Metal Stud Weight Chart (Manufacturer-Sourced Data)
Published stud weight depends on depth, flange width, gauge (mil thickness), and manufacturer. Below is verified weight-per-foot data for one commonly specified product — a 6" drywall stud (DWS) — published in a manufacturer product submittal sheet, shown here as an example of what a real weight chart looks like and how it's structured:
| Gauge (Mil Thickness) | Cross-Sectional Area (in²) | Weight (lb/ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 ga (0.0312") | 0.293 | 1.201 |
| 22 ga (0.0283") | 0.249 | 1.021 |
| 25 ga (0.0188") | 0.166 | 0.681 |
Source: Caliber Metals, 6.00" DWS product submittal sheet. Verify current revision
Why a Full Chart Across All Depths Isn't Published Here
You'll notice this chart covers one depth (6") and three gauges, not the full matrix of every standard depth (1⅝", 2½", 3⅝", 4", 6", 8"+) crossed with every gauge (25, 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12) and every manufacturer.
That's intentional, not an oversight: publishing invented or extrapolated numbers for combinations we haven't verified against a manufacturer's actual technical data would be inaccurate and could lead to real ordering or structural errors.
How to Calculate Metal Stud Weight Per Foot
The Formula
Weight per foot is fundamentally a function of how much steel is in the cross-section and how dense that steel is:
Standard carbon steel density is approximately 0.2836 lb/in³ (7,850 kg/m³).
Why Calculated Weight Can Differ From Published Weight
If you calculate weight from a stud's nominal cross-sectional dimensions and this density figure, you'll typically land close to — but not always exactly on — a manufacturer's published weight. This gap usually comes from a few real, identifiable sources rather than error:
- Corner radii and forming allowances in the actual roll-formed shape versus a simplified flat-pattern area calculation
- Galvanized coating weight, which adds a small amount of mass beyond bare steel
- Manufacturer rounding conventions in how published weight figures are calculated and displayed
- Actual delivered thickness sometimes running slightly above the minimum mil thickness the gauge designation guarantees
This is exactly why this page treats manufacturer-published weight (like the chart above) as the reliable figure for real ordering and estimating, and the formula above as a useful way to understand how weight is determined and to sanity-check a number — not as a replacement for checking the actual product data sheet.
General engineering explanation — not manufacturer-confirmedGauge, Mil Thickness, and Why "20 Gauge" Isn't One Number
This is the single most common source of confusion in steel stud weight and ordering, and it deserves to be stated plainly: a gauge number is not a universal thickness unless you know which product standard it's being applied under.
20 Gauge Metal Stud Thickness: Structural vs. EQ (Drywall) Studs
There are, in practice, two different products commonly labeled "20 gauge":
| Product | Thickness | Standard | Steel Yield | Interchangeable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-gauge structural stud | 33 mil (0.033") min. | AISI S240 / S220 | Typically 33 ksi | No |
| 20-gauge EQ drywall stud | 30 mil (0.030") | ASTM C645 (EQ) | Performance-tested | No |
What 20-Gauge Studs Are Commonly Used For
20-gauge (33-mil structural, or 30-mil EQ) studs are commonly used for taller partition walls, walls carrying heavier finishes such as tile or wall-mounted cabinetry, and situations where 25-gauge studs would not provide adequate stiffness or screw pull-out resistance. 25-gauge studs remain the more common default for standard-height, lightly loaded interior partitions.
Standard Metal Stud Sizes and Actual Dimensions
Standard stud depths (the flange-to-flange or web dimension) commonly include: 1⅝", 2½", 3⅝" (362S), 4", 5½", 6", 8", 10", 12", and 14", depending on manufacturer and product line (structural vs. drywall/EQ).
Is a 6-Inch Metal Stud Actually 6 Inches?
Yes — unlike dimensional lumber (where a "2x4" is actually 1½" x 3½"), steel stud depth designations generally refer to the actual manufactured web dimension, not a nominal size that gets reduced in processing. A "6-inch" steel stud is manufactured to be 6.00 inches (within normal manufacturing tolerance) from the outside of one flange to the outside of the other, per AISI's standard nomenclature where the first number in a product code (e.g., "600S" = 6.00" web depth) directly states that dimension in hundredths of an inch.
