Plywood and MDF Sheet Weight Calculator

How it works

A panel's weight is its volume times the density of the board: length × width × thickness × density. A full 4 × 8 ft sheet is 32 square feet, so every 1/8 inch of thickness adds a third of a cubic foot of material.

Density is the input that matters most and it varies by product. Softwood plywood, MDF, particleboard and hardboard differ, and so do brands and grades of the same product, so the density field is editable. In test data reported in the USDA Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282, 2021, ch. 12, Tables 12-2, 12-4, 12-5 and 12-6), plywood sheathing had specific gravities of 0.41–0.57, industrial particleboard 0.60–0.77, hardboard 0.90–1.02 and MDF densities of 0.71–0.95 g/cm³ (about 44–59 lb/ft³). The help text lists typical figures; a manufacturer's data sheet gives the density (or the sheet weight) for a specific product, in lb/ft³ or kg/m³.

Nominal thicknesses are not actual thicknesses. Sanded plywood sold as 3/4 inch is commonly the 23/32 inch performance category (18.3 mm; PS 1-22 Table 10 allows 0.703 to 0.734 inch when sanded), and metric panels are sold in millimetre thicknesses such as 18 mm. Entering the actual thickness gives a better estimate.

Formula

area (sq ft)      = length × width
volume per panel  = length × width × thickness
weight per panel  = volume × density
total weight      = weight per panel × number of panels
weight per sq ft  = weight per panel ÷ area

Example

A 4 × 8 ft sheet of plywood 23/32 in thick has a volume of 32 × 0.71875 ÷ 12 = 1.917 cu ft. At a typical 36 lb/ft³ it weighs 69.0 lb (31.3 kg), or 2.16 lb per square foot.

The same sheet size in 3/4 in MDF at 48 lb/ft³ is 2.000 cu ft and weighs 96.0 lb; ten sheets weigh 960 lb (435.4 kg).

Assumptions and limitations

• Density values in the help text are typical figures, not data for any particular product. Panel density varies with species, resin, grade and manufacturer.
• The panel is treated as a solid rectangle of uniform density. Edge banding, veneer, laminate, hardware and cut-outs are not included.
• Moisture content is whatever it was when the density was measured. Panels that have absorbed water weigh more.
• The result is an estimate. It is not a substitute for the manufacturer's published weight or for the load limits of a vehicle, rack or shelf.

Frequently asked questions