Quick answer
Wood weight = volume × density, where density is the species' specific gravity at 12% moisture × 1.12 × 1,000 kg/m³. 10 cubic feet of ponderosa pine (448 kg/m³) weighs 279.68 lb, or 126.86 kg.
Choose a species, enter the volume and its unit. The calculator returns weight in pounds and kilograms.
Related tools: Lumber Weight Calculator: Weight of boards or beams from species, actual dimensions and quantity (air-dried, 12% moisture). Square Footage Calculator: Area of a rectangular space in square feet, square metres and square yards. Concrete Calculator: Cubic yards of concrete for a slab, plus bag counts.
How to use the Wood Weight Calculator
- Choose species: Alder, red, Ash, black, Ash, blue, Ash, green, Ash, Oregon and Ash, white and 105 more.
- Enter volume (0.000001 or more).
- Choose volume unit: Cubic feet, Cubic metres, Board feet, Litres and Cubic inches.
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Choose one: Alder, red; Ash, black; Ash, blue; Ash, green; Ash, Oregon; Ash, white; Aspen, bigtooth; Aspen, quaking; … | Starts at Pine, loblolly |
| Volume | A number | ≥ 0.000001 |
| Volume unit | Choose one: Cubic feet; Cubic metres; Board feet; Litres; Cubic inches | Starts at Cubic feet |
Formula and method
Formula
weight = volume × (specific gravity at 12% MC × 1.12 × 1,000 kg/m³)
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places.
Weight is for air-dried wood at 12% moisture content: the Wood Handbook's specific gravity is the ovendry weight divided by the volume at 12% moisture, so density = specific gravity × 1.12 × 1,000 kg/m³. Values are species averages for clear wood from the Handbook's test samples; real boards vary by tree, growth rate and moisture, and green or wet lumber is much heavier. Enter the actual (dressed) dimensions, not the nominal ones: a nominal 2×4 is about 1.5 × 3.5 in.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Species = Pine, ponderosa; Volume = 10; Volume unit = Cubic feet.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 279.68 lb |
| Kilograms | 126.86 kg |
| Volume | 0.2832 m³ |
| Density used | 448 kg/m³ |
Example 2
Inputs: Species = Maple, sugar; Volume = 1; Volume unit = Cubic metres.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1,555.58 lb |
| Kilograms | 705.6 kg |
| Volume | 1 m³ |
| Density used | 706 kg/m³ |
Example 3
Inputs: Species = Yellow-poplar; Volume = 100; Volume unit = Board feet.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 244.72 lb |
| Kilograms | 111 kg |
| Volume | 0.236 m³ |
| Density used | 470 kg/m³ |
The first line is the headline result (weight). Below it the wood Weight Calculator lists kilograms, volume and density used, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places.
Species differ widely
Balsa is around 160 kg/m³, ponderosa pine 448, oak about 700 and ironwood over 1,000. That is why 10 ft³ of oak weighs about 50% more than the same volume of pine.
Moisture and board feet
The weight is for air-dried wood at 12% moisture. Green wood can be much heavier. A board foot is 144 cubic inches (1/12 ft³), so 120 board feet equals 10 ft³.
How the result changes with volume
Holding every other input at the first worked example, this table changes only volume. It shows how sensitive the answer is to that one value; each row was produced by running this calculator.
| Volume | Weight | Kilograms | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 139.84 lb | 63.43 kg | 0.1416 m³ |
| 10 | 279.68 lb | 126.86 kg | 0.2832 m³ |
| 20 | 559.35 lb | 253.72 kg | 0.5663 m³ |
| 40 | 1,118.71 lb | 507.44 kg | 1.1327 m³ |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Volume: left empty shows "Enter volume." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Wood Weight Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Lumber Weight Calculator](/construction/lumber-weight-calculator/) | species, thickness and width | Total weight |
| [Square Footage Calculator](/construction/square-footage-calculator/) | length, width and unit | Area |
| [Concrete Calculator](/construction/concrete-calculator/) | length, width and depth / thickness | Cubic yards |
| [Gravel Calculator](/construction/gravel-calculator/) | length, width and depth / thickness | Cubic yards |
| [Board Foot Calculator](/construction/board-foot/) | thickness, width and length | Board feet |
Background: construction estimates
Material quantities are geometry plus a margin. Calculate the exact volume or area, add an allowance for waste, spillage, cuts and uneven ground (calculator pages commonly mention 5 to 10 percent, a rule of thumb that varies by material and job) and round up to whole units. One cubic yard is exactly 27 cubic feet.
Suppliers often have minimum order sizes and may charge for small loads, so confirm quantities, product yields and local code with your supplier or a qualified estimator before ordering.
Assumptions and limitations
- Air-dried (12% moisture) weight only
- A board foot is 144 cubic inches of wood
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for volume to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cord of wood weigh?
Roughly 2,000 to 4,000 lb depending on species and dryness.
Does the result include bark?
No, it uses clear wood density.
Can I enter board feet?
Yes, choose the board-foot volume unit.
What does the Wood Weight Calculator calculate?
Weight of a volume of wood by species (air-dried, 12% moisture). It returns Weight, Kilograms, Volume and Density used.
What formula does the Wood Weight Calculator use?
weight = volume × (specific gravity at 12% MC × 1.12 × 1,000 kg/m³). Weight is for air-dried wood at 12% moisture content: the Wood Handbook's specific gravity is the ovendry weight divided by the volume at 12% moisture, so density = specific gravity × 1.12 × 1,000 kg/m³.
What do I need to enter in the wood Weight Calculator?
You enter Species, Volume and Volume unit.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places. Air-dried (12% moisture) weight only.
What are the limits of this calculator?
Air-dried (12% moisture) weight only. A board foot is 144 cubic inches of wood.
What does the “Volume unit” option change?
It sets how the wood Weight is worked out. The choices are Cubic feet, Cubic metres, Board feet, Litres and Cubic inches.
What is an example of a wood Weight result?
With species Pine, ponderosa, volume 10 and volume unit Cubic feet, the weight is 279.68 lb.
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (FPL-GTR-282, 2021), Chapter 5, Table 5-3a: specific gravity at 12% moisture content (public domain), https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/62244; Wood Handbook Chapter 4: density at moisture content m = ovendry weight × (1 + m/100) per volume at that moisture content.
Can I rely on this calculator for a decision?
Quantities are estimates. Add allowances for waste and site conditions, and follow local codes and a qualified professional's instructions for structural or safety-critical work. For this calculator in particular: Air-dried (12% moisture) weight only.
Related calculators
- Lumber Weight Calculator — Weight of boards or beams from species, actual dimensions and quantity (air-dried, 12% moisture).
- Square Footage Calculator — Area of a rectangular space in square feet, square metres and square yards.
- Concrete Calculator — Cubic yards of concrete for a slab, plus bag counts.
- Gravel Calculator — Cubic yards of gravel for an area.
- Board Foot Calculator — Board feet of lumber from thickness, width and length.
- Mulch Calculator — Cubic yards of mulch for a bed.
Sources
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (FPL-GTR-282, 2021), Chapter 5, Table 5-3a: specific gravity at 12% moisture content (public domain), https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/62244
- Wood Handbook Chapter 4: density at moisture content m = ovendry weight × (1 + m/100) per volume at that moisture content
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.