Nominal Naming vs. Manufactured Dimensions
Where dimensional variance does occur, it's typically minor and governed by manufacturing tolerance limits in the applicable ASTM/AISI standard, not a systematic nominal-to-actual reduction the way lumber sizing works. Flange width and thickness, by contrast, are often specified separately and can vary more between manufacturers for the "same" depth stud, which is part of why cross-referencing a specific manufacturer's data sheet matters for precise structural or fabrication work.
What Affects Metal Stud Weight
- Gauge / mil thickness: the single largest factor — thicker steel means proportionally more weight per foot.
- Depth (web dimension): deeper studs generally use more steel and weigh more per foot, though this also depends on flange width and profile.
- Flange width and profile (C-stud vs. other shapes): different flange widths change the total cross-sectional area for a given depth and gauge.
- Length: total piece weight scales linearly with length once weight per foot is known.
- Coating: galvanized coating adds a small, generally minor amount of weight beyond bare steel.
- Steel yield strength / product line: structural studs (typically 50 ksi steel at 54 mil and above) versus lighter-gauge studs (typically 33 ksi steel) can have different published weights even at similar nominal dimensions, due to differing manufacturing specs.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — Converting Weight Per Foot to Total Piece Weight
Using the sourced 6" DWS, 20-gauge value of 1.201 lb/ft: for a 10-foot stud,
Example 2 — Converting lb/ft to kg/m
Conversion factor: 1 lb/ft ≈ 1.488 kg/m (derived from 0.453592 kg per lb ÷ 0.3048 m per ft)
Using the same 1.201 lb/ft value:
Example 3 — Estimating Total Steel Weight for a Wall Run
For a 20-foot wall framed with 6" DWS 20-gauge studs at 16" on-center (16 base studs per our Steel Stud Calculator methodology), each cut to a 10-foot wall height:
This example illustrates the calculation method only — it does not represent a complete material takeoff, which would also include top/bottom track, corner and opening framing, and a waste allowance as covered in our Steel Stud Calculator.
Framing Studs vs. Shear Studs (Headed Studs)
If you arrived on this page searching for shear stud weight, a 19mm diameter shear stud, headed stud anchor dimensions, or stud welding information, this page is likely not what you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & Methodology
- ClarkDietrich Building Systems — Structural Studs technical page (mil thickness by gauge, AISI S240 reference): clarkdietrich.com/products/structural-studs
- ClarkDietrich — "Non-Structural Steel Stud Specifications" white paper (20ga EQ 30-mil vs. structural 33-mil distinction, ASTM C645 EQ provisions)
- Caliber Metals — 6.00" DWS product submittal sheet (verified lb/ft weight data by gauge): calibermetals.com
- AISI — S200-series cold-formed steel framing design standards (referenced generally; specific edition should be confirmed before citing a version number)
- ASTM C645 / C754 — non-structural steel framing member standards
- Delta Stud Weld — shear/Nelson stud weight chart, confirming shear studs as a distinct product category with their own weight reference: deltastudweld.com/resources/weight-chart
- Engineering ToolBox — gauge and weight chart for sheet steel (general steel density and gauge reference): engineeringtoolbox.com
Technical Claims & Verification Notes
The following items are flagged so readers and editors understand which parts of this guide are fully verified and which require confirmation against a specific edition or manufacturer source:
- The 6" DWS weight chart (1.201 / 1.021 / 0.681 lb/ft) is sourced from one manufacturer's (Caliber Metals) product submittal sheet. Before relying on it, verify the PDF is a current revision and confirm whether comparable data is available from ClarkDietrich or Marino\WARE directly.
- The 33-mil vs. 30-mil "20 gauge" distinction is drawn from a ClarkDietrich white paper and a secondary industry article — this is a widely-corroborated industry point, but should be confirmed against current ASTM C645 language directly if possible, since standards get revised.
- The formula-vs-published-weight discrepancy explanation (corner radii, coating, rounding) is a defensible general engineering explanation, not a manufacturer-confirmed fact.
- The lb/ft to kg/m conversion factor (1.488) is a standard unit conversion and is mathematically verifiable independent of any source — safe to use as-is.
- AISI S240 / S220 standard references should be checked for current edition/year before citing a specific standard number in final published copy, since standards are periodically updated.
- Steel density (0.2836 lb/in³) is a standard, widely-published value for carbon steel and is safe to use; actual density can vary marginally by alloy.