Rectangular Planter · decks and rooftops
Planter weight calculator
The empty and filled weight of one planter in your size, and the load it puts on its footprint, for 5052 marine-grade aluminum planters.
Estimate, not structural engineering. Have your engineer confirm loads for decks and rooftops.
Your size
Overall outside dimensions1829 mm
610 mm
610 mm
The folded top edge adds weight.
Scale drawing
- Empty
- 84 lb
- With lightweight rooftop mix
- 1,500–1,970 lb
- With standard soil
- 2,440–3,030 lb
Estimated weight, one planter
72 × 24 × 24 in · 1.25 in rim
| Condition | Weight | Load on footprint |
|---|---|---|
| Empty planter 5052 marine-grade aluminum | 84 lb38 kg | 7 lb/ft²0.33 kPa |
| Filled, lightweight rooftop mix Saturated, 60–80 lb/ft³ | 1,500–1,970 lb680–890 kg | 125–165 lb/ft²5.97–7.85 kPa |
| Filled, standard soil Saturated, 100–125 lb/ft³ | 2,440–3,030 lb1,110–1,370 kg | 205–250 lb/ft²9.73–12.1 kPa |
- Wall thickness
- 0.125 in (3.2 mm)
- Soil volume
- 23.5 ft³ (667 L)
- Footprint
- 12.0 ft² (1.11 m²)
- Built as
- One piece
Not included: plants and trees, mulch, liners and drainage layers, standing water, snow, people, or feet and supports under the planter.
How this is calculated
Empty weight
The sheet area of the base and four walls, from your outside size, times the wall thickness and the density of 5052 marine-grade aluminum (0.0968 lb/in³). The folded rim and the base seam are added. Walls are 0.1 in thick, or 0.125 in on planters 60 in long or more and on those over 36 in tall and 48 in long; your quote confirms it.
Soil volume
The inside of the planter, filled to the top edge. Planters longer than 114 in are joined modules end to end, each with its own ends.
Filled weight
The empty weight plus the soil volume at a saturated density: 60–80 lb/ft³ for a lightweight rooftop mix, and 100–125 lb/ft³ for standard soil. Your mix’s data sheet gives its own saturated weight.
Load on footprint
The weight divided by the area the planter stands on, its length times its width. It does not show how the load spreads through a deck or roof.
Densities: lightweight mix from manufacturer weight classes tested to ASTM E2399 and U.S. GSA green-roof measurements (2011); standard soil from the Perlite Institute.