Calculate the weight of square hollow section (SHS) steel tubes per metre and total weight for any size, wall thickness, length, and quantity. Supports MS steel, SS 304, SS 316, aluminium, and copper square tubes. IS 4923 standard weight table included.
Two modes — enter custom dimensions or select from IS 4923 standard sizes
Click any row in the IS 4923 table below to instantly calculate weight for that size
Add multiple square tube sizes to calculate combined weight — useful for BOQ / material take-off
Complete IS 4923:1997 standard SHS weights — click any row to calculate total weight in the Standard Size calculator above
| Size (mm × mm) | Wall T (mm) | Inner Size (mm) | Cross-Section Area (cm²) | Weight (kg/m) | Weight 6m Piece (kg) | Weight 12m Piece (kg) | Common Use in India |
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* IS 4923:1997 standard weights for MS SHS (Square Hollow Section). Weights are theoretical based on 7850 kg/m³ steel density. Actual weight may vary ±10% (Class 1) or ±7.5% (Class 2) per IS 4923 tolerance. Click any row to use in the Standard Size calculator above.
How to manually calculate square hollow section weight — step by step
Where: A = Outer side dimension (mm), T = Wall thickness (mm), Inner size = A − 2T
A = 50 mm, T = 3.2 mm
Inner size = 50 − (2×3.2) = 43.6 mm
Area = 50² − 43.6² = 2500 − 1900.96
= 599.04 mm² = 5.9904 cm²
Density of MS steel = 7.85 g/cm³
Weight/m = 5.9904 × 7.85 ÷ 10
= 5.9904 × 0.785
= 4.702 kg/m
IS 4923 listed value: 4.70 kg/m ✓
Weight per piece = 4.702 × 6 = 28.21 kg
Total = 28.21 × 10 pieces
= 282.1 kg
= 0.2821 MT
At ₹62/kg = ₹17,490
Same formula — just change density:
SS 304: 8.00 g/cm³ → 4.793 kg/m
Aluminium: 2.70 g/cm³ → 1.617 kg/m
Copper: 8.96 g/cm³ → 5.367 kg/m
Al tube weighs only 34% of equivalent MS tube.
Where SHS steel tubes are most widely used in Indian construction, fabrication, and manufacturing
SHS is widely used for structural column and beam frames in industrial buildings, warehouses, and commercial construction across India. Common sizes: 75×75, 100×100, and 150×150 mm with 4–6 mm wall. IS 4923 Class 2 is standard specification.
The most common use for light SHS (25×25 and 40×40 mm) in India — fabricated gates, compound walls, door frames, window grills, and security barriers. ERW (Electric Resistance Welded) square tubes are standard for this application.
Square tubes in 20×20, 25×25, and 30×30 mm sizes are extensively used for MS furniture fabrication — racks, shelving systems, workbenches, locker frames, and office furniture. Thin wall (1.5–2.0 mm) tubes are preferred for weight reduction.
Medium SHS (50×50 to 100×100 mm, 4–6 mm wall) is used for truck body frames, trailer chassis sub-frames, agricultural equipment frames, and tractor implements. IS 2062 E250 grade steel to IS 4923 specification is standard.
GI or MS SHS (40×40 and 50×50 mm, 2–3 mm wall) is the dominant structural member for rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV mounting structures across India. Hot-dip galvanized SHS is preferred for outdoor solar applications.
Heavy SHS (100×100 to 150×150 mm, 5–8 mm wall) is used as primary and secondary structural members for mezzanine floors, elevated platforms, and equipment support structures in Indian factories and warehouses.
Write "MS SHS 50×50×3.2 mm, IS 4923:1997 Class 2, IS 2062 E250 grade, 6m lengths, with MTC" — not just "2-inch square pipe." IS 4923 Class 2 is the standard structural grade. Class 1 is for light duty (gate/furniture). Specifying the standard prevents secondary/non-IS material from being supplied.
IS 4923 allows ±10% variation on wall thickness for Class 1 and ±7.5% for Class 2. A "3.2 mm wall" tube may legally be as thin as 2.88 mm (Class 1). For structural applications, measure wall thickness with a digital caliper or ultrasonic thickness gauge on delivery — especially for imported material.
MS SHS from primary Indian mills (SAIL, Tata, JSW, JSPL) typically trades at ₹58–68/kg depending on size and market. Light sections (25×25, 40×40) carry a small premium over heavy sections. Secondary/imported SHS is ₹5–10/kg cheaper but may not meet IS 4923 tolerances. Always obtain invoices on per-kg theoretical weight basis.
Indian steel is invoiced by theoretical weight (nominal dimensions × 7.85 g/cm³). You are billed for the IS 4923 listed weight per metre, not the actual weighed weight. If a supplier invoices at scale weight, insist on verifying against theoretical — some import-origin tubes run light and scale-weight billing at nominal price overcharges you proportionally.
Standard SHS comes in 6 m and 12 m lengths. When planning a BOQ, add 5–8% cutting waste allowance over your net required length for typical fabrication. For complex frames with many short pieces, cutting waste can reach 12–15%. Use the multi-item calculator above to plan your total weight including cutting allowance.
For outdoor applications (gates, solar structures, boundary walls) in India, hot-dip galvanized SHS or GI-coated SHS is preferred over plain MS + paint. HDG adds ~10–15% cost but extends service life from 3–5 years (painted MS) to 20–25 years in Indian outdoor conditions. HDG SHS weight = MS SHS weight × ~1.012 (coating adds ~1.2% mass).