Lumber Weight Calculator
Don't know the board feet? Run your stack through the board foot calculator first, then bring the total here.
Why lumber weight matters
One board foot is 1/12 of a cubic foot, so weight is just species density × board feet ÷ 12. The spread between species is bigger than most people expect: a hundred board feet of air-dried eastern white pine weighs about 210 lb, while the same hundred board feet of hickory runs about 425 lb — more than double. That difference decides whether the lumber rides home in a half-ton pickup or breaks its springs, whether your shop shelving needs blocking, and what a shipment will cost by freight.
Moisture is the other half of the story. Freshly sawn "green" wood carries enormous water weight — often 40 to 80 percent more than the same board air-dried. The green option here applies a typical green-weight factor per species group; treat it as a hauling estimate, not a laboratory number, because moisture varies log to log. Density values are drawn from published averages at roughly 12% moisture content — individual boards vary, so leave margin before you load to a vehicle's limit.
How much does a 2x4 weigh?
A kiln-dried 8-foot 2x4 weighs about 7 to 11 pounds, depending on species. Framing lumber is sold by nominal size: a 2x4 actually measures 1½ by 3½ inches, so each running foot holds about 0.036 cubic feet of wood. Multiply that by the wood's density and you have the weight. The chart below uses the same densities as the calculator above, at about 12% moisture. Wet, green or freshly treated lumber weighs noticeably more.
| Size (actual) | Southern yellow pine | Douglas fir | Eastern white pine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2x4 (1.5" × 3.5") | 1.35 lb/ft · 10.8 lb | 1.24 lb/ft · 9.9 lb | 0.91 lb/ft · 7.3 lb |
| 2x6 (1.5" × 5.5") | 2.12 lb/ft · 17.0 lb | 1.95 lb/ft · 15.6 lb | 1.43 lb/ft · 11.5 lb |
| 2x8 (1.5" × 7.25") | 2.79 lb/ft · 22.4 lb | 2.57 lb/ft · 20.5 lb | 1.89 lb/ft · 15.1 lb |
| 2x10 (1.5" × 9.25") | 3.57 lb/ft · 28.5 lb | 3.28 lb/ft · 26.2 lb | 2.41 lb/ft · 19.3 lb |
| 2x12 (1.5" × 11.25") | 4.34 lb/ft · 34.7 lb | 3.98 lb/ft · 31.9 lb | 2.93 lb/ft · 23.4 lb |
| 4x4 (3.5" × 3.5") | 3.15 lb/ft · 25.2 lb | 2.89 lb/ft · 23.1 lb | 2.13 lb/ft · 17.0 lb |
Each cell shows weight per running foot, then the weight of an 8-foot board. For longer boards, multiply the per-foot number by the length.
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Cite as: Bluegrass Gifts LLC (2026). Lumber Density and Green-Wood Weight Factors (20 species) (v1.0.0) [Data set]. https://bluegrassgifts.com/pages/lumber-weight-calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a board foot of lumber weigh?
Divide the species' density in pounds per cubic foot by 12. Air-dried red oak at about 44 lb/ft³ weighs roughly 3.7 lb per board foot; eastern white pine at about 25 lb/ft³ weighs just over 2 lb. Green wood weighs substantially more due to water content.
How much does 100 board feet weigh?
Depends entirely on species: about 210 lb for air-dried white pine, 240 lb for poplar, 320 lb for walnut, 370 lb for red oak, and 425 lb for hickory. Freshly cut green lumber can weigh 40–80% more than these air-dried figures.
Can a pickup truck carry 200 board feet of oak?
Air-dried, 200 board feet of red oak is roughly 730 lb — within a typical half-ton pickup's payload once you account for passengers and gear, but green oak at over 1,100 lb pushes many trucks past their rating. Check your door-jamb payload sticker, not the truck's name.
How much does a 2x4 weigh per foot?
About 0.91 to 1.35 pounds per foot kiln-dried, depending on species: roughly 1.35 lb for southern yellow pine, 1.24 for Douglas fir and 0.91 for eastern white pine. An 8-foot 2x4 runs about 7 to 11 pounds.