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Pounds to gallons converter
A US gallon of water weighs about 8.34 lb (8.337 lb at 60 F), so 1 lb of water is 0.1199 gallons. For any other liquid, gallons = pounds / (8.34 x specific gravity). Pick a liquid below or type its specific gravity; the converter works both ways in lb, kg, US gallons, liters and imperial gallons.
Updated October 12, 2026
Sources: NIST Chemistry WebBook, water at 1 atm. 1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches = 3.785411784 L and 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg (NIST); water at 60 F is 8.3372 lb per gallon.
The formula
Pounds per gallon = 8.3372 x specific gravity (water at 60 F = 1), or 8.3454 x density in kg/L.
Gallons = pounds / pounds per gallon.
Pounds = gallons x pounds per gallon.
Kilograms = pounds x 0.45359237, and liters = US gallons x 3.785411784. Both factors are exact.
Worked example: 1,000 lb of 50% caustic soda. OxyChem gives membrane grade 50% caustic a specific gravity of 1.5298 at 60 F, so a gallon weighs 8.3372 x 1.5298 = 12.75 lb, and 1,000 lb is 1,000 / 12.75 = 78.4 US gallons. OxyChem’s own table says 12.760 lb per gallon: it weighs a gallon of water at 12.760 / 1.5298 = 8.341 lb, a slightly different basis, so the two differ by about 0.05%.
Pounds of water to gallons
| Pounds of water | US gallons at 60 F |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.1199 |
| 5 | 0.5997 |
| 10 | 1.20 |
| 20 | 2.40 |
| 50 | 6.00 |
| 100 | 11.99 |
| 500 | 59.97 |
| 1,000 | 119.9 |
| 2,000 | 239.9 |
At 8.3372 lb per US gallon, water at 60 F (NIST Chemistry WebBook). At exactly 1 kg/L the gallon weighs 8.3454 lb, 0.1% more.
Pounds per gallon of common and industrial liquids
Each figure is from the source linked in its row, at the temperature the source states. Where a source gives a range (fuels, oils, grades), the table shows the range; the converter uses the midpoint and shows the range next to the result.
| Liquid | Source figure | lb per US gal | US gal per 1,000 lb | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 0.99902 kg/L at 60 F | 8.34 | 119.9 | NIST Chemistry WebBook |
| Honey | 11.84 lb/gal | 11.84 | 84.5 | USDA ERS |
| Milk | 8.62 lb/gal | 8.62 | 116.0 | USDA ERS |
| Seawater | 1.023 to 1.028 kg/L | 8.54 to 8.58 | 116.6 to 117.1 | NOAA; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (U.S. GLOBEC) |
| Latex paint | 1.05 to 1.41 kg/L | 8.76 to 11.77 | 85.0 to 114.1 | Sherwin-Williams SDS; Sherwin-Williams product data |
| Motor oil, SAE 10W-30 | 0.855 to 0.868 kg/L | 7.14 to 7.24 | 138.0 to 140.1 | Valvoline SDS; Valvoline SDS |
| Household bleach | 1.1 kg/L | 9.18 | 108.9 | Clorox SDS |
| White vinegar | 1.01 kg/L | 8.43 | 118.6 | Heinz MSDS |
| Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) 50% | SG 1.5298 to 1.5372 at 60 F | 12.75 to 12.82 | 78.0 to 78.4 | OxyChem Caustic Soda Handbook |
| Sulfuric acid 93% (66 Baume) | SG 1.8354 at 60 F | 15.30 | 65.4 | Nouryon product data sheet; Sulco Chemicals |
| Sulfuric acid 98% | SG 1.8437 at 60 F | 15.37 | 65.1 | Sulco Chemicals |
