Choose hydration percentage, water weight or flour weight, then enter the two displayed inputs. Weight units include g, kg, oz and lb.

Hydration is water weight ÷ flour weight × 100. Include the water and flour in starter in your totals. Use weight ounces, not fluid ounces.

Include water in starter. Changing units converts the entered weight.

Include all flour types and flour in starter.

Bread Hydration Formula

Bread hydration is the weight of water compared with the weight of flour, expressed as a percentage. The calculator uses weight, not volume, so flour and water should be entered in grams, kilograms, ounces, or pounds.

H = (W / F) × 100
W = F × (H / 100)
F = W / (H / 100)
  • H = bread hydration percentage
  • W = weight of water
  • F = weight of flour

Select the value to solve, enter the displayed inputs and select Calculate. Flour weight must be positive. Zero water gives zero hydration; zero water and zero hydration do not uniquely determine flour.

When different units are selected, the calculator converts the weights to grams before applying the formula, then converts the missing weight back to the unit you selected.

Common Bread Hydration Ranges

These are broad illustrative ranges, not rules for a bread style. Flour, other ingredients and technique affect handling; follow your recipe rather than treating a percentage as a guarantee.

Hydration Typical dough feel Common use
50% to 60% Firm and easy to shape Bagels, pretzels, some sandwich breads
60% to 68% Moderately soft and manageable Basic sandwich bread, rolls, lean loaves
68% to 75% Sticky but workable Sourdough, rustic loaves, pizza dough
75% to 85%+ Very wet and sticky Ciabatta, focaccia, high-hydration sourdough

Weight Unit Conversions Used

Unit Equivalent in grams
1 g 1 gram
1 kg 1000 grams
1 oz 28.349523125 grams
1 lb 453.59237 grams

Example Calculations

Example 1: Find hydration percentage

You have 350 g of water and 500 g of flour.

H = (350 / 500) × 100 = 70%

The dough is 70% hydration.

Example 2: Find water weight

You want 65% hydration using 800 g of flour.

W = 800 × (65 / 100) = 520 g

You need 520 g of water.

FAQ

What does 70% hydration mean in bread?

A 70% hydration dough has water equal to 70% of the flour weight. For example, 500 g of flour at 70% hydration uses 350 g of water. Higher hydration usually makes dough wetter, stickier, and more open in crumb structure.

Do salt, yeast, starter, or oil count in hydration?

Basic hydration compares only water to flour. Salt, yeast, oil, sugar, and other ingredients are not included in the simple hydration formula. For total dough hydration, include the starter’s flour and water once in the entered totals. The calculator does not separately estimate water in milk, eggs or other mixed ingredients.

Why should bread hydration be calculated by weight?

Weight is more accurate than volume because flour can pack differently in a cup. A cup of flour can vary a lot depending on how it is scooped. Using grams, ounces, kilograms, or pounds gives a consistent flour-to-water ratio.