Calculate load per square foot, total force, required area, or combined service loads with psf, kPa, metric and imperial conversions and line load.

Uniform load arithmetic only. An average load per area does not determine structural capacity or a code-compliant load combination.

Optional settings

Optional. Blank omits line load. The width must represent the load assigned to the member.

Related Calculators

Load Per Square Foot Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the load per square foot for a given total load and area.

L = T / A

Variables:

  • L is the load per square foot
  • T is the total applied force in pounds-force (lbf).
  • A is the area in square feet (sq ft)

To calculate the load per square foot, divide the total load by the area. This will give you the load distributed over each square foot of the area.

What is Load Per Square Foot?

Load per square foot is applied force divided by loaded area. It gives a uniform or area-averaged load intensity; it does not determine the capacity of a floor, roof, shelf or other structure. Concentrated loads, load paths, code load combinations and structural resistance need separate engineering checks. The service-load mode adds simultaneous entered intensities without code factors. Optional tributary width converts area load to member line load.

How to Calculate Load Per Square Foot?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Load Per Square Foot.

  1. First, determine the total applied force (T) in pounds-force.
  2. Next, determine the area (A) in square feet.
  3. Finally, calculate the load per square foot using the formula L = T / A.
  4. After inserting the values and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Total Load (T) = 500 lbs

Area (A) = 50 sq ft