 0.108 lb/ft | 0.193 kg/m · 0.130 lb/ft | 0.257 kg/m · 0.173 lb/ft | 0.322 kg/m · 0.216 lb/ft | 0.386 kg/m · 0.259 lb/ft | 0.515 kg/m · 0.346 lb/ft | 0.643 kg/m · 0.432 lb/ft |
| 16 mm | 0.129 kg/m · 0.086 lb/ft | 0.172 kg/m · 0.115 lb/ft | 0.214 kg/m · 0.144 lb/ft | 0.257 kg/m · 0.173 lb/ft | 0.343 kg/m · 0.231 lb/ft | 0.429 kg/m · 0.288 lb/ft | 0.515 kg/m · 0.346 lb/ft | 0.686 kg/m · 0.461 lb/ft | 0.858 kg/m · 0.576 lb/ft |
| 20 mm | 0.161 kg/m · 0.108 lb/ft | 0.214 kg/m · 0.144 lb/ft | 0.268 kg/m · 0.180 lb/ft | 0.322 kg/m · 0.216 lb/ft | 0.429 kg/m · 0.288 lb/ft | 0.536 kg/m · 0.360 lb/ft | 0.643 kg/m · 0.432 lb/ft | 0.858 kg/m · 0.576 lb/ft | 1.072 kg/m · 0.720 lb/ft |
| 25 mm | 0.201 kg/m · 0.135 lb/ft | 0.268 kg/m · 0.180 lb/ft | 0.335 kg/m · 0.225 lb/ft | 0.402 kg/m · 0.270 lb/ft | 0.536 kg/m · 0.360 lb/ft | 0.670 kg/m · 0.450 lb/ft | 0.804 kg/m · 0.540 lb/ft | 1.072 kg/m · 0.720 lb/ft | 1.340 kg/m · 0.900 lb/ft |
| 30 mm | 0.241 kg/m · 0.162 lb/ft | 0.322 kg/m · 0.216 lb/ft | 0.402 kg/m · 0.270 lb/ft | 0.482 kg/m · 0.324 lb/ft | 0.643 kg/m · 0.432 lb/ft | 0.804 kg/m · 0.540 lb/ft | 0.965 kg/m · 0.648 lb/ft | 1.286 kg/m · 0.864 lb/ft | 1.608 kg/m · 1.081 lb/ft |
| 40 mm | 0.322 kg/m · 0.216 lb/ft | 0.429 kg/m · 0.288 lb/ft | 0.536 kg/m · 0.360 lb/ft | 0.643 kg/m · 0.432 lb/ft | 0.858 kg/m · 0.576 lb/ft | 1.072 kg/m · 0.720 lb/ft | 1.286 kg/m · 0.864 lb/ft | 1.715 kg/m · 1.153 lb/ft | 2.144 kg/m · 1.441 lb/ft |
| 50 mm | 0.402 kg/m · 0.270 lb/ft | 0.536 kg/m · 0.360 lb/ft | 0.670 kg/m · 0.450 lb/ft | 0.804 kg/m · 0.540 lb/ft | 1.072 kg/m · 0.720 lb/ft | 1.340 kg/m · 0.900 lb/ft | 1.608 kg/m · 1.081 lb/ft | 2.144 kg/m · 1.441 lb/ft | 2.680 kg/m · 1.801 lb/ft |
| 60 mm | 0.482 kg/m · 0.324 lb/ft | 0.643 kg/m · 0.432 lb/ft | 0.804 kg/m · 0.540 lb/ft | 0.965 kg/m · 0.648 lb/ft | 1.286 kg/m · 0.864 lb/ft | 1.608 kg/m · 1.081 lb/ft | 1.930 kg/m · 1.297 lb/ft | 2.573 kg/m · 1.729 lb/ft | 3.216 kg/m · 2.161 lb/ft |
| 80 mm | 0.643 kg/m · 0.432 lb/ft | 0.858 kg/m · 0.576 lb/ft | 1.072 kg/m · 0.720 lb/ft | 1.286 kg/m · 0.864 lb/ft | 1.715 kg/m · 1.153 lb/ft | 2.144 kg/m · 1.441 lb/ft | 2.573 kg/m · 1.729 lb/ft | 3.430 kg/m · 2.305 lb/ft | 4.288 kg/m · 2.881 lb/ft |
| 100 mm | 0.804 kg/m · 0.540 lb/ft | 1.072 kg/m · 0.720 lb/ft | 1.340 kg/m · 0.900 lb/ft | 1.608 kg/m · 1.081 lb/ft | 2.144 kg/m · 1.441 lb/ft | 2.680 kg/m · 1.801 lb/ft | 3.216 kg/m · 2.161 lb/ft | 4.288 kg/m · 2.881 lb/ft | 5.360 kg/m · 3.602 lb/ft |
Rows: width (mm). Columns: thickness (mm). Computed for Aluminum 5052-H32 at 2680 kg/m³.
