Checkered plate weight per square meter looks like a simple number, until you open three charts and get three answers. A 6 mm plate might be 47 kg/m² in one chart, 49 in another and 51 in a third. The charts are not necessarily wrong. They are often answering slightly different questions.
This guide shows where the numbers come from, what two steel manufacturers actually publish, and how to pick the right figure for your order.
Short answer
A flat 6 mm steel plate weighs about 47.1 kg/m². In their published tables, two European manufacturers list about 49 kg/m² for teardrop pattern and about 51 kg/m² for chequered (diamond) pattern at the same 6 mm. So the pattern adds roughly 2 to 4 kg/m² there, and tables for other patterns and standards can differ. Always confirm the figure with your supplier.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Table values are as published on the linked pages in October 2026, so check the current version before you rely on them.
The Flat Plate Is the Starting Point
Every checkered plate weight starts from the weight of a flat plate of the same base thickness. TWI explains the method: weight is volume multiplied by density. For steel, that gives a handy rule you can do in your head. See TWI's guide to calculating weld volume and weight for the method and a table of steel densities.
Checkered plate weight = flat plate weight + pattern addition
The 7.85 comes from a steel density of 7,850 kg/m³, because one millimeter of thickness over one square meter is 0.001 m³. TWI lists 7.86 g/cm³ for a 0.25% carbon steel, which is within about 0.1% of that. For example, a 6 mm flat plate is 6 × 7.85 = 47.1 kg/m².
The pattern addition is the part that varies, and it is the reason charts disagree.
What Two Manufacturers Publish for the Same Plate
ArcelorMittal's catalogue page for chequered and teardrop plate gives weights per square meter by core thickness. It calls them "indicative typical weights", so they are typical values and not guaranteed ones. The last two columns below are my own subtraction: the published weight minus the flat plate weight.
| Core thickness | Flat plate (calculated) | Teardrop (published) | Teardrop adds | Chequered (published) | Chequered adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mm | 15.7 | 18 | 2.3 | 20 | 4.3 |
| 3 mm | 23.5 | 26 | 2.5 | 28 | 4.5 |
| 4 mm | 31.4 | 34 | 2.6 | 36 | 4.6 |
| 5 mm | 39.2 | 42 | 2.8 | 44 | 4.8 |
| 6 mm | 47.1 | 49 | 1.9 | 51 | 3.9 |
| 8 mm | 62.8 | 65 | 2.2 | 67 | 4.2 |
| 10 mm | 78.5 | 81 | 2.5 | 83 | 4.5 |
| 12 mm | 94.2 | 97 | 2.8 | 99 | 4.8 |
| 15 mm | 117.8 | 120 | 2.2 | 122 | 4.2 |
| 20 mm | 157.0 | 159 | 2.0 | 161 | 4.0 |
ArcelorMittal lists the chequered pattern as EN 10363 pattern R, with a pattern height between 1 and 2 mm. Across these rows the teardrop pattern adds about 2 to 3 kg/m², and the chequered pattern adds about 4 to 5 kg/m².
Nippon Steel Slovakia, in Košice, publishes a similar table by thickness class. Its page says the nominal thickness is the thickness of the base material outside the pattern, and gives a pattern height from 1.0 mm to 2.2 mm.
| Thickness class | Teardrop | Diamond |
|---|---|---|
| 3.00 to 3.99 mm | 25.55 | 27.55 |
| 4.00 to 4.99 mm | 33.40 | 35.40 |
| 5.00 to 5.99 mm | 41.25 | 43.25 |
| 6.00 to 6.99 mm | 49.10 | 51.10 |
| 8.00 to 8.99 mm | 64.80 | 66.80 |
| 10.00 mm | 80.50 | 82.50 |
The two makers agree closely. For the thicknesses they share, their figures are within 1 kg/m² of each other, and both list the diamond or chequered pattern about 2 kg/m² heavier than teardrop.
A 6 mm plate, split into flat plate and pattern (kg/m²)
Teardrop: 49 in total
Chequered: 51 in total
Flat plate, 47.1 Pattern, about 1.9 (teardrop) or 3.9 (chequered)
So Why Do Charts Disagree?
Looking at the published pages, five things can make two charts for "6 mm checkered plate" differ.
- "Thickness" can mean different things. Nippon Steel Slovakia defines it as the base material outside the pattern. Metals Depot says its plate thickness is measured at the thinnest point, with the lugs not included. ArcelorMittal's table is headed "core thickness", meaning the thickness ordered, and its page does not clearly say whether the pattern is counted.
- Pattern shape matters. Both European makers list the diamond or chequered pattern about 2 kg/m² heavier than teardrop.
- Pattern height varies. ArcelorMittal gives 1 to 2 mm for chequered, and Nippon Steel Slovakia gives 1.0 to 2.2 mm.
- Region and standard differ. The next section shows that a US floor plate table works out to a bigger pattern addition than the European tables above.
- Tables are typical values, and plates have tolerances. ArcelorMittal calls its weights indicative. Nippon Steel Slovakia lists a thickness tolerance of ±0.50 mm for nominal thicknesses from 3.00 to 8.00 mm. Half a millimeter of steel is about 3.9 kg/m², which is about the same as the chequered pattern itself.
