Green Weight CalculatorWet, Dry and Shipping Weight Estimator
Calculate the weight of green (freshly cut) and dried timber for transport planning, crane capacity, container loading and freight costing. Accounts for moisture content and species density.
Why this calculation matters
Green weight decides handling, crane capacity and freight. Quoting freight on dry weight for a green shipment is a claim waiting to happen.
Green Weight Calculator
Wet, Dry and Shipping Weight Estimator
Sets basic density and green MC.
Oven-dry mass ÷ green volume — the basic-density basis used by FPL, not density at 12% MC. Auto-set by species.
Green wood: 40-200%. Auto-set to green MC.
For shipping weight after drying.
| State | MC | Weight per Piece | Total Weight |
|---|
About Green Weight Calculator
Freshly cut (green) timber can hold more weight in water than in wood fiber - some species are over 100% MC, meaning water weighs more than the dry wood itself. Knowing accurate green and dried weights is essential for transport safety, crane and forklift capacity, container loading limits, and freight cost estimation. Transporters use it to estimate the weight of green wood per truckload, and it doubles as a lumber weight per cubic foot reference for any species in the database.
Where Is This Used?
Formulas Used
Oven-dry mass = Volume x Basic DensityWeight at MC% = Oven-dry mass x (1 + MC/100)Green weight = Oven-dry mass x (1 + Green_MC/100)Water to remove = Weight_current - Weight_targetBasic density = oven-dry mass / green volume (kg/m3)How the calculation works
The volume is multiplied by the basic density to give the dry mass of the wood substance. That dry mass is then increased by the moisture percentage to give the weight at the current moisture content, and again at your target, so the difference between them is the water that has to leave.
Show the formula
Dry mass = volume x basic density (oven-dry mass / green volume). Weight at a given moisture content = dry mass x (1 + MC/100). Water to remove = weight at current MC - weight at target MC.Basic density, not density at 12% MC. Entering a 12% figure here over-reports weight by roughly a tenth.
References and what each one provides
- USDA Wood Handbook (FPL GTR-190)USDA Forest Products LaboratorySpecific gravity and green moisture content by species.
- ASTM D4442ASTM InternationalStandard test methods for direct moisture content measurement in wood, including the oven-dry mass method.
Unverified values are marked as such rather than presented as sourced.
Limitations of this calculation
Estimates weight from volume, specific gravity and moisture content. It does not account for moisture variation within a stack, water held in bark, dirt and debris, packaging, or dunnage.
Do not use this for Lifting certification, crane duty selection, or vehicle axle-load compliance.
Figures are engineering estimates from the inputs and assumptions shown. Verify against the actual material and, where the result affects structure or safety, against a qualified professional.
- USDA FPL basic-specific-gravity method
Formula checked against the sources above by an automated regression test (tests/test-calculators.js) that derives each expected value independently of this page. Last reviewed .
How to use this tool
- Enter your wood and climate details below, then press Calculate.
- Pick your volume input mode from the dropdown.
- Fill in number of pieces, volume per piece, length, width.
- Press Calculate.
Worked example
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using dry density tables for freshly felled logs. Green logs can weigh nearly double their dry weight.
- Assuming one green MC for the whole trunk. Sapwood is much wetter than heartwood in most softwoods.
- Sizing a crane or truck by average log weight. Size for the heaviest likely log, not the average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wood species data
Density, hardness and movement for 60 timbers
Full listing in the wood density chart.