How much does a sheet of MDF weigh?

At 750 kg/m³, a 2440 × 1220 mm sheet of 18 mm MDF weighs about 40.2 kg (88.6 lb), and an 8 × 4 ft sheet of 3/4 in MDF about 42.5 kg (93.6 lb). Thin MDF is pressed denser and thick MDF lighter, so your board's data sheet may say a little more or a little less.

How much does a sheet of plywood weigh?

It depends on the wood more than on anything else. An 18 mm sheet of 2440 × 1220 mm weighs about 24.9 kg in poplar plywood, 26.3 kg in softwood plywood and 36.4 kg in birch plywood. An 8 × 4 ft sheet of 3/4 in softwood plywood is about 27.8 kg (61.2 lb).

What does plywood weigh per square metre?

Density times thickness. 18 mm softwood plywood at 490 kg/m³ is 490 × 0.018 = 8.82 kg/m²; 18 mm birch plywood at 680 kg/m³ is 12.24 kg/m², and 12 mm birch 8.16 kg/m².

Is MDF heavier than plywood?

Usually. MDF runs at 710–780 kg/m³ in the Swiss Krono data and softwood plywood at 460–520 kg/m³ in the Finnish figures, so the same sheet in MDF weighs about half as much again. Birch plywood, at about 680 kg/m³, comes close to MDF.

Why does my data sheet give a different density?

Density changes with the maker, the plant, the thickness and the moisture in the board. Choose “Your own density” in the material list and type the figure from your sheet, in kg/m³ or, in imperial, in lb/ft³.

Wood · Plywood, MDF, chipboard, OSB

Sheet weight calculator

Weight = density × thickness × length × width. A 2440 × 1220 mm sheet of 18 mm MDF (750 kg/m³) is 13.50 kg/m² and weighs 40.2 kg (88.6 lb); an 8 × 4 ft sheet of 3/4 in MDF, 42.5 kg (93.6 lb); the same in softwood plywood, 27.8 kg (61.2 lb). Each density comes from a data sheet linked below.

—

One sheet

— kg

Per m²

— kg/m²

All the sheets

— kg

Area of one sheet

— m²

How many sheets? The panel cutting optimizer lays your parts out on the fewest sheets, with the saw kerf; then you know how many to weigh.

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How this is calculated

weight per m² = density (kg/m³) × thickness (m) weight of a sheet = weight per m² × length (m) × width (m) total = weight of a sheet × number of sheets 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg 1 in = 25.4 mm 1 ft = 0.3048 m 1 lb/ft³ = 16.0185 kg/m³

The calculator’s metric example, ten sheets of 18 mm MDF, by hand: 750 × 0.018 = 13.50 kg/m²; 2.44 × 1.22 = 2.9768 m²; 13.50 × 2.9768 = 40.19 kg a sheet, and ten sheets 401.9 kg (886.0 lb).

Its imperial example, the one a US browser opens on: 3/4 in = 19.05 mm and 8 × 4 ft = 2.4384 × 1.2192 m = 2.9729 m², so a sheet of MDF is 750 × 0.01905 × 2.9729 = 42.48 kg, or 93.64 lb.

The densities, and where they come from

Each figure is a mean density from a maker’s data sheet or a national wood information service; EN 323 is the test method behind them. Where the source gives a value by thickness, the calculator uses its 16–19 mm figure, the commonest furniture board; where it gives a range, its middle. A figure from your own board’s data sheet beats all of them: choose “Your own density” in the list.

Material	What the source gives	Used	Source
MDF	710–780 kg/m³: 780 at 4–6 mm, 710 at 30–38 mm	750 kg/m³, its 12–19 mm figure	Swiss Krono, MDF technical data
Particleboard (chipboard)	600–700 kg/m³: 700 at 10 mm, 600 at 38 mm (type P2)	650 kg/m³, its 18–19 mm figure	Swiss Krono, particleboard technical data
Melamine-faced chipboard	620–720 kg/m³ for 8–38 mm	670 kg/m³, the middle	Resopal MFC, on NBS Source
OSB/3	600 kg/m³ minimum, 650 mean	650 kg/m³, the mean	Swiss Krono, OSB/3 technical data
Birch plywood	about 680 kg/m³	680 kg/m³, the figure given	puuinfo.fi, Finnish wood information
Softwood plywood (spruce, pine)	460–520 kg/m³ (conifer plywood)	490 kg/m³, the middle	puuinfo.fi, Finnish wood information
Poplar plywood	440–490 kg/m³ (eucalyptus faces)	465 kg/m³, the middle	Garnica, poplar plywood data sheet (PDF)

Sheet weight chart

Density × thickness for each thickness, so the same density all the way down the column: a real thin board is pressed a little denser and a thick one a little lighter (MDF runs from 780 kg/m³ at 4–6 mm to 710 at 30–38 mm in the Swiss Krono data), and not every material is made in every thickness. For a figure to order by, use the calculator with your board’s own density.

