Building Materials and Their Densities: A Comprehensive Guide for Construction Professionals
When it comes to construction, understanding the density of building materials is crucial for structural design, cost estimation, and material selection. Whether you’re a civil engineer, architect, or construction professional, having a handy reference for material densities can save time and ensure accuracy in your projects.
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 100 building materials along with their approximate densities in kg/m³ (kilograms per cubic meter).
Why Density Matters in Construction
Density is a key property of building materials that affects:
Structural Integrity: Heavier materials like concrete and steel provide strength and stability.
Load Calculations: Accurate density values are essential for calculating dead loads in structural design.
Material Selection: Lighter materials like timber or foam are ideal for reducing overall weight.
Cost Efficiency: Knowing density helps in estimating material quantities and transportation costs.
Building Materials and Their Densities
Here’s a detailed table of 100 commonly used building materials and their densities:
| S.No. | Building Material | Density (kg/m³) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aluminum | 2,700 |
| 2 | Asphalt | 2,300 |
| 3 | Brick (common) | 1,800 |
| 4 | Brick (fire) | 2,400 |
| 5 | Cement (Portland) | 1,440 |
| 6 | Concrete (plain) | 2,400 |
| 7 | Concrete (reinforced) | 2,500 |
| 8 | Concrete (lightweight) | 1,750 |
| 9 | Copper | 8,950 |
| 10 | Glass | 2,500 |
| 11 | Granite | 2,700 |
| 12 | Gravel (dry) | 1,680 |
| 13 | Gravel (wet) | 2,000 |
| 14 | Gypsum | 1,300 |
| 15 | Iron (cast) | 7,200 |
| 16 | Iron (wrought) | 7,850 |
| 17 | Lead | 11,340 |
| 18 | Limestone | 2,600 |
| 19 | Marble | 2,700 |
| 20 | Mortar (cement) | 2,100 |
| 21 | Plaster | 1,200 |
| 22 | Plywood | 600 |
| 23 | Sand (dry) | 1,600 |
| 24 | Sand (wet) | 1,900 |
| 25 | Steel (mild) | 7,850 |
| 26 | Steel (stainless) | 8,000 |
| 27 | Stone (crushed) | 1,600 |
| 28 | Timber (softwood) | 500 |
| 29 | Timber (hardwood) | 700 |
| 30 | Water (pure) | 1,000 |
| 31 | Water (sea) | 1,025 |
| 32 | Wood (oak) | 750 |
| 33 | Wood (pine) | 500 |
| 34 | Wood (teak) | 650 |
| 35 | Wood (balsa) | 160 |
| 36 | Wood (mahogany) | 700 |
| 37 | Wood (cedar) | 570 |
| 38 | Wood (birch) | 670 |
| 39 | Wood (maple) | 740 |
| 40 | Wood (walnut) | 640 |
| 41 | Clay (dry) | 1,600 |
| 42 | Clay (wet) | 1,900 |
| 43 | Slate | 2,700 |
| 44 | Rubber | 1,100 |
| 45 | Plastic (PVC) | 1,380 |
| 46 | Plastic (polyethylene) | 950 |
| 47 | Plastic (polycarbonate) | 1,200 |
| 48 | Plastic (acrylic) | 1,180 |
| 49 | Plastic (nylon) | 1,150 |
| 50 | Plastic (polystyrene) | 1,050 |
| 51 | Plastic (polypropylene) | 900 |
| 52 | Plastic (ABS) | 1,050 |
| 53 | Plastic (PTFE) | 2,200 |
| 54 | Plastic (epoxy) | 1,250 |
| 55 | Plastic (polyurethane) | 1,200 |
| 56 | Plastic (fiberglass) | 1,800 |
| 57 | Plastic (polyester) | 1,400 |
| 58 | Plastic (vinyl) | 1,300 |
| 59 | Plastic (polyamide) | 1,100 |
| 60 | Plastic (polyimide) | 1,420 |
| 61 | Plastic (polyethylene foam) | 30 |
| 62 | Plastic (polystyrene foam) | 50 |
| 63 | Plastic (polyurethane foam) | 40 |
| 64 | Plastic (PVC foam) | 60 |
| 65 | Plastic (polycarbonate foam) | 70 |
| 66 | Plastic (acrylic foam) | 80 |
| 67 | Plastic (nylon foam) | 90 |
| 68 | Plastic (polypropylene foam) | 20 |
| 69 | Plastic (ABS foam) | 100 |
| 70 | Plastic (PTFE foam) | 200 |
| 71 | Plastic (epoxy foam) | 150 |
| 72 | Plastic (polyester foam) | 120 |
| 73 | Plastic (vinyl foam) | 110 |
| 74 | Plastic (polyamide foam) | 130 |
| 75 | Plastic (polyimide foam) | 140 |
| 76 | Plastic (polyethylene film) | 920 |
| 77 | Plastic (polypropylene film) | 900 |
| 78 | Plastic (polyester film) | 1,400 |
| 79 | Plastic (PVC film) | 1,300 |
| 80 | Plastic (polycarbonate film) | 1,200 |
| 81 | Plastic (acrylic film) | 1,180 |
| 82 | Plastic (nylon film) | 1,150 |
| 83 | Plastic (polyimide film) | 1,420 |
| 84 | Plastic (PTFE film) | 2,200 |
| 85 | Plastic (epoxy film) | 1,250 |
| 86 | Plastic (polyurethane film) | 1,200 |
| 87 | Plastic (vinyl film) | 1,300 |
| 88 | Plastic (polyamide film) | 1,100 |
| 89 | Plastic (polyester film) | 1,400 |
| 90 | Plastic (polyethylene sheet) | 920 |
| 91 | Plastic (polypropylene sheet) | 900 |
| 92 | Plastic (polycarbonate sheet) | 1,200 |
| 93 | Plastic (acrylic sheet) | 1,180 |
| 94 | Plastic (nylon sheet) | 1,150 |
| 95 | Plastic (polyimide sheet) | 1,420 |
| 96 | Plastic (PTFE sheet) | 2,200 |
| 97 | Plastic (epoxy sheet) | 1,250 |
| 98 | Plastic (polyurethane sheet) | 1,200 |
| 99 | Plastic (vinyl sheet) | 1,300 |
| 100 | Plastic (polyamide sheet) | 1,100 |
Key Takeaways
Density varies widely: From lightweight plastics (30 kg/m³) to heavy metals like lead (11,340 kg/m³).
Material selection matters: Choose materials based on their density to meet structural and functional requirements.
Always verify: Densities may vary depending on composition, moisture content, and manufacturing processes.
Whether you’re designing a skyscraper or a small residential project, understanding material densities is essential. Bookmark this guide for quick reference, and share it with your team to streamline your workflow.