What a US Floor Plate Table Looks Like in Metric
Metals Depot sells floor plate to ASTM A786 with a medium four-way diamond pattern, and lists weights in pounds per square foot. I converted them to kg/m² with the NIST factor (1 lb/ft² = 4.882428 kg/m²) and compared each one with the flat plate weight for the same thickness. The page says the thickness is measured at the thinnest point and the lugs are not included, so the difference below is the weight of the lugs.
| Thickness | Listed weight (lb/ft²) | Listed weight (kg/m²) | Flat plate (kg/m²) | Lugs add (kg/m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/16 in (4.76 mm) | 8.80 | 42.97 | 37.4 | 5.6 |
| 1/4 in (6.35 mm) | 11.50 | 56.15 | 49.8 | 6.3 |
| 3/8 in (9.53 mm) | 16.38 | 79.97 | 74.8 | 5.2 |
| 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 21.47 | 104.83 | 99.7 | 5.1 |
| 3/4 in (19.05 mm) | 32.00 | 156.24 | 149.5 | 6.7 |
| 1 in (25.4 mm) | 42.00 | 205.06 | 199.4 | 5.7 |
Here the pattern adds about 5 to 7 kg/m², more than the European tables above. That is a good reason not to use a chart for one pattern and standard when you are buying another. I left out the gauge-numbered rows on that page because a gauge and the inch size it is paired with do not describe the same thickness.
A Worked Example: One 2 m by 1 m Plate
Take one 6 mm plate that is 2 m long and 1 m wide, so the area is 2 m².
| Method | Weight per m² | Plate weight |
|---|---|---|
| Flat plate only | 47.1 kg | 94.2 kg |
| ArcelorMittal teardrop | 49 kg | 98 kg |
| ArcelorMittal chequered | 51 kg | 102 kg |
The chequered figure is 7.8 kg more than the flat estimate, about 8%. On 50 plates that is 390 kg, which matters when you plan transport or lifting.
How to Get the Right Number for Your Order
- Ask your supplier for the weight per m² for the exact pattern and thickness you are buying.
- Ask how their thickness is defined, with or without the pattern.
- Multiply by the area: total weight = weight per m² × length × width × number of plates.
- Leave some margin for thickness tolerance when you plan lifting or transport.
- For anything critical, weigh a sample plate or ask the supplier to confirm the delivered weight.
Questions People Ask About Checkered Plate Weight per Square Meter
How much does a 6 mm checkered plate weigh per square meter?
A flat 6 mm steel plate is 47.1 kg/m². ArcelorMittal publishes about 49 kg/m² for teardrop and 51 kg/m² for chequered at 6 mm core thickness, and Nippon Steel Slovakia lists 49.10 and 51.10 kg/m² for its 6.00 to 6.99 mm class. Use your own supplier's figure for an order.
How do you calculate checkered plate weight?
Work out the flat plate weight (thickness in mm × 7.85 kg/m² for steel), then add the pattern addition per square meter. Multiply the total per square meter by the plate area.
Does the pattern really add weight?
Yes. In the published tables above, the raised pattern adds between about 2 and 7 kg/m² to the weight of a flat plate of the same base thickness, depending on the pattern and the standard.
Is the thickness measured with or without the pattern?
It depends on the supplier. Nippon Steel Slovakia defines nominal thickness as the base material outside the pattern, and Metals Depot measures at the thinnest point without the lugs. Ask your supplier which definition their table uses.
Why is my US weight chart higher than a European one?
The US floor plate table in this guide works out to a larger pattern addition, about 5 to 7 kg/m², than the European tables, which show about 2 to 5 kg/m². The patterns and standards are different, so each chart fits its own product.
How accurate is a published plate weight?
Treat it as typical. ArcelorMittal calls its figures indicative typical weights, and plates have thickness tolerances. Nippon Steel Slovakia lists ±0.50 mm for nominal thicknesses from 3.00 to 8.00 mm.
Summary
Checkered plate weight per square meter is the flat plate weight plus a pattern addition. The flat part is easy: thickness in mm times 7.85. The pattern part depends on the pattern, the standard and how thickness is defined, which is why charts disagree. Use your supplier's figure for the plate you are actually buying.
This guide is for general information and estimating. Plate weights vary between manufacturers, patterns, standards and production batches, and the tables quoted here are published values that may change. Please confirm the exact weight with your supplier before you order, transport, lift or design around a plate. Links to other websites are provided for reference only, and BytePriva is not responsible for their content. Read our full disclaimer.
Sources and Further Reading
- ArcelorMittal: chequered and teardrop plate. Indicative typical weights by core thickness, pattern designations and pattern height.
- Nippon Steel Slovakia: patterned steel. Weights by thickness class, thickness definition and tolerances.
- Metals Depot: steel floor plate. ASTM A786 floor plate weights in pounds per square foot and the thickness definition.
- TWI: Calculating Weld Volume and Weight. Weight as volume times density, and steel densities.
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8. Conversion factors for inches and pounds per square foot.
Calculate Your Plate Weight
BytePriva's Checkered Plate Weight Calculator adds the pattern weight separately. Its page gives the formula as base weight (length × width × thickness × density) plus plate area × pattern weight per square meter. You enter the length, width, base thickness and quantity, then choose the pattern type, the material (mild steel, stainless steel 304 or 316, aluminum or a custom density) and metric or imperial units. It shows the base plate weight, pattern addition, weight per plate, total weight and weight per m².
Its pattern options are typical starting values, and its page notes that the exact figure depends on the manufacturer's pattern depth and spacing. If your supplier gives you a weight per square meter, use the custom addition option, and measure the thickness on the flat area rather than at the raised pattern.
Tool link: https://bytepriva.com/checkered-plate-weight-calculator/