Gallons to Pounds Conversion Calculator
Enter the volume in gallons below to calculate the weight in pounds.
Result: Pounds
1 gal = 8 lb 5.526464 oz
Do you want to convert pounds to gallons?
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How Many Pounds Are in a Gallon?
Before you convert gallons to pounds, it's important to note that gallons measure volume, while pounds measure weight. Since these are different measurements, the actual weight of a gallon will vary depending on the liquid's density.
For instance, one gallon of water weighs about 8.345 pounds, while one gallon of milk weighs about 8.6 pounds. The easiest way to convert gallons to pounds is to use the converter above or a conversion chart.
The conversion tables below show how many pounds of various liquids are in a gallon.
Pounds in a Gallon of Water
There are 8.345 pounds in a gallon of water.
| Gallons of Water | Weight in Pounds |
|---|---|
| 1/4 gallon | 2.086 pounds |
| 1/2 gallon | 4.173 pounds |
| 3/4 gallon | 6.259 pounds |
| 1 gallon | 8.345 pounds |
| 2 gallons | 16.69 pounds |
| 3 gallons | 25.04 pounds |
| 4 gallons | 33.38 pounds |
| 5 gallons | 41.73 pounds |
The density of water changes with temperature, so you can use our water weight calculator to find out how much a gallon of water weighs at various temperatures.
Pounds in a Gallon of Milk
There are 8.596 pounds in a gallon of milk.
| Gallons of Milk | Weight in Pounds |
|---|---|
| 1/4 gallon | 2.149 pounds |
| 1/2 gallon | 4.298 pounds |
| 3/4 gallon | 6.447 pounds |
| 1 gallon | 8.596 pounds |
| 2 gallons | 17.19 pounds |
| 3 gallons | 25.79 pounds |
| 4 gallons | 34.38 pounds |
| 5 gallons | 42.98 pounds |
Pounds in a Gallon of Cooking Oil
There are 7.344 pounds in a gallon of cooking oil.
| Gallons of Cooking Oil | Weight in Pounds |
|---|---|
| 1/4 gallon | 1.836 pounds |
| 1/2 gallon | 3.672 pounds |
| 3/4 gallon | 5.508 pounds |
| 1 gallon | 7.344 pounds |
| 2 gallons | 14.69 pounds |
| 3 gallons | 22.03 pounds |
| 4 gallons | 29.38 pounds |
| 5 gallons | 36.72 pounds |
Pounds in a Gallon of Gasoline
There are 6.176 pounds in a gallon of gasoline.
| Gallons of Gasoline | Weight in Pounds |
|---|---|
| 1/4 gallon | 1.544 pounds |
| 1/2 gallon | 3.088 pounds |
| 3/4 gallon | 4.632 pounds |
| 1 gallon | 6.176 pounds |
| 2 gallons | 12.35 pounds |
| 3 gallons | 18.53 pounds |
| 4 gallons | 24.7 pounds |
| 5 gallons | 30.88 pounds |
Pounds in a Gallon of Diesel
There are 7.094 pounds in a gallon of diesel.
| Gallons of Diesel | Weight in Pounds |
|---|---|
| 1/4 gallon | 1.773 pounds |
| 1/2 gallon | 3.547 pounds |
| 3/4 gallon | 5.32 pounds |
| 1 gallon | 7.094 pounds |
| 2 gallons | 14.19 pounds |
| 3 gallons | 21.28 pounds |
| 4 gallons | 28.37 pounds |
| 5 gallons | 35.47 pounds |
Pounds in a Gallon of Propane
There are 4.24 pounds in a gallon of propane.
| Gallons of Propane | Weight in Pounds |
|---|---|
| 1/4 gallon | 1.06 pounds |
| 1/2 gallon | 2.12 pounds |
| 3/4 gallon | 3.18 pounds |
| 1 gallon | 4.24 pounds |
| 2 gallons | 8.481 pounds |
| 3 gallons | 12.72 pounds |
| 4 gallons | 16.96 pounds |
| 5 gallons | 21.2 pounds |
Pounds in a Gallon of Paint
There are 9.597 pounds in a gallon of paint.
| Gallons of Paint | Weight in Pounds |
|---|---|
| 1/4 gallon | 2.399 pounds |
| 1/2 gallon | 4.799 pounds |
| 3/4 gallon | 7.198 pounds |
| 1 gallon | 9.597 pounds |
| 2 gallons | 19.19 pounds |
| 3 gallons | 28.79 pounds |
| 4 gallons | 38.39 pounds |
| 5 gallons | 47.99 pounds |
How to Convert Gallons to Pounds
Here is how to convert gallons to pounds in a few easy steps.