| Hydrochloric acid 31.45% (20 Baume) | SG 1.16 at 60 F | 9.67 | 103.4 | OxyChem Hydrochloric Acid Handbook |
| Hydrochloric acid 35.21% (22 Baume) | SG 1.1789 at 60 F | 9.83 | 101.7 | OxyChem Hydrochloric Acid Handbook |
| Sodium hypochlorite 12.5% by weight | 1.186 kg/L | 9.90 | 101.0 | Olin |
| Diesel exhaust fluid (32.5% urea) | 1.087 to 1.093 kg/L at 68 F | 9.07 to 9.12 | 109.6 to 110.2 | CF Industries |
| Diesel fuel, No. 2 | 0.81 to 0.87 kg/L at 59 F | 6.76 to 7.26 | 137.7 to 147.9 | ExxonMobil SDS |
| Gasoline, unleaded | 0.72 to 0.77 kg/L | 6.01 to 6.43 | 155.6 to 166.4 | CITGO SDS |
| Propane, liquid | 0.50659 kg/L at 60 F | 4.23 | 236.5 | NIST Chemistry WebBook |
| Crude oil | SG 0.8348 to 0.9218 at 60 F | 6.96 to 7.69 | 130.1 to 143.7 | EIA; EIA glossary |
| Jet A-1 (kerosene type) | 0.775 to 0.84 kg/L at 59 F | 6.47 to 7.01 | 142.7 to 154.6 | Neste SDS |
| Ethanol, anhydrous | 0.7893 kg/L at 68 F | 6.59 | 151.8 | PubChem (NIH) |
| Methanol | 0.7914 kg/L at 68 F | 6.60 | 151.4 | PubChem (NIH) |
| Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) | 0.78509 kg/L at 77 F | 6.55 | 152.6 | PubChem (NIH) |
| Acetone | 0.791 kg/L at 68 F | 6.60 | 151.5 | PubChem (NIH) |
| Ethylene glycol | 1.1135 kg/L at 68 F | 9.29 | 107.6 | PubChem (NIH) |
| Propylene glycol | 1.0361 kg/L at 68 F | 8.65 | 115.7 | PubChem (NIH) |
| Antifreeze, 50/50 ethylene glycol | 1.07 kg/L | 8.93 | 112.0 | Prestone SDS 484 |
| Glycerin | 1.2613 kg/L at 68 F | 10.53 | 95.0 | PubChem (NIH) |
| Lubricating oil (ISO VG 46 to 680) | 0.856 to 0.912 kg/L at 59 F | 7.14 to 7.61 | 131.4 to 140.0 | Shell Tellus S2 MX 46 technical data sheet; Shell Omala S2 GX 680 technical data sheet |
| Hydraulic oil, ISO VG 46 | 0.856 kg/L at 59 F | 7.14 | 140.0 | Shell Tellus S2 MX 46 technical data sheet |
| White mineral oil | SG 0.81 to 0.89 at 77 F | 6.74 to 7.41 | 135.0 to 148.4 | Sonneborn white oils product guide |
| Vegetable oil (soybean, canola) | SG 0.914 to 0.925 at 68 F | 7.61 to 7.71 | 129.8 to 131.3 | Codex Alimentarius CXS 210-1999 |
| Corn syrup, 42 DE | 1.421 kg/L at 80 F | 11.86 | 84.3 | Ingredion GLOBE 42 DE corn syrup 011420 |
| High fructose corn syrup 42 | 1.343 kg/L at 80 F | 11.21 | 89.2 | Ingredion INVERTOSE HFCS 42 026430 |
| High fructose corn syrup 55 | 1.379 kg/L at 80 F | 11.51 | 86.9 | Ingredion INVERTOSE HFCS 55 026550 |
| Cane molasses, 79.5 Brix | SG 1.41 | 11.76 | 85.1 | University of Florida IFAS |
SG is specific gravity against water at the temperature shown; kg/L is the same number as g/mL and as an SDS relative density.
Where the 8.34 comes from
A US gallon is exactly 231 cubic inches, which is 3.785411784 liters, and a pound is exactly 0.45359237 kg (NIST Handbook 44). Water’s density depends on its temperature. Using the NIST Chemistry WebBook values at normal pressure:
| Water temperature | Density, kg/m3 | lb per US gallon |
|---|---|---|
| 60 F (15.6 C) | 999.0171 | 8.3372 |
| 68 F (20 C) | 998.2072 | 8.3304 |
| 77 F (25 C) | 997.0476 | 8.3208 |
| Exactly 1 kg/L (a common chart value) | 1,000.0000 | 8.3454 |
Water density from the NIST Chemistry WebBook at 1 atm.
