Balsa stick weight chart for common sizes
Calculated weights of 36 inch balsa sticks from 1/16 to 3/8 inch square at a typical density, plus how to adjust for lighter and heavier wood.
Updated · 1 min read
Short answer: a 36 in square balsa stick at 150 kg/m³ weighs from about 0.35 g (1/16 in) to about 12 g (3/8 in). These are calculated values, so weigh your own sticks.
Weight of a 36 in stick at 150 kg/m³
| Size (square) | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1/16 in | about 0.35 g |
| 3/32 in | about 0.78 g |
| 1/8 in | about 1.4 g |
| 3/16 in | about 3.1 g |
| 1/4 in | about 5.5 g |
| 5/16 in | about 8.6 g |
| 3/8 in | about 12.4 g |
Weight rises with the square of the width, so a stick twice as wide weighs four times as much.
Adjusting for density
Scale the weight in proportion to density. A 1/8 in stick at 100 kg/m³ weighs about two thirds of the figure (about 0.9 g), and at 200 kg/m³ about a third more (about 1.8 g). See the density of balsa.
Using the chart
Add up the length of each size in your design, convert to fractions of a 36 in stick, and multiply. Then add a few milligrams per joint for glue. See calculating stick weight and weighing accurately.