Lumber Weight Calculator
An 8 ft 2x4 of dry Douglas-fir weighs about 9.9 lbs, because a 2x4 is really 1.5 x 3.5 inches and Douglas-fir weighs about 34 lbs per cubic foot. Spruce-pine-fir is lighter, Southern yellow pine and oak are heavier, and wet or pressure-treated wood can weigh about 50 percent more. Enter your boards below for total weight, board feet and the dumpster size you need.
Lumber Weight Calculator
Pick the board, species and count. Results update as you type.
Board feet
533
Total weight
992 lbs
0.50 tons
Loose volume
2.2 yd³
Recommended dumpster
10 Yard
1 ton included
Estimates only. Weights use approximate dry densities from the USDA Wood Handbook; loose volume assumes a pile takes about twice its solid wood volume.
Price a 10 Yard dumpster
How much does an 8 ft board weigh?
Approximate dry weights for one 8 ft board, computed from actual (dressed) dimensions and Wood Handbook densities at 12 percent moisture. Multiply by about 1.5 for wet or pressure-treated wood.
| Board | Actual size | Southern yellow pine | Douglas-fir | Spruce-pine-fir | Red oak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1x4 | 0.75 x 3.5 in | 5.3 lbs | 5.0 lbs | 4.1 lbs | 6.4 lbs |
| 1x6 | 0.75 x 5.5 in | 8.3 lbs | 7.8 lbs | 6.4 lbs | 10.1 lbs |
| 2x4 | 1.5 x 3.5 in | 10.5 lbs | 9.9 lbs | 8.2 lbs | 12.8 lbs |
| 2x6 | 1.5 x 5.5 in | 16.5 lbs | 15.6 lbs | 12.8 lbs | 20.2 lbs |
| 2x8 | 1.5 x 7.25 in | 21.8 lbs | 20.5 lbs | 16.9 lbs | 26.6 lbs |
| 2x10 | 1.5 x 9.25 in | 27.8 lbs | 26.2 lbs | 21.6 lbs | 33.9 lbs |
| 2x12 | 1.5 x 11.25 in | 33.8 lbs | 31.9 lbs | 26.3 lbs | 41.3 lbs |
| 4x4 | 3.5 x 3.5 in | 24.5 lbs | 23.1 lbs | 19.1 lbs | 29.9 lbs |
Sheets: a 4x8 sheet of 1/2 inch plywood or OSB is about 48 lbs (about 1.5 lbs per square foot) and a 3/4 inch sheet about 70 lbs (about 2.2 lbs per square foot).
Worked example: what does a deck tear-out weigh?
A 12 x 16 ft pressure-treated Southern yellow pine deck, framed the common way: 2x6 deck boards, 2x8 joists 16 inches on center, a 2x10 rim and beam, and six 4x4 posts.
| Piece | Count | Weight (treated) | Loose volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2x6 deck boards, 16 ft | 27 | 1,337 lbs | 1.8 yd³ |
| 2x8 joists, 12 ft | 13 | 636 lbs | 0.9 yd³ |
| 2x10 rim joists and beam, 16 ft | 4 | 333 lbs | 0.5 yd³ |
| 4x4 posts, 8 ft | 6 | 221 lbs | 0.3 yd³ |
| Total | 2,526 lbs (1.26 tons) | 3.5 yd³ |
About 1.3 tons and 3 cubic yards of loose wood, before railings, stairs, fasteners and any concrete footings. The volume would fit a 10 yard, but the weight is what decides it: the smallest box whose included weight covers this load is the 15 Yard (1.5 tons included). Pull concrete footings out of the load, since concrete needs its own heavy-material box.
What mistakes make lumber loads cost more?
- Using nominal sizes for weight. A 2x4 is 1.5 x 3.5 inches. Nominal math overstates the wood by about half.
- Forgetting water. Rain-soaked or freshly treated lumber can weigh about 50 percent more than dry wood.
- Tossing it in loose. A jumbled pile takes about 2 times the space of the solid wood. Cut long boards and stack them flat.
- Mixing in concrete or dirt. Footings and soil turn a wood load into a heavy load. Keep them separate.
- Leaving nails on the ground. Pull or bend over nails before loading so the drop zone stays safe.
Lumber Weight Questions
An 8 ft 2x4 (actual size 1.5 x 3.5 inches) weighs about 9.9 lbs in dry Douglas-fir, a little less in spruce-pine-fir and a little more in Southern yellow pine. Wet or pressure-treated boards can weigh about half again as much.
Answered by Michael V., Head of Operations
A 4x8 sheet of 1/2 inch plywood or OSB weighs roughly 48 lbs, and a 3/4 inch sheet roughly 70 lbs. Exact weight varies by species, panel type and moisture.
Answered by Michael V., Head of Operations
Check both volume and weight. Stacked flat, scrap lumber takes less room than people expect, but treated or wet wood gets heavy fast. The worked example on this page, a 12 x 16 ft treated deck, fits a 10 yard by volume but needs a 15 yard for its weight allowance; larger decks and framing jobs often need a 20 yard.
Answered by Joe Woods, Commercial & National Accounts Specialist
In most areas, yes, as part of construction debris, but it should not be burned or chipped for mulch. Some landfills route it separately, so tell us what is in the load when you book.
Answered by Joe Woods, Commercial & National Accounts Specialist
A board foot is a volume of wood 12 x 12 x 1 inch, figured from the nominal size. An 8 ft 2x4 is 2 x 4 x 8 / 12, about 5.3 board feet, even though the board is actually 1.5 x 3.5 inches.
Answered by Michael V., Head of Operations
Sources and method
- Wood densities at 12 percent moisture, rounded: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282, 2021). The wet and treated adjustment is an approximate application of the handbook's moisture relationships.
- Panel weights per square foot are approximate figures for APA-rated plywood and OSB: APA, The Engineered Wood Association.
- Dumpster weight allowances are the included tons on our size pages. Loose volume is our planning assumption of about 2 times the solid wood volume. All figures are estimates.
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