So “8.34 lb per gallon” is water near 60 F, and “8.3454” is the weight of a gallon of any liquid at exactly 1 kg/L. The difference is 0.1%, smaller than the spread in most specific gravity figures, but it is why two charts can disagree in the third decimal.
Specific gravity, relative density and SDS figures
Specific gravity is the liquid’s density divided by water’s. US chemical and petroleum data usually state it at 60/60 F, meaning both the liquid and the water at 60 F. Safety data sheets often say relative density at 15 C or 20 C, or give density in g/mL or kg/m3. For the converter, a relative density with no stated water temperature can be typed as a density in kg/L or g/mL, and a specific gravity 60/60 F as a specific gravity. Mixing the two conventions moves the answer by about 0.1%.
Temperature matters more. Oils and fuels expand as they warm, so the same 1,000 gallons weighs less on a hot day. Ingredion’s 42 DE corn syrup sheet, for example, gives 11.86 lb per gallon at 80 F and 11.76 at 120 F.
How to convert pounds to gallons
Pick the liquid from the list, or switch to specific gravity or density and type the figure from your SDS or certificate of analysis.
Type the amount and pick its unit: pounds, kilograms, US gallons, liters or imperial gallons.
Read the answer in the dark box. The four other units are under it, with the low to high range when the liquid has one.
Need the weight of a full drum or tote? Switch to Drum and tote fill, pick the container and the fill, and the tool adds the empty weight and checks the UN mark.
Limits
No temperature correction. Each figure applies at the temperature its source states; for custody transfer of fuels, use the temperature correction tables your contract names.
Grades vary. A lube oil can be anywhere from 0.856 to 0.912 kg/L between an ISO VG 46 and a VG 680, and diesel from 0.81 to 0.87.
For a bill of lading, a hazmat shipping paper or a scale ticket, use the density on your own SDS or certificate of analysis, not a table.
Common questions
How many pounds is a gallon of diesel?
ExxonMobil’s No. 2 diesel SDS gives a density of 810 to 876 kg/m3 at 15 C, which it states as 6.76 to 7.31 lb per gallon. The relative density on the same sheet, 0.81 to 0.87, gives 6.76 to 7.26 lb per gallon.
How much does a 55 gallon drum of water weigh?
The water alone is 55 x 8.337 = 458.5 lb at 60 F. Add the drum: about 21 lb for a plastic drum and 33 to 40 lb for steel in the spec sheets on the 55 gallon drum page.
How do I convert kilograms to gallons?
Divide the kilograms by the density in kg/L to get liters, then divide by 3.785411784 for US gallons. Or pick Kilograms as the unit above.
Is an imperial gallon the same?
No. An imperial gallon is 4.54609 liters, about 20% more than a US gallon’s 3.785411784 liters. The converter shows both.
Related tools
Sources
USDA ERS, Agricultural Handbook 697, Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors (Table 6)
NOAA, Marine Technician refresher, Oceanography 1 (seawater 1,025 kg/m3)
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (U.S. GLOBEC), sea water density
Sherwin-Williams SDS, Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex Matte, Ultradeep Base
Sherwin-Williams product data, Emerald Interior Latex Flat, High Reflective White
EIA, Today in Energy: API gravity of US refinery crude slates
Ingredion GLOBE 42 DE corn syrup 011420, technical specification
University of Florida IFAS, Molasses: general considerations
WHERE MORSA FITS
Customers order by the drum. Your system stocks by the pound.
When a customer asks for six drums or 2,000 gallons, Morsa converts it to the pounds or kilograms your system stocks, checks what is on hand, and confirms the ship date back to the customer. It works in email, Teams, WhatsApp or whatever you already run on.