| Width | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 mm | 36.0 | 48.0 | 60.0 | 72.0 | 96.0 | 120.0 | 144.0 | 192.0 | 240.0 |
| 16 mm | 48.0 | 64.0 | 80.0 | 96.0 | 128.0 | 160.0 | 192.0 | 256.0 | 320.0 |
| 20 mm | 60.0 | 80.0 | 100.0 | 120.0 | 160.0 | 200.0 | 240.0 | 320.0 | 400.0 |
| 25 mm | 75.0 | 100.0 | 125.0 | 150.0 | 200.0 | 250.0 | 300.0 | 400.0 | 500.0 |
| 30 mm | 90.0 | 120.0 | 150.0 | 180.0 | 240.0 | 300.0 | 360.0 | 480.0 | 600.0 |
| 40 mm | 120.0 | 160.0 | 200.0 | 240.0 | 320.0 | 400.0 | 480.0 | 640.0 | 800.0 |
| 50 mm | 150.0 | 200.0 | 250.0 | 300.0 | 400.0 | 500.0 | 600.0 | 800.0 | 1,000.0 |
| 60 mm | 180.0 | 240.0 | 300.0 | 360.0 | 480.0 | 600.0 | 720.0 | 960.0 | 1,200.0 |
| 80 mm | 240.0 | 320.0 | 400.0 | 480.0 | 640.0 | 800.0 | 960.0 | 1,280.0 | 1,600.0 |
| 100 mm | 300.0 | 400.0 | 500.0 | 600.0 | 800.0 | 1,000.0 | 1,200.0 | 1,600.0 | 2,000.0 |
Area is a property of the geometry alone, so this table is the same for every material. It is what you enter into a stress calculation; the mass table is what you enter into an order.
Each row is one nominal size. Because the area is computed from your dimensions rather than read from a mill table, a non-standard size is just as accurate — put it into the calculator above rather than interpolating between rows.
The same flat bar in every material
Geometry is fixed and only density changes, so this table is the whole material-selection question in one view. Aluminum 5052-H32 is highlighted. The percentage column is against carbon steel, which is the figure most quotations are built on.
| Material | Density kg/m³ | lb/in³ | Mass / length kg/m | lb/ft | vs carbon steel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Steel | 7,850 | 0.2836 | 2.355 | 1.582 | +0.0 % |
| Stainless Steel 304 | 8,000 | 0.2890 | 2.400 | 1.613 | +1.9 % |
| Stainless Steel 316 | 8,000 | 0.2890 | 2.400 | 1.613 | +1.9 % |
| Stainless Steel 316L | 8,000 | 0.2890 | 2.400 | 1.613 | +1.9 % |
| Stainless Steel 430 | 7,700 | 0.2782 | 2.310 | 1.552 | -1.9 % |
| Aluminum 6061-T6 | 2,700 | 0.0975 | 0.810 | 0.544 | -65.6 % |
| Aluminum 5052-H32 | 2,680 | 0.0968 | 0.804 | 0.540 | -65.9 % |
| Aluminum 7075-T6 | 2,810 | 0.1015 | 0.843 | 0.566 | -64.2 % |
| Copper C11000 | 8,940 | 0.3230 | 2.682 | 1.802 | +13.9 % |
| Brass C36000 | 8,500 | 0.3071 | 2.550 | 1.714 | +8.3 % |
| Bronze C93200 | 8,800 | 0.3179 | 2.640 | 1.774 | +12.1 % |
| Titanium Grade 2 | 4,510 | 0.1629 | 1.353 | 0.909 | -42.5 % |
| Gray Cast Iron | 7,200 | 0.2601 | 2.160 | 1.451 | -8.3 % |
| Lead | 11,340 | 0.4097 | 3.402 | 2.286 | +44.5 % |
| Rigid PVC (Type I) | 1,400 | 0.0506 | 0.420 | 0.282 | -82.2 % |
| HDPE (PE 100) | 960 | 0.0347 | 0.288 | 0.194 | -87.8 % |
Same geometry throughout, so the only variable is density. Carbon steel is highlighted as the baseline.
A note on using this table for costing: mass is not price. Aluminium is roughly a third of steel's mass here, but per kilogram it costs several times more, so a straight swap rarely saves money — what it buys is reduced load on a structure or a vehicle.
About aluminum 5052-h32
The highest-strength common non-heat-treatable alloy and the best of the sheet alloys for marine service, with roughly twice the corrosion resistance of 6061 in salt water. Its 2,680 kg/m³ is marginally below 6061 — a 0.7 % difference, invisible on a take-off but real. It work-hardens rather than age-hardens, so it cannot be strengthened after forming and is normally supplied in H32. Preferred for fuel tanks, hull plate and formed panels that will see chloride.
