Wood Weight Calculator
Estimate the weight of boards in 20 species from Wood Database published dried densities.
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What this tool does
Estimate the weight of boards in 20 species from Wood Database published dried densities. Densities are The Wood Database's published average dried weights (about 12% moisture content). Green or freshly treated wood can weigh 30–100% more — use the moisture input. The older Lumber Weight Calculator covers a short species list; this tool is the species-focused version with the full table below.
How to use the Wood Weight Calculator
- Enter or select actual thickness in in.
- Enter or select actual width in in.
- Enter or select board length in ft.
- Enter or select board quantity.
- Enter or select wood species (wood database density).
- Enter or select additional moisture weight (%).
- Read the calculated result; change any measurement to compare alternatives.
Formula
weight = board feet / 12 × species density × (1 + moisture/100); board feet = thickness × width × length × count / 12
- thickness
- Actual thickness (in, before metric conversion)
- width
- Actual width (in, before metric conversion)
- length
- Board length (ft, before metric conversion)
- count
- Board quantity
- speciesW
- Wood species (Wood Database density)
- moisture
- Additional moisture weight (%)
Densities are The Wood Database's published average dried weights (about 12% moisture content). Green or freshly treated wood can weigh 30–100% more — use the moisture input. The older Lumber Weight Calculator covers a short species list; this tool is the species-focused version with the full table below.
Worked example
For wood weight calculator, the following measurements illustrate the exact method: Actual thickness: 1; Actual width: 6; Board length: 8; Board quantity: 10; Wood species (Wood Database density): balsa; Additional moisture weight (%): 0.
Inputs
- Actual thickness1 in
- Actual width6 in
- Board length8 ft
- Board quantity10
- Wood species (Wood Database density)Balsa (9 lb/cu ft)
- Additional moisture weight (%)0
Result
- Estimated wood weight30 lb
- Wood volume3.33 cu ft
- Total board feet40
- Weight per board3 lb
Average dried weights (The Wood Database)
| Species | lb / cu ft |
|---|---|
| Balsa | 9 |
| Western red cedar | 23 |
| Eastern white pine | 25 |
| Sitka spruce | 27 |
| Ponderosa pine | 28 |
| Yellow poplar | 29 |
| Douglas fir | 33 |
| Southern pine (shortleaf) | 36 |
| Black cherry | 36 |
| Honduran mahogany | 37 |
| Black walnut | 40 |
| Teak | 41 |
| White ash | 42 |
| Red oak (northern) | 42 |
| Hard maple | 44 |
| White oak | 47 |
| Shagbark hickory | 50 |
| Gaboon ebony | 60 |
| Ipe | 69 |
| Lignum vitae | 79 |
Results explained
- Estimated wood weight
- Estimated wood weight from the formula above, expressed in lb before metric conversion. Densities are The Wood Database's published average dried weights (about 12% moisture content). Green or freshly treated wood can weigh 30–100% more — use the moisture input. The older Lumber Weight Calculator covers a short species list; this tool is the species-focused version with the full table below.
- Wood volume
- Wood volume from the formula above, expressed in cuft before metric conversion. Densities are The Wood Database's published average dried weights (about 12% moisture content). Green or freshly treated wood can weigh 30–100% more — use the moisture input. The older Lumber Weight Calculator covers a short species list; this tool is the species-focused version with the full table below.
- Total board feet
- Total board feet from the formula above. Densities are The Wood Database's published average dried weights (about 12% moisture content). Green or freshly treated wood can weigh 30–100% more — use the moisture input. The older Lumber Weight Calculator covers a short species list; this tool is the species-focused version with the full table below.
- Weight per board
- Weight per board from the formula above, expressed in lb before metric conversion. Densities are The Wood Database's published average dried weights (about 12% moisture content). Green or freshly treated wood can weigh 30–100% more — use the moisture input. The older Lumber Weight Calculator covers a short species list; this tool is the species-focused version with the full table below.
Frequently asked questions
Cubic feet × species density. A 1 × 6 in × 8 ft oak board is 4 board feet = 0.333 cu ft, and red oak at 42 lb/cu ft weighs about 14 lb.
Of the listed species, lignum vitae (≈79 lb/cu ft) and ipe (≈69) are the densest — both sink in water when dry-ish — while balsa (≈9 lb/cu ft) is the lightest commercial wood in the table.
The Wood Database's published average dried weights at about 12% moisture content, converted to lb per cubic foot. Individual boards vary ±10% or more with grain and growth conditions.
Freshly sawn ('green') lumber can hold its own weight again in water in some species — 30–100% heavier than the dried figure. Enter that as the moisture allowance, or weigh a sample board.
That tool uses the site's original 6-species list. This one is built around the fuller 20-species Wood Database table and adds a per-board weight — use whichever covers your species.