Find the density of the load you actually have
A freight density calculation answers a specific warehouse question: how much packed weight occupies each cubic foot? Use this cargo density calculator while checking a pallet, preparing shipment measurements, or reviewing a packaging change. Its primary result is pounds per cubic foot. The suggested class is a second step that applies the published standard density scale; it does not identify the goods inside the wrapping.
Measure one handling unit at a time
For this tool, length and width describe the outside footprint in inches. Height runs from the bottom of the pallet to the highest packed point. Enter the loaded weight in pounds, including the support and protective materials. If several pallets have different dimensions, increase the pallet count and complete the separate rows. Do not combine their lengths, widths, or heights into a single imaginary rectangular load.
Each row produces its own cubic footage. The calculator adds those volumes and adds the entered weights before dividing the shipment weight by the shipment volume. That gives an aggregate density, not the simple average of the individual density figures. A small dense unit and a large light unit contribute differently because they occupy different amounts of space. An aggregate class suggestion should not replace separate commodity or handling-unit classification where applicable rules require it.
A small example you can reproduce
Imagine one packed unit measuring 24 by 24 by 24 inches and weighing 100 pounds. Multiplying the three measurements gives 13,824 cubic inches. Dividing by 1,728 gives 8 cubic feet. The density is therefore 100 divided by 8, or 12.50 pounds per cubic foot. This lies in the standard interval from 12 up to, but not including, 15, which suggests class 85. These are illustrative inputs, not a description of a particular commodity.
Use the calculation to inspect your inputs
Open the calculation panel to see every pallet's multiplication and the final division. Displayed volume and density are truncated to two decimal places; additional digits remain in the calculation used for the class. If the result is close to a boundary, inspect the measurements rather than moving the displayed number into a different band by eye. Blank, zero, negative, or unsupported values produce no class suggestion.
When comparing packaging arrangements, change the measured dimensions and loaded weight together. A shorter load with heavier protective material changes both sides of the density equation. This page keeps that arithmetic visible so you can explain the difference between two packing plans without treating a density estimate as a transport price.