How Much Does A 6×6 Weigh?
Calculating the weight of a 6×6 may seem straight forward, but not all 6×6 boards weigh the same. There are several factors that affect the overall weight of your lumber.
On average, a 6×6 weighs 65.9 lbs. for an 8-foot-long board. This can change, however, and understanding the weight variations of your 6x6s can come in handy when it’s time to transport your wood.
Why Does 6×6 Weight Vary?
Lumber properties vary, and so does weight. The species, moisture content, treatment, and length of your 6x6s don’t just affect the project you’re planning, but the total weight of your cargo.
Weight Difference Based On Tree Species
Different types of trees have different properties, and the type of lumber you want may depend on your project. Some trees are hard and dense, while others are lightweight but shock resistant. These properties also affect the weight per foot of the 6x6s you choose.
Weight Of 6x6s: Treated Vs Untreated
You may or may not want treated wood for your construction task. Treated wood has been soaked in chemicals to withstand weather and resist pests. This also means that treated wood is significantly heavier than untreated wood.
6x6s Weight Based On Moisture Content
The moisture content also affects the weight of your lumber. Treated wood has more moisture, as does green wood. Kiln-dried lumber has been baked so it is drier and lighter than wood with more moisture.
Weight Difference Of 6x6s By Length
The longer the board, the heavier it is. This detail may be a no-brainer, but it’s the last thing you want to forget when you have everything else meticulously planned. Multiplying the weight per foot by the length of the board is a quick way to get the total weight of your 6×6.
| Weight by foot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ponderosa Pine | Treated | 7.72 lbs./ft. |
| Ponderosa Pine | Untreated | 7.07 lbs./ft. |
| Douglas Fir | Treated | 9.14 lbs./ft. |
| Douglas Fir | Untreated | 8.47 lbs./ft. |
| Western Hemlock | Treated | 8.53 lbs./ft. |
| Western Hemlock | Untreated | 7.86 lbs./ft. |
| Southern Yellow Pine | Treated | 10.26 lbs./ft. |
| Southern Yellow Pine | Untreated | 9.59 lbs./ft. |
Weight Of A 6x6x8
Calculating the total weight of a 6×6 board can be tedious. To make things easier, I’ve calculated the untreated weight of a 6x6x8 board for four commonly found species of commercial wood.
Weight Of A Ponderosa Pine 6x6x8
Ponderosa Pine is the lightest of the four tree species I’ve included. With an untreated weight per foot of 7.07 lbs., a 6x6x8 board weighs approximately 56.6 lbs.
Weight Of A Douglas Fir 6x6x8
Douglas Fir is a popular construction wood due to its strength. It can often be found used in railroad ties, fence poles, and mine timbers. The weight of a 6x6x8 Douglas Fir board is about 67.8 lbs.
Weight Of A Western Hemlock 6x6x8
Western Hemlock is sold both treated and untreated. Untreated hemlock is best used indoors, however, as it can be prone to insect attacks. The untreated weight of a 6x6x8 board is around 62.9 lbs.
Weight Of A Southern Yellow Pine 6x6x8
Southern Yellow Pine is actually a pine group consisting of four different trees. Their properties are so similar, however, that they are grouped together. An 8-ft. Southern Yellow Pine 6×6 weighs approximately 76.7 lbs.
Weight Of A 6x6x10
For your convenience, find below the calculations of a 6x6x10 board for each of the four species. These four tree types are widely available and distributed throughout the United States.
Weight Of A Ponderosa Pine 6x6x10
A 6x6x10 Ponderosa board weighs about 70.7 lbs. Ponderosa Pine has a uniform grain pattern that, combined with its golden color, makes it a popular choice for indoor aesthetic projects.
Weight Of A Douglas Fir 6x6x10
Because of its very tight grain, Douglas Fir is stronger and more stable than other types of commercial timber. A 10-ft. Douglas Fir 6×6 weighs approximately 84.7 lbs.
Weight Of A Western Hemlock 6x6x10
Western Hemlock is an essentially tasteless and odorless wood. This makes it a good choice for bowls, cupboards, and other food containers. A 6x6x10 board weighs around 78.6 lbs.
Weight Of A Southern Yellow Pine 6x6x10
Southern Yellow Pine has uniquely porous cells. Because of this, it makes up 85% of commercially treated lumber. The untreated weight of a 6x6x10 board is 95.9 lbs.
Weight Of A 6x6x12
To calculate the weight of the following 6x6x12 boards, I multiplied the weight per foot of each species by 12 to find the total lumber weight. This can later be used to determine how many boards can fit in a standard model truck.
Weight Of A Ponderosa Pine 6x6x12
Ponderosas can grow to be some of the largest pines in the world. “Ponderosa,” comes from the Spanish word for weighty. Ironically, Ponderosa is on the lighter end of the commercial lumber spectrum. A 6x6x12 Ponderosa Pine board weighs about 84.8 lbs.
Weight Of A Douglas Fir 6x6x12
The color of the heartwood of Douglas Fir depends on the age of the tree. Young heartwood is red in color and grows more and more yellow with age. A 12-ft. Douglas Fir 6×6 weighs around 101.6 lbs.
Weight Of A Western Hemlock 6x6x12
Western and Mountain Hemlock both grow along the Pacific Coast and in the Rocky Mountains. Despite the fact that they share a location, they are treated as separate species when assigning lumber properties. A Western Hemlock 6x6x12 weighs approximately 94.3 lbs.
Weight Of A Southern Yellow Pine 6x6x12
Southern Yellow Pine is the heaviest of the commercial lumbers I’ve listed here and is a dense, strong species of pine. A Southern Yellow Pine 6x6x12 weighs about 115.1 lbs.
Weight Of A 6x6x16
The last calculations I’ve made for you are for 6x6x16 boards. Once you have determined the species, treatment, and moisture content that will work best for your project, you can use this and the length to calculate how much lumber you’re able to bring home in one trip.
Weight Of A Ponderosa Pine 6x6x16
In construction, Ponderosa Pine is only occasionally used for poles, posts, or crossties. More often it is used for blinds and crates due to its light weight and low strength. A 16-ft. Ponderosa 6×6 weighs approximately 113.1 lbs.
Weight Of A Douglas Fir 6x6x16
An untreated Douglas Fir 6x6x16 board weighs around 135.5 lbs. Although Douglas Fir is used in a wide variety of applications, it’s used less commonly in flooring and furniture than other wood.
Weight Of A Western Hemlock 6x6x16
It is not unusual to see small, black knots in hemlock wood as well as dark streaks from hemlock bark maggots. Neither of these flaws affect the strength or stability of the timber. A 6x6x16 Western Hemlock board weighs 125.8 lbs.
Weight Of A Southern Yellow Pine 6x6x16
A 16-ft. Southern Yellow Pine board weighs approximately 153.4 lbs. Because it is not only strong but also stiff and shock resistant, Southern Yellow Pine can commonly be found in warehouses, bridges, trestles, and docks.
How Many 6x6s Will Fit In My Pickup Truck?
As I mentioned before, knowing the weight of a 6×6 board comes in handy when it comes time to transport your lumber. Calculating how many boards your truck can handle based on weight prevents damage to the suspension of your vehicle.
Ford F-150 Pickup Truck
A Ford F-150 has a cargo load capacity of 1,300 lbs. Using the weight of 65.9 lbs. for an average 8-ft. 6×6 board, this truck can transport 19 boards.
Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup
You can fit 18 boards in the bed of a Dodge Ram. This number came from dividing 1,240 lbs., the weigh capacity of a standard model, by the average weight of a 6×6.
Chevy Silverado 1500 Pickup Truck
The Chevy Silverado has the largest cargo capacity. Since it can handle 1,650 lbs., the Silverado can carry about 25 6×6 boards.
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