Volume · weight · pcf

Freight density calculator, in pounds per cubic foot.

Density is the one number that drives an LTL rating. Enter dimensions and weight for one pallet or twenty, and get cubic feet, total weight and pcf — with the class band it lands in.

Shipment

Outside dimensions of the loaded pallet, including packaging and overhang. Weight is per handling unit.

Density readout
NMFC density class
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Enter pieces, dimensions and weight.
Cubic feet
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Density
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lb / cu ft
Total weight
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lb
Pieces
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Density scale · effective 2025-07-19

The density formula

Two divisions, nothing else.

cubic feet = (L × W × H in inches) ÷ 1728

density (pcf) = total pounds ÷ total cubic feet

1728 is simply the number of cubic inches in a cubic foot (12³). If you measure in centimetres, the calculator converts at 2.54 cm to the inch before doing anything else; kilos convert at 2.20462 lb.

Worked example

A standard 48 × 40 inch pallet stacked to 48 inches is 92,160 cubic inches, or 53.33 cubic feet. At 800 lb gross that is 15.00 pcf, which sits at the bottom edge of the 15–22.5 band, so it classes at 70. Take 50 lb off and it drops to 14.06 pcf and reclasses to 85 — a materially more expensive class for a difference you could create by mis-stating the pallet weight.

Height is where money leaks. Density is most sensitive to the dimension people estimate rather than measure. A pallet called 45 inches that actually tenders at 52 inches loses about 13% of its density. Measure the tallest point, including shrink wrap and any dunnage on top.

What density does and does not decide

Density decides the class for commodities that classify by density — which, since Docket 2025-1, is a much larger share of the NMFC than before. Roughly 2,000 listings moved onto the density scale in July 2025.

It does not decide the class where:

  • the NMFC item carries a fixed class regardless of how dense the shipment is;
  • stowability is unusual — oversized, non-stackable, hazardous, or awkward shapes that cost a carrier trailer space they cannot resell;
  • handling is unusual — anything that cannot go on a standard forklift or needs special care;
  • liability is high — fragile, high-value, or theft-attractive freight.

That is why a density number and a freight class are not the same object. The density is arithmetic. The class is a classification decision that starts from the density for most, but not all, commodities.

Reweigh and reclass charges

Carriers dimension freight automatically at the terminal now. If tendered dimensions or weight differ from what the scanner reads, the correction comes back as a reweigh or reclass fee on top of the recalculated rate. Getting density right before the BOL is printed is cheaper than arguing it afterwards.

Full freight class calculator →
Density-to-class chart →