Glass weight calculator
Enter the width, height and thickness to get the weight of any piece of flat glass in pounds and kilograms. It opens on a typical 30" × 76" shower door in 3/8" glass.
Weight
77.8 lb
35.3 kg
- Area
- 15.83 sq ft · 1.47 m²
- 3/8" glass weighs
- 4.91 lb per sq ft
Glass weight per square foot
Clear float or tempered glass, by nominal thickness. The last columns show a typical shower panel and door in that glass.
| Thickness | lb / sq ft | kg / m² | 24" × 76" fixed panel | 30" × 76" door | 36" × 76" door |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8" (3 mm) | 1.64 | 8.0 | 21 lb | 26 lb | 31 lb |
| 3/16" (5 mm) | 2.46 | 12.0 | 31 lb | 39 lb | 47 lb |
| 1/4" (6 mm) | 3.27 | 16.0 | 41 lb | 52 lb | 62 lb |
| 5/16" (8 mm) | 4.09 | 20.0 | 52 lb | 65 lb | 78 lb |
| 3/8" (10 mm) | 4.91 | 24.0 | 62 lb | 78 lb | 93 lb |
| 1/2" (12 mm) | 6.55 | 32.0 | 83 lb | 104 lb | 124 lb |
| 5/8" (15 mm) | 8.19 | 40.0 | 104 lb | 130 lb | 156 lb |
| 3/4" (19 mm) | 9.82 | 48.0 | 124 lb | 156 lb | 187 lb |
How it's calculated
Glass weighs about 2.5 times as much as water. In US units that works out to:
Weight (lb) = width (in) × height (in) ÷ 144 × thickness (in) × 13.1
Dividing by 144 turns square inches into square feet. 13.1 lb is the weight of a square foot of glass one inch thick. In metric, glass weighs about 2.5 kg per square metre for every millimetre of thickness.
Why the weight matters
- Hinges and clamps have weight limits. A heavy door may need a third hinge.
- Two people can safely carry less than you think. Plan the crew and the carry before install day.
- Shipping and crating are often priced by weight.
The free shower glass designer shows each panel's weight as you draw it, next to its hinges, cut-outs and shop drawing.
Questions
- How do you calculate the weight of glass?
- Multiply the area in square feet by the thickness in inches and by about 13.1 lb. That figure is the weight of one square foot of glass one inch thick (glass is about 2.5 times as heavy as water). For example, a 30" × 76" piece of 3/8" glass is 15.83 sq ft × 0.375 × 13.1 ≈ 77.8 lb.
- How much does 3/8" glass weigh per square foot?
- About 4.9 lb per square foot (24 kg per square metre). 1/2" glass is about 6.6 lb per square foot, and 1/4" glass about 3.3 lb.
- How much does a frameless shower door weigh?
- A typical 30" × 76" door in 3/8" glass weighs about 78 lb. The same door in 1/2" glass weighs about 104 lb. Add a little for the hinges and handle.
- How many hinges does a heavy shower door need?
- Two hinges on a frameless door are commonly rated for about 80 to 100 lb, depending on the hinge. Heavier or wider doors often need a third hinge. Always check the weight and width limits printed on your hinge's own template.
- Is the calculated weight exact?
- It's a close estimate for clear float or tempered glass. Real sheets vary slightly in thickness (3/8" glass is often 9.5 mm), and laminated or low-iron glass can weigh a little more.
Drawing a shower?
Start from a template with sizes and hardware already placed: