How Much Does a Concrete Block Weigh?

How much does an 8x8x16 block weigh?

A hollow 8x8x16 block, the standard unit, weighs about 25 to 35 lb with lightweight aggregate such as coal cinders or expanded shale, and about 40 to 50 lb with heavyweight aggregate, according to the US Army's FM 5-428 (1998). One manufacturer, ORCO, lists a typical medium-weight 8x8x16 at about 32 lb, labeled here as one maker's figure rather than a universal value.

Density classes set the weight

ASTM C90 sorts concrete masonry by oven-dry density (measured per ASTM C140): lightweight is under 105 lb/ft³, medium weight is 105–125 lb/ft³, and normal weight is 125 lb/ft³ and up. For estimating assembly weights, CMHA assumes 103, 115 and 135 lb/ft³ for the three classes.

Cinder block versus concrete block

A “cinder block” is a concrete block made with coal cinders, one of the lightweight aggregates the Army manual names alongside expanded shale and slag. It is the same ASTM C90 unit, in the lightweight class, so it lands at the lighter 25 to 35 lb end for an 8x8x16.

Weight by block size

Weight scales with the block size and the density class. Only one fully sourced by-size example is published here: a 12x8x16 unit from one maker, Ernest Maier, by class.

What a block wall weighs per square foot

For a finished wall, the grout matters more than the block. CMHA tabulates an 8-inch wall at 24 to 39 lb per square foot ungrouted across the density classes; with every cell grouted it climbs to 74 to 89 lb per square foot, more than twice as heavy.

How much does a pallet of concrete block weigh?

The number of blocks on a pallet is set by each maker, so there is no universal pallet weight. Multiply your supplier's block count by 40 to 50 lb per heavyweight 8x8x16, or 25 to 35 lb per lightweight unit.

Retaining wall blocks

Segmental retaining-wall blocks are a different product, and their weights are specific to each maker and model, published on the product sheet rather than in a general standard. There is no single sourced figure for them here; use the manufacturer's stated weight for the unit you buy.

Hauling blocks in a pickup

Sixty heavyweight 8x8x16 blocks at 40 to 50 lb each come to 2,400 lb to 3,000 lb. The top of that range is more than the 2,440 lb maximum payload Ford lists for a 2026 F-150, a half-ton pickup. Check your own truck's door-placard limit, and split heavy loads across trips or use a flatbed.

Concrete block weight FAQ

Sources & methodology

1. Headquarters, Department of the Army. FM 5-428, Concrete and Masonry (18 June 1998), Chapter 8 Concrete Masonry. Jun 1998
2. ORCO Block & Hardscape. FAQ: Concrete Masonry Units, Weights & Pallet Counts table. page as retrieved Nov 2026
3. Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA, formerly NCMA). Tech Note CMU-TEC-001-23, Concrete Masonry Unit Shapes, Sizes, Properties, and Specifications. 2023 edition (-23)
4. Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA, formerly NCMA). Tech Note CMU-TEC-002-23, Weights and Section Properties of Concrete Masonry Assemblies. 2023 edition (-23)
5. Ernest Maier, Inc.. 12x8x16 Block — product page. page as retrieved Nov 2026
6. Ford Motor Company. 2026 Ford F-150 Pickup Technical Specifications (03/31/26, V1.1), Available Maximum Payload. 2026 model year (spec sheet dated 03/31/26)

Unit weights are sourced ranges and single-maker examples, not universal values; wall weights read the CMHA pounds-per-square-foot table and haul weights are the block count times the per-block range. Full method on the methodology page.