---
title: "Pewter — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Pewter has a density of 7,300 kg/m³ (7,100–7,500). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/pewter/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Pewter

**Density of pewter: 7,300 kg/m³ (7,100–7,500)**

7.30 g/cm³ · 455.7 lb/ft³

Modern pewter is about 92% tin with copper and antimony; the lead that gave old pewter its dull grey colour and its toxicity has been out of food-contact pewter since the 1970s. It melts below 230 °C, so it can be cast in silicone rubber moulds on a kitchen stove, which is why hobby figure casting uses it. It is soft enough to dent with a thumbnail and creeps under load, so pewter is never structural.

## Properties

- **Density:** 7,300 kg/m³ (7,100–7,500) — 7.30 g/cm³
- **Melting range:** 170–230 °C
- **Tensile strength:** 40–70 MPa
- **Young's modulus:** 44 GPa
- **Floats in water:** No
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Tankards, plates and giftware
- Miniature figures and game pieces
- Costume jewellery castings
- Organ pipes (historically)

## 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
- pewter: 7,300 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× |
| pewter ← | 7,300 kg/m³ | 7.30× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

Pewter does not rust — rust is iron oxide specifically — but it does corrode, forming its own oxide or salts over time.

## Is it magnetic?

Pewter 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 pewter?

7,300 kg/m³ (7,100–7,500), or 7.30 g/cm³.

### Does pewter float?

No. At 7,300 kg/m³ it is denser than water.

### Is pewter magnetic?

Pewter 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 pewter float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/pewter/)
- [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/)
- [Aluminum 6061](https://atoneplace.net/material/aluminum-6061/)
- [Bronze](https://atoneplace.net/material/bronze/)

## Sources

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