- Density
- 2,680 kg/m³ = 0.0968 lb/in³ · 0.3414× carbon steel · typical spread ±1 %
- Specification
- ASTM B209 (H32 temper)
- Equivalents
- EN AW-5052 · JIS A5052 · GB 5052
- Typical uses
- Marine hulls and tanks · Fuel and hydraulic tanks · Sheet metal enclosures · Pressure vessels (low)
About flat bar
Flat bar is where the site’s most common estimating mistake shows up: weight is independent of how the bar is oriented, but stiffness is not. A 50 × 6 flat bent about its strong axis is roughly 69 times stiffer than the same bar bent about its weak axis, while both weigh 2.36 kg/m. Reading weight off a flat-bar table tells you what to order; it tells you nothing about whether the section will carry the load.
Specified as width × thickness. Edge condition (square, radiused, or sheared) changes the effective area slightly, not the nominal weight.
Download this data
AL 5052 flat bar — CSV
Both buttons below read the tables rendered on this page, so the file matches what you are looking at. The full catalogue — all 16 materials across all 10 sections — is on the downloads page.
Fields are quoted per RFC 4180, with a UTF-8 byte-order mark so Excel reads the mm² and · characters correctly. Blank lines separate the weight matrix from the area matrix.
Frequently asked questions
How much does aluminum 5052-h32 flat bar weigh?
At the reference dimensions (w = 50 mm, t = 6 mm) a aluminum 5052-h32 flat bar of this size weighs 0.804 kg/m, or 0.540 lb/ft. The table above lists the figure for every standard size so you can read your size directly instead of scaling.
How is the weight of flat bar calculated?
Weight is cross-sectional area × length × density. For this shape the area is A = w · t. At the reference dimensions that gives 300.0 mm², and multiplying by aluminum 5052-h32's density of 2,680 kg/m³ gives 0.804 kg/m. Nothing is looked up in a table — which is why a non-standard size is calculated just as accurately as a standard one.
Why does aluminum 5052-h32 weigh more or less than steel?
It is lighter than carbon steel for the same section — about 66 % lighter at 2,680 kg/m³. Density is the only variable: the cross-sectional area depends purely on geometry, so a flat bar of the same dimensions has the same area in every material and the mass simply scales with density. In this case the ratio is 0.3414× carbon steel.
What is the cross-sectional area of a flat bar?
The area depends only on the dimensions, not on the material, so it is identical whichever material you select: at the reference dimensions it is 300.0 mm² (0.4650 in²). That is the number you would enter into a stress or deflection calculation, and it is why changing material on this page never changes the area column.
Does a al 5052 flat bar weigh the same as a al 5052 part of a different shape?
No, and the difference is larger than most people expect. At equal nominal size, a square bar is 27.3 % heavier than a round bar, and a hollow section is typically 60–80 % lighter than the solid bar it replaces. Weight follows area, and area changes faster than dimensions do — which is exactly why this needs calculating rather than estimating.
Should I use AL 5052 weight or carbon steel weight for costing?
Use the material you are actually buying. At 2,680 kg/m³ against carbon steel's 7,850 kg/m³, the same flat bar differs by 65.9 % in mass. On a per-metre quote that is invisible; on a fabricated tonnage it is the difference between a margin and a loss. This page computes the steel figure as 2.355 kg/m for comparison.
Other materials, same flat bar
The same geometry in every material, so the only variable is density.
- Carbon steel flat bar — 7850 kg/m³
- SS 304 flat bar — 8000 kg/m³
- SS 316 flat bar — 8000 kg/m³
- AL 6061 flat bar — 2700 kg/m³
- Copper flat bar — 8940 kg/m³
- Brass flat bar — 8500 kg/m³
- HDPE flat bar — 960 kg/m³
- PVC flat bar — 1400 kg/m³
Other AL 5052 sections
The same density applied to every shape the site covers.
- AL 5052 round bar — A = π/4 · d²
- AL 5052 square bar — A = a²
- AL 5052 hexagonal bar — A = (√3/2) · AF² ≈ 0.8660 · AF²
- AL 5052 plate — A = w · t
- AL 5052 round tube — A = π/4 · (D² − d²), d = D − 2t
- AL 5052 square tube — A = a² − (a − 2t)²
Reference data and tools
- Metal weight overview — how the calculation works
- All 16 materials — densities and specifications
- All 10 sections — formulas and size series
- Density chart — lightest to heaviest
- Metal weight calculator — any size, any material
- All calculators — metal weight and pipe weight
- Download the data — CSV, generated from the same source
- Cross-reference tables — DN / NPS / material equivalents
- Methodology and sources — where every number comes from
Flat Bar area from A = w · t. Mass computed as area × length × density at 2,680 kg/m³ (ASTM B209 (H32 temper)). No weight on this page is copied from a published table — which is why figures can differ in the last significant digit from a mill's chart calculated at a nominal density.
- Elementary plane geometry. The circle, polygon and hollow-section area formulas.
- ASTM material specifications for each grade named in the material entry (A36, A240/A276, B209/B211/B221, B152/B16/B505, B265/B348, A48, B29, D1784, D3350).
- BIPM / NIST definitional constants: international inch = 25.4 mm, foot = 0.3048 m, pound = 0.45359237 kg.
Dataset version 2026.09.1 · dimensions last verified against source 2026-09-21. Found an error? Report it — corrections are issued with a version bump.