Weight per square metre, kg/m²
Thickness	MDF	Chipboard	Melamine	OSB/3	Birch ply	Softwood ply	Poplar ply
6 mm	4.50	3.90	4.02	3.90	4.08	2.94	2.79
9 mm	6.75	5.85	6.03	5.85	6.12	4.41	4.18
12 mm	9.00	7.80	8.04	7.80	8.16	5.88	5.58
15 mm	11.25	9.75	10.05	9.75	10.20	7.35	6.98
16 mm	12.00	10.40	10.72	10.40	10.88	7.84	7.44
18 mm	13.50	11.70	12.06	11.70	12.24	8.82	8.37
19 mm	14.25	12.35	12.73	12.35	12.92	9.31	8.84
22 mm	16.50	14.30	14.74	14.30	14.96	10.78	10.23
25 mm	18.75	16.25	16.75	16.25	17.00	12.25	11.63
30 mm	22.50	19.50	20.10	19.50	20.40	14.70	13.95

One 2440 × 1220 mm sheet, kg
Thickness	MDF	Chipboard	Melamine	OSB/3	Birch ply	Softwood ply	Poplar ply
6 mm	13.4	11.6	12.0	11.6	12.1	8.8	8.3
9 mm	20.1	17.4	18.0	17.4	18.2	13.1	12.5
12 mm	26.8	23.2	23.9	23.2	24.3	17.5	16.6
15 mm	33.5	29.0	29.9	29.0	30.4	21.9	20.8
16 mm	35.7	31.0	31.9	31.0	32.4	23.3	22.1
18 mm	40.2	34.8	35.9	34.8	36.4	26.3	24.9
19 mm	42.4	36.8	37.9	36.8	38.5	27.7	26.3
22 mm	49.1	42.6	43.9	42.6	44.5	32.1	30.5
25 mm	55.8	48.4	49.9	48.4	50.6	36.5	34.6
30 mm	67.0	58.0	59.8	58.0	60.7	43.8	41.5

One 8 × 4 ft sheet, lb
Thickness	MDF	Chipboard	Melamine	OSB/3	Birch ply	Softwood ply	Poplar ply
1/4 in	31.2	27.1	27.9	27.1	28.3	20.4	19.4
3/8 in	46.8	40.6	41.8	40.6	42.5	30.6	29.0
1/2 in	62.4	54.1	55.8	54.1	56.6	40.8	38.7
5/8 in	78.0	67.6	69.7	67.6	70.8	51.0	48.4
23/32 in	89.7	77.8	80.2	77.8	81.4	58.6	55.6
3/4 in	93.6	81.2	83.7	81.2	84.9	61.2	58.1

Pounds for the thickness written on the left. Sheets sold as 3/4 in are often 23/32 in thick, which is why both rows are there.

What this page does not do

One density per material. Thin boards are pressed denser and thick ones lighter. For a very thin or very thick board, type the figure from its own data sheet.
Dry boards only. The densities are measured on dry, conditioned boards; a sheet that has taken up water, or has been stored outside, weighs more.
The thickness you type. Sheets sold as 3/4 in are often 23/32 in thick; type what the label or the caliper says.
Not a structural load. For the self-weight of a floor or a roof in a structural calculation, take the values of your code (EN 1991-1-1 in Europe) or the manufacturer’s declaration of performance.
The board alone. Edge banding, veneers, lacquer, hardware and packaging are not included.

Questions people ask

How much does a sheet of MDF weigh?: At 750 kg/m³, a 2440 × 1220 mm sheet of 18 mm MDF weighs about 40.2 kg (88.6 lb), and an 8 × 4 ft sheet of 3/4 in MDF about 42.5 kg (93.6 lb). Thin MDF is pressed denser and thick MDF lighter, so your board's data sheet may say a little more or a little less.
How much does a sheet of plywood weigh?: It depends on the wood more than on anything else. An 18 mm sheet of 2440 × 1220 mm weighs about 24.9 kg in poplar plywood, 26.3 kg in softwood plywood and 36.4 kg in birch plywood. An 8 × 4 ft sheet of 3/4 in softwood plywood is about 27.8 kg (61.2 lb).
What does plywood weigh per square metre?: Density times thickness. 18 mm softwood plywood at 490 kg/m³ is 490 × 0.018 = 8.82 kg/m²; 18 mm birch plywood at 680 kg/m³ is 12.24 kg/m², and 12 mm birch 8.16 kg/m².
Is MDF heavier than plywood?: Usually. MDF runs at 710–780 kg/m³ in the Swiss Krono data and softwood plywood at 460–520 kg/m³ in the Finnish figures, so the same sheet in MDF weighs about half as much again. Birch plywood, at about 680 kg/m³, comes close to MDF.
Why does my data sheet give a different density?: Density changes with the maker, the plant, the thickness and the moisture in the board. Choose “Your own density” in the material list and type the figure from your sheet, in kg/m³ or, in imperial, in lb/ft³.