Specific Weight of Plastic: Weight of 1 m³, Plastic Density and Reference Table

Plastic is a broad group of materials made from natural or synthetic high-molecular-weight compounds. The most common plastics are based on synthetic polymers. The name “plastic” refers to the material’s ability to be shaped under heat and pressure while retaining its form after cooling or curing.

Plastic offers many useful properties, including low thermal conductivity, good electrical insulation, high resistance to moisture, many acids and alkalis, and excellent durability. Different plastics can also be modified with fillers, pigments, glass fibers, fabrics and other additives to obtain the required mechanical and performance characteristics.

Today, plastics are used in almost every industry, including packaging, household products, construction materials, pipes, automotive components, electrical equipment, medical devices and countless other applications.

When working with plastic, it is important to consider its physical properties. One of the key characteristics is density, which allows the weight of a given volume of material to be determined.

Plastic Density Table

Although many users search for the “specific weight of plastic”, engineering calculations are usually based on the material’s density. Measuring density accurately requires laboratory equipment, but average reference values are well established.

Specific Weight and Weight of 1 m³ of Plastic

Note: The actual density depends on the type of plastic and may vary considerably.

Specific Weight Calculation

Specific weight is the ratio of weight to volume and is calculated using:

γ = ρ × g

where γ is the specific weight, ρ is density, and g is the gravitational acceleration (9.81 m/s²).

In practical engineering, density expressed in kg/m³ is used much more frequently than specific weight.

Plastic Density

Density represents the mass contained in one cubic meter of material. It depends on the type of plastic, temperature, fillers and other factors.

For different plastics, density typically ranges from 0.85 to 1.80 g/cm³, which corresponds to 850–1800 kg/m³.

Conclusion

The average density of plastic is approximately 1.1 g/cm³, giving an average weight of about 1100 kg per cubic meter. For accurate calculations, always use the technical specifications of the specific plastic grade.