How to Calculate Welding Cost per Meter (MIG, TIG, Stick)
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How to Calculate Welding Cost per Meter (MIG, TIG, Stick)
Quoting a fabrication job accurately means knowing what a weld actually costs — and it's a lot more than the price of wire. Labor usually dominates. This guide walks through the full calculation so you can price welds with confidence.
For a fast estimate, our free welding cost calculator takes weld type, size, process and rates and returns cost per meter and per job.
Step 1 — Weld metal volume
Start from the cross-sectional area of the weld:
- Fillet weld: area ≈ 0.5 × leg², so a 6 mm fillet ≈ 18 mm².
- Butt weld: area depends on groove angle, gap and thickness.
Multiply area × length to get volume, then × steel density (7.85 g/cm³) for the deposited weight.
Step 2 — Filler consumption
You never deposit 100% of the filler you buy — some is lost to spatter and stub ends:
Filler needed = deposited weight ÷ deposition efficiency
Typical efficiency: MIG solid wire ~95%, flux-cored ~85%, stick (SMAW) ~60%, TIG ~95% (but slow).
Step 3 — Arc time
Arc time = deposited weight ÷ deposition rate (kg/h)
Deposition rate depends on process and current — MIG might run 3–4 kg/h, stick 1–2 kg/h.
Step 4 — Labor time (the big one)
A welder isn't arcing the whole shift. The operating factor (arc-on time as a % of paid time) is typically 20–40% for manual welding:
Labor time = arc time ÷ operating factor
Step 5 — Total cost
Cost = (filler kg × filler price) + (labor time × labor rate) + gas/consumables
Labor almost always dominates, which is why improving the operating factor (fixturing, positioners) saves more than switching filler brands.
Worked example
A 6 mm fillet, 1 m long, MIG:
- Deposited weight ≈ 18 mm² × 1000 mm × 7.85 g/cm³ ≈ 0.14 kg
- Filler ≈ 0.14 / 0.95 ≈ 0.15 kg
- Arc time ≈ 0.14 / 3.5 kg/h ≈ 0.04 h
- Labor time ≈ 0.04 / 0.30 ≈ 0.13 h
At €40/h labor, that's ~€5.30/m before gas — dominated by labor. Try your own numbers in the welding cost calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate welding cost per meter?
Find the weld metal volume, convert to deposited weight, divide by deposition efficiency for filler, by deposition rate for arc time, and by operating factor for labor time — then sum filler + labor + gas.
Why is labor the biggest welding cost?
Because the arc-on (operating) factor for manual welding is only 20–40%, so most paid time isn't spent welding. Reducing setup and repositioning saves the most.
What's a typical deposition efficiency?
About 95% for MIG solid wire and TIG, ~85% for flux-cored, and ~60% for stick electrodes.
Does weld size affect cost a lot?
Yes — fillet area scales with the square of the leg size, so a 8 mm fillet costs far more than a 6 mm one. Don't over-weld.