Quick Answer

One ton of GI coil gives roughly 424 running meters at 0.3 mm × 1000 mm width, or 52 meters at 2.0 mm × 1219 mm. Formula: meters per ton = 1000 ÷ (7.85 × thickness mm × width m). Tables below for widths 1000 mm and 1219 mm — the two most ordered.

Roofing and ducting buyers think in meters and sheets; coils are sold by weight. Converting between the two is the most common calculation in the GI trade — and the source of most quantity disputes. Here is the formula and the ready tables we use in our own quotations.

The Formula

Meters per ton = 1000 ÷ (7.85 × thickness in mm × width in meters)

Steel weighs 7.85 kg per mm of thickness per square meter; the zinc coating adds only ~0.3–0.5%, which we ignore for planning (coils are invoiced on theoretical weight including coating, or actual weighed weight — confirm which with your supplier).

Meters per Ton — Width 1000 mm

Thickness (mm)kg per meterMeters per ton
0.32.36424
0.43.14318
0.53.93255
0.64.71212
0.86.28159
1.07.85127
1.29.42106
1.511.7885
2.015.7064

Meters per Ton — Width 1219 mm (48")

Thickness (mm)kg per meterMeters per ton
0.43.83261
0.54.79209
0.65.74174
0.87.66131
1.09.57104
1.211.4887
1.514.3570
2.019.1452

Sheets per Ton — Worked Example

Ribbed roofing sheets are typically cut at 2.44 m from 0.5 mm × 1219 mm coil. One ton gives 209 m ÷ 2.44 m ≈ 85 sheets. A 20-ton container ≈ 1,700 sheets — enough for roughly 1,200 m² of roof (with overlap).

Three Pitfalls When Ordering by Meters

  1. Nominal vs minimum thickness: "0.5 mm" coils can be ordered as full 0.5 or with a 0.02–0.05 mm tolerance deduction. The meters-per-ton math changes accordingly — always ask which basis the price uses.
  2. Zinc weight: Z275 coating barely changes weight, but going to Z350+ or GL aluzinc shifts it slightly — the calculator above stays valid for planning.
  3. Invoicing basis: theoretical weight (calculated) vs actual weighed weight differs by 0.5–1% on coils. Our quotations state the basis explicitly.

Calculate any width/thickness yourself with the GI coil weight calculator — or send us your roofing profile and we will compute the coil plan: GI coil product range → · Z275 coating guide →

Send meters, get tons — priced the same day

Tell us thickness × width × total meters (or sheet count) at [email protected] or WhatsApp +86 191 5745 8011 — we return tonnage, coil plan and FOB/CIF price. MOQ 5 tons.

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