Pounds to Tablespoons Conversion Calculator

Enter the weight in pounds below to calculate the volume in tablespoons.

SWAP UNITS

Result in Tablespoons:

Loading content.
1 lb = 30.675565391454 tbsp
1 lb ≈ 30 2/3 tbsp

Do you want to convert tablespoons to pounds?

How to Convert Pounds to Tablespoons

Person Icon
By
Bio image of Joe Sexton

Joe is the creator of Inch Calculator and has over 20 years of experience in engineering and construction. He holds several degrees and certifications.

Full bio

Since pounds are a unit of mass and tablespoons are a unit of volume, which are different physical quantities, we need to know one more physical quantity of the ingredient or substance to convert between them. In this case, we need to account for the density of the substance whenever we do a conversion.

Therefore, to convert between pounds and tablespoons of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.

Pounds to Tablespoons Formula

To convert a measurement in pounds to tablespoons, divide the weight by the density of the ingredient or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in pounds per tablespoon (lb/tbsp).

If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first divide 30.6756 by the density to convert to lb/tbsp.

For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:

tablespoons = pounds × 30.6756density

Thus, the volume in tablespoons is equal to the weight in pounds times 30.6756 divided by the density of the ingredient, substance, or material.

For example, here's how to convert 5 pounds to tablespoons for an ingredient with a density of 0.7 g/mL.
tablespoons = 5 lb × 30.67560.7 g/mL = 219.1112 tbsp

When to Convert Pounds to Tablespoons

Pounds and tablespoons are both commonly used to measure cooking ingredients.

For cooking applications, most chefs suggest measuring dry ingredients by weight rather than volume to improve accuracy in the measurements.[1] The density of dry ingredients can vary for a variety of reasons, such as compaction and clumping.

The best way to ensure an accurate conversion is to use a scale. When a scale is not available, a calculator like the one above is a good way to estimate the weight to volume conversion.

For cooking and baking ingredients, you can get more specific results using our butter, flour, and sugar conversion calculators.

Another useful application of weight and volume conversions is chemistry. When performing chemical reactions by combining separate chemicals to produce a new chemical, one must know the exact amount of each chemical to add in order to maximize the yield of the reaction.

It is common to mix powdered chemicals with liquid, or aqueous, chemicals, and this is where it becomes very useful to convert between weights and volumes.[2]

A third application of weight and volume conversions is when shipping freight when calculating the volumetric weight for cargo and packages. Trucks, ships, and airplanes are limited in the amount of weight or volume they can transport, so if one of those quantities is known, but the limitation is on the other, then it becomes necessary to convert between the two so as not to overload the shipping vehicle.

Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.

How Many Tablespoons Are in a Pound?

The actual volume of a pound will vary depending on the density of the material. The table below shows how many tablespoons of various wet and dry ingredients are in a pound.