Step One: Find the Liquid Density
The first step in the conversion is to determine what liquid or substance you're trying to convert, since they vary in density.
We suggest using a density chart to determine a substance's density.[1] For example, water has a density of 1 g/mL, while motor oil has a density of 0.7-0.95 g/mL.
Step Two: Use the Gallons to Pounds Formula
To convert a measurement in gallons to pounds, multiply the volume by the density of the liquid or substance. Note that for this to work, the density must be expressed in pounds per gallon (lb/gal).
If the density is given in pounds per milliliter (g/mL), first multiply it by 8.3454 to convert to g/c.
For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:
pounds = gallons × 8.3454 × density
Thus, the weight in pounds is equal to the volume in gallons multiplied by 8.3454 times the density (in g/mL) of the liquid or substance.
For example, let's use this formula to calculate how many pounds 5 gallons of gas weigh. Gas ranges in density from 0.71 to 0.77 g/mL, so we'll use an average of 0.74 g/mL for this example.
pounds = 5 gal × 8.3454 × 0.74 g/mL = 30.88 lbs
So, 5 gallons of gas weigh about 30.88 pounds.
Trying to figure out how many pounds a gallon of water weighs? It's 8.345 pounds. Learn more with our water weight calculator.
When to Convert Gallons to Pounds
Gallons and pounds are both commonly used to measure cooking ingredients.
For cooking applications, most chefs suggest measuring dry ingredients by weight rather than volume to improve accuracy in the measurements.[2] The density of dry ingredients can vary for a variety of reasons, such as compaction and clumping.
The best way to ensure an accurate conversion is to use a scale. When a scale is not available, a calculator like the one above is a good way to estimate the volume to weight conversion.
Another useful application of weight and volume conversions is chemistry. When performing chemical reactions by combining separate chemicals to produce a new chemical, one must know the exact amount of each chemical to add in order to maximize the yield of the reaction.
It is common to mix powdered chemicals with liquid, or aqueous, chemicals, and this is where it becomes very useful to convert between weights and volumes.[3]
A third application of weight and volume conversions is when shipping freight when calculating the volumetric weight for cargo and packages. Trucks, ships, and airplanes are limited in the amount of weight or volume they can transport, so if one of those quantities is known, but the limitation is on the other, then it becomes necessary to convert between the two so as not to overload the shipping vehicle.
Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.
What Is a Gallon?
The US liquid gallon is a unit of fluid volume equal to four quarts, eight pints, or sixteen cups.[4] The US liquid gallon should not be confused with the US dry gallon or the imperial gallon, which are different units of measure.
The gallon is a US customary unit of volume. Gallons can be abbreviated as gal; for example, 1 gallon can be written as 1 gal.
Learn more about gallons.
What Is a Pound?
Pounds are a widely used unit of weight in the United States. The National Bureau of Standards approved the international definition of the pound for use in the United States in 1959 after an agreement between six nations referred to as the International Yard and Pound Agreement.[5]
One pound is equal to 16 ounces, or 0.45359237 kilograms. In the avoirdupois or apothecaries' systems, one pound is equal to 7,000 grains.[6]
The pound is a US customary and imperial unit of mass. A pound is sometimes also referred to as a common ounce. Pounds can be abbreviated as lb (plural lbs), and are also sometimes abbreviated as lbm or #. For example, 1 pound can be written as 1 lb, 1 lbm, or 1 #, and 2 pounds can be written as 2 lbs.
A pound is also frequently referred to as a unit of weight. While technically, a pound is a measure of mass, and weight is actually a measure of force, the two are equivalent as long as we are performing our calculations on Earth.
For example, an object with a mass of 1 pound weighs 1 pound on Earth, but only weighs one-sixth of that on the moon, yet still has the same mass.
Learn more about pounds.
References
- Miedema, S., Slurry Transport - 11.2: Appendix B - List of Liquid Densities, https://eng.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Civil_Engineering/Slurry_Transport_(Miedema)/11%3A_Appendices/11.02%3A_Appendix_B-_List_of_Liquid_Densities
- National Institute of Standards & Technology, Culinary Measurement Tips, https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/culinary-measurement-tips
- CK-12 Foundation, Introductory Chemistry (CK-12) - 12.6: Mass-Volume Stoichiometry, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-12)/12%3A_Stoichiometry/12.06%3A_Mass-Volume_Stoichiometry
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices, Handbook 44 - 2019 Edition, https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/hb/2019/NIST.HB.44-2019.pdf
- National Bureau of Standards, Refinement of Values for the Yard and Pound, U.S. Department of Commerce, July 1, 1959, https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/05/09/frn-59-5442-1959.pdf
- Encyclopædia Britannica, Avoirdupois weight, https://www.britannica.com/science/avoirdupois-weight