Wood Weight Calculator
Estimate how heavy a board, a stack of lumber or a log section is. Choose from 26 species, set the moisture from kiln-dried to green, and enter the dimensions, board feet or volume to get the weight in pounds and kilograms.
Last updated:
Water weight ÷ oven-dry wood weight, as a meter reads it
Actual size, e.g. a 2×4 is 1.5 × 3.5 in
Feet (or meters in metric)
Cubic feet (or cubic meters in metric)
How to use the Wood Weight Calculator
- Choose the species and the moisture condition of the wood.
- Pick how to measure: dimensions, board feet or total volume.
- Enter the sizes using the actual (not nominal) thickness and width.
- Press Calculate to see the total weight, per piece and per board foot.
- Compare species in the table, or download it as CSV.
Wood density formula
- Weight = density × volume
- Density = 62.4 lb/ft³ × GM × (1 + MC/100), where 62.4 lb/ft³ is the density of water (1,000 kg/m³)
- GM ≈ Gb ÷ (1 − 0.265 · a · Gb) with a = (30 − MC) ÷ 30, for MC below 30% (scaled here to match each species' measured SG at 12%); at or above 30% GM = Gb
- Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12; 1 board foot = 144 in³ = 1/12 ft³
Worked example: an 8 ft Douglas fir 2×4 at 19% moisture. Its specific gravity is 0.45 green and 0.48 at 12%; at 19% the shrinkage formula, calibrated to those two values, gives G ≈ 0.468. Density = 62.4 × 0.468 × 1.19 = 34.7 lb/ft³. Volume = 1.5 × 3.5 × 96 ÷ 1,728 = 0.292 ft³, so the board weighs about 10.1 lb.
Wood density table
| Species | Basic SG (green) | SG at 12% | lb/ft³ at 12% | kg/m³ at 12% | lb/ft³ green | Green MC used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red oak (northern) | 0.56 | 0.63 | 44 | 705 | 61 | 75% |
| White oak | 0.60 | 0.68 | 48 | 761 | 64 | 70% |
| Hard maple (sugar) | 0.56 | 0.63 | 44 | 705 | 59 | 68% |
| Soft maple (red) | 0.49 | 0.54 | 38 | 605 | 52 | 70% |
| Black cherry | 0.47 | 0.50 | 35 | 560 | 46 | 58% |
| Black walnut | 0.51 | 0.55 | 38 | 616 | 57 | 80% |
| White ash | 0.55 | 0.60 | 42 | 672 | 50 | 45% |
| Yellow birch | 0.55 | 0.62 | 43 | 694 | 59 | 73% |
| American beech | 0.56 | 0.64 | 45 | 716 | 58 | 65% |
| Hickory (shagbark) | 0.64 | 0.72 | 50 | 806 | 64 | 60% |
| Yellow poplar | 0.40 | 0.42 | 29 | 470 | 49 | 95% |
| Basswood | 0.32 | 0.37 | 26 | 414 | 40 | 100% |
| American elm | 0.46 | 0.50 | 35 | 560 | 55 | 93% |
| Sweetgum | 0.46 | 0.52 | 36 | 582 | 59 | 105% |
| Douglas fir (coast) | 0.45 | 0.48 | 34 | 537 | 48 | 70% |
| Southern pine (loblolly) | 0.47 | 0.51 | 36 | 571 | 53 | 80% |
| Longleaf pine | 0.54 | 0.59 | 41 | 661 | 57 | 70% |
| Eastern white pine | 0.34 | 0.35 | 24 | 392 | 36 | 70% |
| Ponderosa pine | 0.38 | 0.40 | 28 | 448 | 47 | 100% |
| Western hemlock | 0.42 | 0.45 | 31 | 504 | 60 | 130% |
| Sitka spruce | 0.33 | 0.36 | 25 | 403 | 39 | 90% |
| Western red cedar | 0.31 | 0.32 | 22 | 358 | 48 | 150% |
| Eastern red cedar | 0.44 | 0.47 | 33 | 526 | 37 | 33% |
| Redwood (second growth) | 0.34 | 0.35 | 24 | 392 | 49 | 130% |
| Western larch | 0.48 | 0.52 | 36 | 582 | 55 | 85% |
| Balsam fir | 0.33 | 0.35 | 24 | 392 | 47 | 130% |
Specific gravity values are averages from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook. Green moisture contents are typical round figures; real green wood ranges widely (sapwood is often much wetter than heartwood). Densities at 12% use the tabulated specific gravity at 12%.
Tips for estimating lumber weight
- Always use actual dimensions: a nominal 2×6 is 1 1/2 × 5 1/2 in.
- Rough-sawn hardwood is sold by nominal board feet, which is close to its real volume before planing.
- Pressure-treated lumber is often sold wet with preservative, so it can weigh as much as green wood until it dries.
- For hauling, add 10–15% as a safety margin to cover dense boards and moisture you cannot see.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 2×4 weigh?
An 8 ft Douglas fir 2×4 (actual 1.5 × 3.5 in, 0.29 ft³) at 19% moisture weighs about 10 lb. Kiln-dried spruce or pine studs are lighter, around 7–9 lb, and a freshly sawn wet 2×4 can weigh 13 lb or more.
How is wood weight calculated?
Weight = density × volume. Density comes from the species' specific gravity G and moisture content MC: density = 62.4 lb/ft³ × G × (1 + MC/100). Below about 30% MC, wood shrinks as it dries, so G is adjusted with the Wood Handbook formula G = Gb ÷ (1 − 0.265·a·Gb), where Gb is the basic specific gravity and a = (30 − MC) ÷ 30. This tool calibrates that curve to each species' tabulated specific gravity at 12%.
How much does green wood weigh compared with dry wood?
Freshly cut wood often holds as much water as wood fiber, or more. Red oak at about 75% moisture weighs roughly 61 lb/ft³ green but about 44 lb/ft³ at 12%, so drying removes more than a quarter of its weight. Softwood sapwood can be even wetter.
What moisture content should I use?
Use 6–8% for kiln-dried hardwood sold for furniture and indoor projects, about 12% for wood that has acclimated in a typical home, 19% for construction lumber stamped KD19 or S-DRY, and green for logs or freshly sawn boards. If you have a moisture meter, enter its reading as a custom value.
How much does a board foot of wood weigh?
A board foot is 144 in³, one-twelfth of a cubic foot, so divide the density by 12. Dry red oak at about 44 lb/ft³ is roughly 3.7 lb per board foot, while eastern white pine at about 24.5 lb/ft³ is about 2 lb.
How accurate is this wood weight estimate?
Expect individual boards to vary by about ±10–15% from the averages, because density changes with growth rate, heartwood versus sapwood and where in the tree the wood came from. Green moisture content varies even more, so for green wood treat the result as a rough guide.
Which wood is the heaviest and lightest in this list?
Shagbark hickory is the densest here at roughly 50 lb/ft³ dry, followed by white oak. Western red cedar, redwood, eastern white pine, balsam fir and basswood are among the lightest at roughly 22–26 lb/ft³ dry.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.