Sheet Copper Weight Calculator & Thickness Chart

Introduction

Sheet copper is a durable, highly malleable, and attractive metal product used extensively in architectural, construction, and industrial applications. It has excellent corrosion resistance and impressive longevity, and it’s easy to work with. In construction, copper is often used for roofing, flashing, gutters, decorative elements, and lightning mitigation. In typical roofing applications, the copper sheets used are nominally 16 oz. per square foot (approx. 0.022 inches thick), 20 oz. (approx. 0.027 inches thick), or 24 oz. per square foot (approx. 0.032 inches thick). 16 oz. copper is often referred to as “roofing copper”.

Copper’s natural weathering process results in a distinctive, attractive patina that evolves from a reddish-orange hue to a greenish-blue over time. Its visual appeal, coupled with superior weather resistance, makes copper an excellent material for exterior building components like roof panels, chimney flashing, downspouts, and ornamentation. Thicker copper plates are used in applications demanding high structural integrity, including electrical bus bars and heavy-duty grounding plates.

While copper is non-toxic and safe to handle, it is important to use proper personal protective equipment to prevent cutting yourself on the sharp edges produced when cutting or trimming sheet copper.

The Copper Development Association is a great source of information if you want to know more about copper applications.

Copper theft poses a risk for commercial buildings with copper roofing, rooftop conduits, and HVAC components. Thieves target these materials due to their high resale value. Copper theft will often require expensive repairs and may lead to service interruptions. To reduce the risk, property managers should consider using high-security access ladders and hatches, security cameras, and better lighting to deter unauthorized access.

Copper Sheet and Plate Weight Calculator

This calculator uses the following standard copper density values:

Copper density: 559.4 lb/ft³; 0.324 lb/in³; 8,960 kg/m³; and 8.96 g/cm³.

If you’re using fractions, when you enter a copper sheet thickness greater than 1, such as 1 1/4, make sure to include a space between the whole number and the fraction. Type in “1 1/4”, not “11/4”. Fractions without a whole number (e.g., “3/8”) should be entered normally.

Nominal vs Actual Copper Weight and Thickness

Nominal copper weight is a standardized reference system widely used in the roofing and construction industries, expressed in ounces per square foot (e.g., 12 oz copper, 16 oz copper, 20 oz copper). These nominal weights serve as convenient references for ordering and specifying copper sheets without the need for precise measurement or complex calculations each time. Since copper manufacturers use standardized nominal manufacturing thicknesses rather than strictly standardized weights, the nominal weight designation (such as 16 oz copper) typically represents an approximate rather than exact weight.

In practice, nominal thickness and weight designations provide sufficient accuracy for general product selection and typical installation scenarios. Minor variations generally do not impact performance or appearance significantly. For projects requiring precise dimensions or exact weights, you should contact the manufacturer’s technical department or measure the actual thickness and weight of a sample copper sheet using calipers and scales.

Copper Sheet Manufacturing Tolerances

While copper sheet thickness is usually specified with a nominal value, industry standards allow for a small amount of variation. It’s legal and expected. In practice, almost all sheet copper is produced at thicknesses a little below the nominal. The thinnest sheets (around 0.008–0.010 in thick) can be 0.001–0.002 in (about 10–15 %) under the stated thickness, while much thicker sheets (above about 0.040 in) may still be undersized by a few thousandths of an inch (about 3–5 % below nominal). The thicker the sheet, the smaller the percentage deviation from the nominal will be.

Table: Sheet Copper Weights and Thicknesses

The following table gives weight values for the nominal thicknesses, so keep the tolerances in mind.