Weighted Blanket Calculator: What Weight and Size Should Your Blanket Be?
Find the right weighted blanket weight for an adult, a child or a couple from body weight (about 10%), rounded to the sizes sold in stores, with blanket size and pressure per square foot.
How it works
Blanket weight ≈ 10% × body weight (some guides add 1–2 lb, e.g. +1.5 lb / 0.68 kg) · Shared blanket ≈ 7.5% × combined body weight · round to the nearest size sold (5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 25, 30 lb or whole kilograms) · spread = blanket weight ÷ blanket area
The rule most blanket makers, therapists and sleep sites use is a blanket of about 10% of the sleeper’s body weight: heavy enough to feel like a firm, even hug (deep pressure) but light enough to move under and push off. Some guides add 1 to 2 lb on top, which you can choose under More options. For a couple sharing one blanket, part of the weight lies on the bed between you, so about 7.5% of your combined weight works, as long as your weights are within about 25% of each other. Blankets are only sold in set weights, so the calculator rounds to the nearest common size and shows the lighter and heavier options either side. Size matters too: a weighted blanket should lie on top of the mattress and not hang over the edges, so it is usually smaller than a regular duvet. The “weight spread” result shows how much weight sits on each square foot (or square metre); a bigger blanket of the same weight feels lighter. Children need a blanket only once they are at least 3 years old and about 30 lb, and only with adult supervision at first. This is a comfort guideline, not medical advice, and it is unrelated to the crochet blanket and horse blanket calculators, which size blankets for knitting or for horses.
Worked example
A 150 lb adult using the 10% rule: exact target = 10% × 150 lb = 15.0 lb, which is a standard size, so choose a 15 lb blanket (lighter option 12 lb, heavier 17 lb). A single-sleeper blanket is 48 × 72 in = 24 sq ft, so the weight spread is 15 ÷ 24 = 0.63 lb per sq ft, exactly 10% of body weight.
Sources: Omni Calculator: Weighted blanket (10% + 1.5 lb, couples 7.5%, 25% weight gap) · Learning Space: What is the right weight for a weighted blanket (10% chart, age 3 minimum) · Puffy: How heavy should a kids weighted blanket be (children’s chart, under 30 lb not recommended) · Romper: AAP warns weighted infant sleep products are unsafe
Frequently asked questions
How heavy should a weighted blanket be?
About 10% of your body weight, rounded to the nearest size sold. A 150 lb person would choose a 15 lb blanket, and a 70 kg person a 7 kg blanket. If you are between two sizes, start with the lighter one.
What weight blanket should a couple share?
Use about 7.5% of your combined body weight on a queen or king blanket. Two people of 178 lb each would look for about 26.7 lb, so a 25 lb blanket. If your weights differ by more than about 25%, two separate blankets usually work better.
What size weighted blanket for a child?
Use about 10% of the child’s weight (some guides add 1–2 lb), on a kids or small throw size. A 60 lb child would use a 5–7 lb blanket. Weighted blankets are not for babies or toddlers: wait until at least age 3 and about 30 lb, and check with a pediatrician or occupational therapist first.
Is a 20 lb weighted blanket too heavy?
For someone around 200 lb it is right on the 10% rule. For a lighter person it may feel restrictive and be hard to move. The key test is that you can easily lift it off and change position under it.
Should a weighted blanket be the size of the bed?
No. It should cover the top of the mattress or just the sleeper, not drape over the sides, because the part hanging off pulls the blanket down and away from you. Single-sleeper blankets are often 48 × 72 in (122 × 183 cm).
Related calculators
This calculator gives a general comfort guideline, not medical advice. Weighted blankets are not suitable for babies and toddlers; ask a doctor or occupational therapist before using one for a child or if you have a health condition.