Worked example
You need 50 #5 bars, each 20 ft long. One bar weighs 20 × 1.043, or 20.86 lb. 50 bars weigh 1,043.00 lb. That is 0.522 short tons, or 473.10 kg. With 5 percent added for laps and cut-offs the order weight is 1,095.15 lb.
Where this bar is used
The #5 bar, at 5/8 inch, steps up from the slab bars to the bars that carry load in beams, footings and foundation walls. It is a usual choice for grade beams, strip footings and lintels.
A crew can still cut and bend this size with a hand bender or a small bar bender. A long piece is awkward to carry alone, so plan two people for 40 ft and 60 ft lengths.
#5 compared with nearby sizes
A #5 bar weighs 56 percent more per foot than a #4 bar (0.668 lb/ft). A #6 bar weighs 44 percent more than a #5 bar (1.502 lb/ft). Moving one size up adds weight fast, because weight follows the area of the bar. Check the plans before you swap one size for another.