Plywood Load Capacity Calculator

Calculate Load Capacity





Formula

To calculate the Load Capacity (LC) of a piece of plywood:

\[ LC = L \times W \times MP \]

Where:

What is Plywood Load Capacity?

A plywood load capacity is the maximum weight a piece of plywood can hold without breaking. The load capacity assumes that the weight is distributed evenly across the piece of wood, which is often not the case, so the load capacity should not be taken as "if I put x amount of weight right in the center it will hold". This will lead to failure.

Example Calculation 1

Let's assume the following values:

Using the formula:

Step 1: Determine the max pressure from the table for 0.500" thickness:

\[ MP = 35 \, psf \]

Step 2: Calculate the Load Capacity:

\[ LC = 4 \times 8 \times 35 = 1120 \, lbs \]

The Load Capacity is 1120 lbs.

Example Calculation 2

Let's assume the following values:

Using the formula:

Step 1: Determine the max pressure from the table for 0.250" thickness:

\[ MP = 16 \, psf \]

Step 2: Calculate the Load Capacity:

\[ LC = 2 \times 4 \times 16 = 128 \, lbs \]

The Load Capacity is 128 lbs.