---
title: "Aluminum 6061 — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Aluminum 6061 has a density of 2,700 kg/m³. Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/aluminum-6061/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Aluminum 6061

**Density of aluminum 6061: 2,700 kg/m³**

2.70 g/cm³ · 168.6 lb/ft³

The default structural aluminum, and the answer to "6061 or 7075" for almost everything that has to be welded: 6061 welds cleanly, extrudes into complicated profiles, and resists corrosion well. 7075 is nearly twice as strong but effectively unweldable and will corrode in salt air, so it goes where parts are bolted or riveted. The 125-310 MPa span is the temper: 6061-O annealed is soft enough to bend by hand, 6061-T6 is not, and welding locally returns T6 back towards O.

## Properties

- **Density:** 2,700 kg/m³ — 2.70 g/cm³
- **Melting range:** 582–652 °C
- **Tensile strength:** 125–310 MPa
- **Young's modulus:** 68.9 GPa
- **Thermal conductivity:** 167 W/(m·K)
- **Thermal expansion:** 23.6 µm/(m·K)
- **Floats in water:** No
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Extruded profile and T-slot framing
- Bicycle frames and scaffolding
- Machined brackets and enclosures
- Boat hulls and superstructure

## How it compares

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.*

- air: 1.2 kg/m³
- expanded polystyrene foam: 20 kg/m³
- rigid polyurethane foam: 40 kg/m³
- Water — the float line: 1,000 kg/m³
- aluminum 6061: 2,700 kg/m³
- tungsten: 19,250 kg/m³
- gold: 19,300 kg/m³
- platinum: 21,450 kg/m³

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| Material | Density | Relative to water |
| --- | --- | --- |
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| aluminum 6061 ← | 2,700 kg/m³ | 2.70× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

No — aluminium cannot rust, because rust is specifically iron oxide and there is no iron in it. It does oxidise, immediately and constantly, but aluminium oxide is hard, tightly bonded and only a few nanometres thick, and it protects the metal beneath rather than flaking away. It does corrode galvanically when in contact with a dissimilar metal in a damp environment, which is a different mechanism.

## Is it magnetic?

Aluminum 6061 is not ferromagnetic. It is often assumed to be because it is a metal, but most metals are not — only iron, nickel, cobalt and a few alloys are attracted to an ordinary magnet.

## Common questions

### What is the density of aluminum 6061?

2,700 kg/m³, or 2.70 g/cm³.

### Does aluminum 6061 float?

No. At 2,700 kg/m³ it is denser than water.

### Is aluminum 6061 magnetic?

Aluminum 6061 is not ferromagnetic. It is often assumed to be because it is a metal, but most metals are not — only iron, nickel, cobalt and a few alloys are attracted to an ordinary magnet.

## Related pages

- [Does aluminum 6061 float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/aluminum-6061/)
- [Mild steel](https://atoneplace.net/material/mild-steel/)
- [Stainless steel 304](https://atoneplace.net/material/stainless-304/)
- [Brass](https://atoneplace.net/material/brass/)
- [Gray cast iron](https://atoneplace.net/material/cast-iron/)
- [High-carbon steel](https://atoneplace.net/material/carbon-steel/)
- [Stainless steel 316](https://atoneplace.net/material/stainless-316/)
- [Bronze](https://atoneplace.net/material/bronze/)
- [Aluminum 7075](https://atoneplace.net/material/aluminum-7075/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)