What this calculator does
A glass weight calculator multiplies the volume of a flat pane by the density of the glass it is made from. Standard soda-lime glass, the type used in most windows and glazing, has a density of around 2500 kg per cubic metre, but that figure shifts slightly for tempered, laminated or low-iron glass, so density is left as an editable input rather than fixed.
Getting the weight of glass right matters before it is ever installed: window frames, glazing hardware, lifting equipment and even two people carrying a pane all have working limits that depend on the actual weight, not a rough guess. A single 1 by 2 metre pane at 10 mm thick, for example, already weighs 50 kg, more than most people expect from something that thin.
The formula
Length, width and thickness are converted from millimetres to metres, multiplied together to get the pane's volume in cubic metres, then multiplied by density to get weight in kilograms. Weight per square metre is shown separately, since it depends only on thickness and density and is the figure most often quoted by glass suppliers and installers.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Density | Mass per unit volume of the glass, in kilograms per cubic metre. Standard soda-lime glass is close to 2500 kg/m³, but the exact figure depends on the glass type. |
| Weight per square metre | The pane's weight if its area were exactly 1 m², useful for comparing glazing options at different thicknesses without needing a fixed pane size. |
| Volume | Length × width × thickness, once every dimension is converted to the same unit. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Length (mm) | The length (longer or first dimension) of the pane. |
| Width (mm) | The width (shorter or second dimension) of the pane. |
| Thickness (mm) | The thickness of the glass. |
| Density (standard soda-lime glass ≈ 2500 kg/m³, edit for other types) (kg/m³) | The density of the specific glass type. Standard soda-lime glass is around 2500 kg/m³; tempered, laminated and low-iron glass can vary slightly from this, so check the supplier's figure if precision matters. |
When to use it
Sizing window or door hardware
Hinges, tracks and lifting hardware are rated to a maximum weight, so working out the actual weight of the glazing being fitted checks it against those limits before installation.
Planning safe handling
A pane's weight determines whether it can be safely carried by one or two people, or needs mechanical lifting equipment, well before it reaches the point of installation.
Comparing glass types for the same job
Laminated glass, built from two panes bonded with an interlayer, generally weighs somewhat more than a single pane of the same overall thickness in ordinary float glass. Entering the correct density for each option gives a fair weight comparison.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How weight changes with thickness at a fixed pane size
A fixed 1000 by 600 mm pane, across a range of common glass thicknesses.
| Thickness | Weight | Weight per square metre at this thickness |
|---|---|---|
| 4 mm | 6.00 kg | 10.00 kg/m² |
| 6 mm | 9.00 kg | 15.00 kg/m² |
| 8 mm | 12.00 kg | 20.00 kg/m² |
| 10 mm | 15.00 kg | 25.00 kg/m² |
| 12 mm | 18.00 kg | 30.00 kg/m² |
| 19 mm | 28.50 kg | 47.50 kg/m² |
How weight per square metre changes with density at a fixed thickness
A fixed 10 mm thickness, across a range of densities covering standard and other glass types.
| Density | Weight | Weight per square metre at this thickness |
|---|---|---|
| 2450 kg/m³ | 14.70 kg | 24.50 kg/m² |
| 2500 kg/m³ | 15.00 kg | 25.00 kg/m² |
| 2550 kg/m³ | 15.30 kg | 25.50 kg/m² |
| 2600 kg/m³ | 15.60 kg | 26.00 kg/m² |
Questions
What is the standard density to use for glass weight?
Around 2500 kg/m³ is the commonly cited figure for standard soda-lime float glass, the type used in most windows. It is left editable here because tempered, laminated, low-iron and other specialised glass types can have slightly different densities.
How much does 10mm glass weigh per square metre?
At the standard density of 2500 kg/m³, 10 mm glass weighs 25 kg per square metre, since weight per square metre is simply thickness in metres multiplied by density.
Does laminated glass weigh the same as a single pane of the same thickness?
Not exactly. Laminated glass is built from two or more glass layers bonded with a plastic interlayer, and its effective density can differ slightly from a single pane of plain float glass, so it is worth using the supplier's stated density rather than assuming it matches standard glass.
Why does my supplier's weight figure differ slightly from this calculator?
Small differences usually come down to the exact density used, or whether the supplier is rounding the pane's nominal thickness rather than its precisely measured thickness. Entering the exact figures from the specification sheet closes that gap.
For the same calculation with steel plate instead of glass, see the steel plate weight calculator.