How Many Pounds in a Quart?
2.086 lb
1 US quart of water weighs 2.086 pounds. Other ingredients weigh more or less, so pick yours in the converter.
Quarts to Pounds conversion chart
| Quarts | Pounds (water) |
|---|---|
| 0.25 qt | 0.5216 |
| 0.5 qt | 1.043 |
| 0.75 qt | 1.565 |
| 1 qt | 2.086 |
| 1.5 qt | 3.13 |
| 2 qt | 4.173 |
| 2.5 qt | 5.216 |
| 3 qt | 6.259 |
| 4 qt | 8.345 |
| 5 qt | 10.43 |
| 6 qt | 12.52 |
| 7 qt | 14.6 |
| 8 qt | 16.69 |
| 10 qt | 20.86 |
| 12 qt | 25.04 |
| 16 qt | 33.38 |
| 20 qt | 41.73 |
| 24 qt | 50.07 |
| 32 qt | 66.76 |
How to convert quarts to pounds
pounds = quarts × 2.08635
Example: 3 qt × 2.08635 = 6.259 lb.
Multiply the quarts by what one quart of the ingredient weighs in pounds. The factor in the formula above is for water. Choose milk, flour or another food in the converter to use its own weight instead.
USDA lists a quart of whole milk at 976 g, or about 2.152 lb. So 2 qt of milk weighs 2 × 2.152 = 4.3 lb, a bit more than the same amount of water.
The conversion is handy whenever something has to be lifted, carried or shipped. For the opposite direction, turning a weight into quarts, use pounds to quarts.
US vs UK quarts
Imperial quarts are the heavier ones, since they hold more. Filled with water, a UK quart weighs 2.51 lb, or about 40 ounces. Filled with whole milk, it comes to about 2.58 lb.
Use those figures whenever a British recipe or a jug marked in imperial units gives quarts. The exact sizes of both quarts are in the table below.
| Unit | Size | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| US quart | 946.4 ml | US |
| imperial quart | 1,137 ml | UK |
Why weight depends on the ingredient
A quart is a measure of space, and what fills it sets the weight. Liquids fill a quart jar to the brim with no gaps, so they usually come out heavier than dry foods.
Chunky and airy foods weigh far less for the same space. A quart of whole blueberries weighs about 1.31 lb, and a quart of diced raw potatoes about 1.32 lb, because air fills the spaces between the pieces.
| Ingredient | 1 qt = |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1.102 lb |
| Granulated sugar | 1.764 lb |
| Butter | 2.002 lb |
| Milk | 2.152 lb |
| Powdered sugar | 1.058 lb |
| Shredded cheese | 0.9965 lb |
How heavy is a full stockpot?
Liquid adds up fast, so it pays to estimate before you lift a big pot off the stove. A pot holding 8 qt of water carries about 17 lb of liquid, before you count the pot itself.
A soup or stock that is mostly water will weigh close to that figure. For a heavy pot, ladle some out before you move it.
Quarts and pounds: questions
Is a quart of water 2 pounds?
A little more. A US quart of water weighs about 2.09 lb, or 33.4 ounces. The saying that a pint weighs a pound doubles neatly to a quart, as long as you allow for that small extra.
How much does a quart of sugar weigh?
About 1.76 lb of granulated sugar, based on the USDA cup weight. A quart holds 4 cups, and each cup of sugar weighs about 200 g by USDA figures. Powdered sugar is much lighter, at about 1.06 lb per quart.
How much does a quart of butter weigh?
Exactly 2 pounds, since a US quart is 8 sticks of butter and each stick weighs a quarter pound. The USDA density gives the same answer, about 2 lb. Whipped butter weighs much less per quart, because whipping adds air.
How much does a quart of shredded cheese weigh?
About 1 lb of shredded cheddar. Put the other way, a pound of cheese shreds to about 4.01 cups, just about a full quart. Cheese pressed down into the measure weighs more per quart, so fill it loosely.
How many pounds are in a gallon?
A US gallon is 4 quarts, so a gallon of water weighs about 8.35 lb. A gallon of whole milk comes to about 8.6 lb. For other liquids and amounts, see gallons to pounds.
Related conversions
Sources: Unit definitions: NIST Handbook 44 · Densities: USDA FoodData Central · Last reviewed · Report an error
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