Pound measurements converted to tablespoons for commonly used cooking and baking ingredients.
Weight in Pounds: Volume in Tablespoons of:
Water Milk Cooking Oil All Purpose Flour Granulated Sugar
1 lb 30.68 tbsp 29.78 tbsp 34.86 tbsp 57.99 tbsp 36.29 tbsp
2 lb 61.35 tbsp 59.56 tbsp 69.72 tbsp 115.98 tbsp 72.57 tbsp
3 lb 92.03 tbsp 89.35 tbsp 104.58 tbsp 173.96 tbsp 108.86 tbsp
4 lb 122.7 tbsp 119.13 tbsp 139.43 tbsp 231.95 tbsp 145.15 tbsp
5 lb 153.38 tbsp 148.91 tbsp 174.29 tbsp 289.94 tbsp 181.44 tbsp
6 lb 184.05 tbsp 178.69 tbsp 209.15 tbsp 347.93 tbsp 217.72 tbsp
7 lb 214.73 tbsp 208.47 tbsp 244.01 tbsp 405.91 tbsp 254.01 tbsp
8 lb 245.4 tbsp 238.26 tbsp 278.87 tbsp 463.9 tbsp 290.3 tbsp
9 lb 276.08 tbsp 268.04 tbsp 313.73 tbsp 521.89 tbsp 326.59 tbsp
10 lb 306.76 tbsp 297.82 tbsp 348.59 tbsp 579.88 tbsp 362.87 tbsp
11 lb 337.43 tbsp 327.6 tbsp 383.44 tbsp 637.87 tbsp 399.16 tbsp
12 lb 368.11 tbsp 357.39 tbsp 418.3 tbsp 695.85 tbsp 435.45 tbsp
13 lb 398.78 tbsp 387.17 tbsp 453.16 tbsp 753.84 tbsp 471.74 tbsp
14 lb 429.46 tbsp 416.95 tbsp 488.02 tbsp 811.83 tbsp 508.02 tbsp
15 lb 460.13 tbsp 446.73 tbsp 522.88 tbsp 869.82 tbsp 544.31 tbsp
16 lb 490.81 tbsp 476.51 tbsp 557.74 tbsp 927.81 tbsp 580.6 tbsp
17 lb 521.48 tbsp 506.3 tbsp 592.6 tbsp 985.79 tbsp 616.89 tbsp
18 lb 552.16 tbsp 536.08 tbsp 627.45 tbsp 1,044 tbsp 653.17 tbsp
19 lb 582.84 tbsp 565.86 tbsp 662.31 tbsp 1,102 tbsp 689.46 tbsp
20 lb 613.51 tbsp 595.64 tbsp 697.17 tbsp 1,160 tbsp 725.75 tbsp
21 lb 644.19 tbsp 625.42 tbsp 732.03 tbsp 1,218 tbsp 762.04 tbsp
22 lb 674.86 tbsp 655.21 tbsp 766.89 tbsp 1,276 tbsp 798.32 tbsp
23 lb 705.54 tbsp 684.99 tbsp 801.75 tbsp 1,334 tbsp 834.61 tbsp
24 lb 736.21 tbsp 714.77 tbsp 836.61 tbsp 1,392 tbsp 870.9 tbsp
25 lb 766.89 tbsp 744.55 tbsp 871.46 tbsp 1,450 tbsp 907.18 tbsp
26 lb 797.56 tbsp 774.33 tbsp 906.32 tbsp 1,508 tbsp 943.47 tbsp
27 lb 828.24 tbsp 804.12 tbsp 941.18 tbsp 1,566 tbsp 979.76 tbsp
28 lb 858.92 tbsp 833.9 tbsp 976.04 tbsp 1,624 tbsp 1,016 tbsp
29 lb 889.59 tbsp 863.68 tbsp 1,011 tbsp 1,682 tbsp 1,052 tbsp
30 lb 920.27 tbsp 893.46 tbsp 1,046 tbsp 1,740 tbsp 1,089 tbsp
31 lb 950.94 tbsp 923.25 tbsp 1,081 tbsp 1,798 tbsp 1,125 tbsp
32 lb 981.62 tbsp 953.03 tbsp 1,115 tbsp 1,856 tbsp 1,161 tbsp
33 lb 1,012 tbsp 982.81 tbsp 1,150 tbsp 1,914 tbsp 1,197 tbsp
34 lb 1,043 tbsp 1,013 tbsp 1,185 tbsp 1,972 tbsp 1,234 tbsp
35 lb 1,074 tbsp 1,042 tbsp 1,220 tbsp 2,030 tbsp 1,270 tbsp
36 lb 1,104 tbsp 1,072 tbsp 1,255 tbsp 2,088 tbsp 1,306 tbsp
37 lb 1,135 tbsp 1,102 tbsp 1,290 tbsp 2,146 tbsp 1,343 tbsp
38 lb 1,166 tbsp 1,132 tbsp 1,325 tbsp 2,204 tbsp 1,379 tbsp
39 lb 1,196 tbsp 1,162 tbsp 1,359 tbsp 2,262 tbsp 1,415 tbsp
40 lb 1,227 tbsp 1,191 tbsp 1,394 tbsp 2,320 tbsp 1,451 tbsp

What Is a Pound?

Pounds are a widely used unit of weight in the United States. The National Bureau of Standards approved the international definition of the pound for use in the United States in 1959 after an agreement between six nations referred to as the International Yard and Pound Agreement.[3]

One pound is equal to 16 ounces, or 0.45359237 kilograms. In the avoirdupois or apothecaries' systems, one pound is equal to 7,000 grains.[4]

The pound is a US customary and imperial unit of mass. A pound is sometimes also referred to as a common ounce. Pounds can be abbreviated as lb (plural lbs), and are also sometimes abbreviated as lbm or #. For example, 1 pound can be written as 1 lb, 1 lbm, or 1 #, and 2 pounds can be written as 2 lbs.

A pound is frequently referred to as a unit of weight. While technically, a pound is a measure of mass, and weight is actually a measure of force, the two are equivalent as long as we are performing our calculations on Earth.

For example, an object with a mass of 1 pound weighs 1 pound on Earth, but only weighs one-sixth of that on the moon, yet still has the same mass.

Learn more about pounds.

What Is a Tablespoon?

A tablespoon is a unit of volume equal to three teaspoons or ½ fluid ounce.[5] One tablespoon is equal to 14.7868 milliliters, but for nutrition labeling, one tablespoon is rounded to 15 milliliters.[6]

The tablespoon is a US customary unit of volume. Tablespoons can be abbreviated as tbsp, and are also sometimes abbreviated as T, Tbls, or Tb. For example, 1 tablespoon can be written as 1 tbsp, 1 T, 1 Tbls, or 1 Tb.

Learn more about tablespoons.

References

  1. National Institute of Standards & Technology, Culinary Measurement Tips, https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/culinary-measurement-tips
  2. CK-12 Foundation, Introductory Chemistry (CK-12) - 12.6: Mass-Volume Stoichiometry, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-12)/12%3A_Stoichiometry/12.06%3A_Mass-Volume_Stoichiometry
  3. National Bureau of Standards, Refinement of Values for the Yard and Pound, U.S. Department of Commerce, July 1, 1959, https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/05/09/frn-59-5442-1959.pdf
  4. Encyclopædia Britannica, Avoirdupois weight, https://www.britannica.com/science/avoirdupois-weight
  5. Merriam-Webster, tablespoon, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tablespoon
  6. U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Guidance for Industry: Guidelines for Determining Metric Equivalents of Household Measures, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-guidelines-determining-metric-equivalents-household-measures

More Pound & Tablespoon Conversions