Pounds to Tablespoons Converter

How to Convert Pounds to Tablespoons

Since pounds are a unit of mass and tablespoons are a unit of volume, which are different physical quantities, we need to know one more physical quantity of the ingredient or substance to convert between them. In this case, we need to account for the density of the substance whenever we do a conversion.

Therefore, to convert between pounds and tablespoons of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.

Pounds to Tablespoons Formula

To convert a measurement in pounds to tablespoons, divide the weight by the density of the ingredient or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in pounds per tablespoon (lb/tbsp).

If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first divide 30.6756 by the density to convert to lb/tbsp.

For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:

tablespoons = pounds × 30.6756density

Thus, the volume in tablespoons is equal to the weight in pounds times 30.6756 divided by the density of the ingredient, substance, or material.

For example, here's how to convert 5 pounds to tablespoons for an ingredient with a density of 0.7 g/mL.

tablespoons = 5 lb × 30.67560.7 g/mL = 219.1112 tbsp

When to Convert Pounds to Tablespoons

Pounds and tablespoons 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.^[1] 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 weight to volume conversion.

For cooking and baking ingredients, you can get more specific results using our butter, flour, and sugar conversion calculators.

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.^[2]

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.

How Many Tablespoons are in a Pound?

The actual volume of a pound will vary depending on the density of the material. The table below shows how many tablespoons of various wet and dry ingredients are in a pound.

Pound measurements converted to tablespoons for commonly used cooking and baking ingredients.
Weight in Pounds:	Volume in Tablespoons of:
Weight in Pounds:	Water	Milk	Cooking Oil	All Purpose Flour	Granulated Sugar
1 lb	30.68 tbsp	29.78 tbsp	34.86 tbsp	57.99 tbsp	36.29 tbsp
2 lb	61.35 tbsp	59.56 tbsp	69.72 tbsp	115.98 tbsp	72.57 tbsp
3 lb	92.03 tbsp	89.35 tbsp	104.58 tbsp	173.96 tbsp	108.86 tbsp
4 lb	122.7 tbsp	119.13 tbsp	139.43 tbsp	231.95 tbsp	145.15 tbsp
5 lb	153.38 tbsp	148.91 tbsp	174.29 tbsp	289.94 tbsp	181.44 tbsp
6 lb	184.05 tbsp	178.69 tbsp	209.15 tbsp	347.93 tbsp	217.72 tbsp
7 lb	214.73 tbsp	208.47 tbsp	244.01 tbsp	405.91 tbsp	254.01 tbsp
8 lb	245.4 tbsp	238.26 tbsp	278.87 tbsp	463.9 tbsp	290.3 tbsp
9 lb	276.08 tbsp	268.04 tbsp	313.73 tbsp	521.89 tbsp	326.59 tbsp
10 lb	306.76 tbsp	297.82 tbsp	348.59 tbsp	579.88 tbsp	362.87 tbsp
11 lb	337.43 tbsp	327.6 tbsp	383.44 tbsp	637.87 tbsp	399.16 tbsp
12 lb	368.11 tbsp	357.39 tbsp	418.3 tbsp	695.85 tbsp	435.45 tbsp
13 lb	398.78 tbsp	387.17 tbsp	453.16 tbsp	753.84 tbsp	471.74 tbsp
14 lb	429.46 tbsp	416.95 tbsp	488.02 tbsp	811.83 tbsp	508.02 tbsp
15 lb	460.13 tbsp	446.73 tbsp	522.88 tbsp	869.82 tbsp	544.31 tbsp
16 lb	490.81 tbsp	476.51 tbsp	557.74 tbsp	927.81 tbsp	580.6 tbsp
17 lb	521.48 tbsp	506.3 tbsp	592.6 tbsp	985.79 tbsp	616.89 tbsp
18 lb	552.16 tbsp	536.08 tbsp	627.45 tbsp	1,044 tbsp	653.17 tbsp
19 lb	582.84 tbsp	565.86 tbsp	662.31 tbsp	1,102 tbsp	689.46 tbsp
20 lb	613.51 tbsp	595.64 tbsp	697.17 tbsp	1,160 tbsp	725.75 tbsp
21 lb	644.19 tbsp	625.42 tbsp	732.03 tbsp	1,218 tbsp	762.04 tbsp
22 lb	674.86 tbsp	655.21 tbsp	766.89 tbsp	1,276 tbsp	798.32 tbsp
23 lb	705.54 tbsp	684.99 tbsp	801.75 tbsp	1,334 tbsp	834.61 tbsp
24 lb	736.21 tbsp	714.77 tbsp	836.61 tbsp	1,392 tbsp	870.9 tbsp
25 lb	766.89 tbsp	744.55 tbsp	871.46 tbsp	1,450 tbsp	907.18 tbsp
26 lb	797.56 tbsp	774.33 tbsp	906.32 tbsp	1,508 tbsp	943.47 tbsp
27 lb	828.24 tbsp	804.12 tbsp	941.18 tbsp	1,566 tbsp	979.76 tbsp
28 lb	858.92 tbsp	833.9 tbsp	976.04 tbsp	1,624 tbsp	1,016 tbsp
29 lb	889.59 tbsp	863.68 tbsp	1,011 tbsp	1,682 tbsp	1,052 tbsp
30 lb	920.27 tbsp	893.46 tbsp	1,046 tbsp	1,740 tbsp	1,089 tbsp
31 lb	950.94 tbsp	923.25 tbsp	1,081 tbsp	1,798 tbsp	1,125 tbsp
32 lb	981.62 tbsp	953.03 tbsp	1,115 tbsp	1,856 tbsp	1,161 tbsp
33 lb	1,012 tbsp	982.81 tbsp	1,150 tbsp	1,914 tbsp	1,197 tbsp
34 lb	1,043 tbsp	1,013 tbsp	1,185 tbsp	1,972 tbsp	1,234 tbsp
35 lb	1,074 tbsp	1,042 tbsp	1,220 tbsp	2,030 tbsp	1,270 tbsp
36 lb	1,104 tbsp	1,072 tbsp	1,255 tbsp	2,088 tbsp	1,306 tbsp
37 lb	1,135 tbsp	1,102 tbsp	1,290 tbsp	2,146 tbsp	1,343 tbsp
38 lb	1,166 tbsp	1,132 tbsp	1,325 tbsp	2,204 tbsp	1,379 tbsp
39 lb	1,196 tbsp	1,162 tbsp	1,359 tbsp	2,262 tbsp	1,415 tbsp
40 lb	1,227 tbsp	1,191 tbsp	1,394 tbsp	2,320 tbsp	1,451 tbsp

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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 lb_m or #. For example, 1 pound can be written as 1 lb, 1 lb_m, or 1 #, and 2 pounds can be written as 2 lbs.

A pound is 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.

What is a Tablespoon?

The tablespoon is a unit of volume equal to three teaspoons or ½ fluid ounce.^[5] One tablespoon is equal to 14.7868 milliliters, but in nutrition labeling, one tablespoon is rounded to 15 milliliters.^[6]

The tablespoon is a US customary unit of volume. Tablespoons can be abbreviated as tbsp, and are also sometimes abbreviated as T, Tbls, or Tb. For example, 1 tablespoon can be written as 1 tbsp, 1 T, 1 Tbls, or 1 Tb.

Learn more about tablespoons.

Pounds to Tablespoons Conversion Calculator