Freight density calculator

Pounds per cubic foot, cubic feet, and CBM from one set of measurements — in imperial or metric. If you want the class that goes with the density, use the freight class calculator.

Measurements

Units

Pieces

Length inches

Width

Height

Weight (lb, total)

The formula

Density is weight divided by volume. In US LTL the unit is pounds per cubic foot:

Cubic inches = length × width × height × pieces
Cubic feet = cubic inches ÷ 1,728
Density (PCF) = total pounds ÷ total cubic feet

For metric inputs the divisor is 28,316.85 cubic centimetres per cubic foot, and kilograms convert at 2.20462 pounds each. One cubic metre is 35.3147 cubic feet, so a density in kg/m³ divided by 16.0185 gives you PCF.

Reference points worth memorising

A standard 48×40 pallet, loaded 48 inches high, holds 53.3 cubic feet. Divide your weight by 53.3 and you have the density without a calculator.
Water is 62.4 PCF. Almost nothing you ship on a pallet beats it.
12 PCF is the line where ordinary palletised goods stop being cheap to ship.
Under 4 PCF you are shipping mostly air, and the class breaks come quickly.

Measure the shipping unit

Every dimension is the outside of the loaded, wrapped handling unit: pallet included, overhang included, the domed top of a stretch-wrapped stack included. Carriers dimension freight at the dock with laser arrays that do not care what the product spec sheet says.

Questions people actually ask

What is a good freight density?

Anything above about 15 pounds per cubic foot rates well; above 30 rates very well. Below about 8 PCF you are paying to move air and the class breaks come fast. There is no target to hit for its own sake — the density is what it is — but knowing where you sit tells you whether re-packing or double-stacking would actually change your bill.

Does density include the pallet?

Yes. Both the pallet's weight and its cube are part of the handling unit. A wooden 48×40 pallet adds roughly 35 to 50 pounds and about 5 inches of height, which usually helps density slightly on heavy freight and hurts it on light freight.

How do I convert PCF to kg per cubic metre?

Multiply pounds per cubic foot by 16.0185. So 10 PCF is about 160 kg/m³, and 15 PCF is about 240 kg/m³.