Dough ball weight by pizza size: 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 inch
Dough ball weight = pizza area (π × radius²) × a thickness factor. At 0.08 ounces per square inch, a typical takeout or NY-style pie: 10" ≈ 6.3 oz, 12" ≈ 9 oz, 14" ≈ 12.3 oz, 16" ≈ 16 oz, 18" ≈ 20.4 oz. A Neapolitan with a puffy rim needs about 0.09 (12" ≈ 10 oz); a thin, sheeted crust 0.065 (12" ≈ 7.4 oz). A half sheet pan takes roughly 1½ to 2¼ lb.
Work out your dough-ball weight
The formula: why one weight doesn’t fit every size
“Nine ounces per pizza” is only right for one size at one thickness. Dough scales with area, not diameter. A 16" pizza has 1.78 times the surface of a 12", and a 14" has almost double a 10". Give the 16" a ball only a third heavier and you get a floppy crust with no rim.
The math is one line: weight = 3.14 × (diameter ÷ 2)² × TF, with the diameter in inches and TF the thickness factor in ounces of dough per square inch — the “thickness factor” long used in American pizza trade training. To find your own, take a pizza you are happy with, weigh its ball and divide by the area. A 9 oz ball for a 12" pizza (113 sq in) gives TF = 0.08. Every other size then follows from that one number.
- A big rim pushes TF up. A puffy half-inch to three-quarter-inch cornicione locks up a lot of dough, so Neapolitan-style pies sit around 0.085–0.095.
- A sheeted or pressed crust pulls it down to 0.055–0.07, because there is barely any rim. Tavern-style thin crust lives at the bottom of that range.
- Large sizes are often made thinner on purpose. Plenty of shops run their 16" and 18" pies at a lower TF to keep cost and bake time in check — that is part of what makes a big NY slice foldable. Go too thin and the slices droop under the toppings.
Dough ball weight by pizza size
| Size | Area | Thin (0.065) | Classic / NY (0.08) | Neapolitan (0.09) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7", kids | 38 sq in | 2.5 oz | 3.1 oz | 3.5 oz |
| 10" | 79 sq in | 5.1 oz | 6.3 oz | 7.1 oz |
| 12" | 113 sq in | 7.4 oz | 9.0 oz | 10.2 oz |
| 14" | 154 sq in | 10.0 oz | 12.3 oz | 13.9 oz |
| 16" | 201 sq in | 13.1 oz | 16.1 oz | 18.1 oz |
| 18" | 254 sq in | 16.5 oz | 20.4 oz | 22.9 oz |
Weight = π × (d/2)² × TF, rounded to 0.1 oz. TF is ounces of dough per square inch of pizza.
These figures line up with the official Neapolitan rules. The EU’s Pizza Napoletana TSG specification (Regulation 97/2010) sets balls of roughly 6.3–8.8 oz, a diameter of no more than about 13¾ inches, a center under a quarter of an inch thick and a rim of about half an inch to three quarters of an inch. The AVPN gives about 7 oz for a 9-inch pizza and about 10 oz for 11 to 14 inches, which puts a typical 11–12" Neapolitan between 9 and 10 oz.
What about pans and trays?
Same logic, with a higher factor, because the dough rises in the pan. Measure the inside of the pan, multiply length by width, then:
| Pan | Area | Thinner, crisp (0.10 – 0.125) | Tall, open crumb (0.135 – 0.15) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half sheet, 18" × 13" | 234 sq in | 1.5 – 1.8 lb | 2.0 – 2.2 lb |
| Roman teglia, about 23½" × 15¾" | 372 sq in | 2.3 – 2.9 lb | 3.1 – 3.5 lb |
| Detroit-style, 10" × 14" | 140 sq in | 14 – 17.5 oz | 19 – 21 oz |
| Detroit-style, 8" × 10" | 80 sq in | 8 – 10 oz | 11 – 12 oz |
Converted from the Italian teglia benchmarks (Artebianca). Calibrate against a pan you already like — wall height and how far you let it rise change the answer.
Pizza al taglio: dough, pans and lunch sales
How many sizes should you sell?
American menus often run 10", 12", 14" and 16", sometimes with a personal 7" or 8" and an 18" for parties. That is five ball weights, five box sizes and five topping specs. Pizza makers who have cut down to two or three sizes rarely go back: fewer ball weights, one dough-box layout, a simpler topping chart, clearer prices and a faster line on a Friday night.
- Two or three sizes is plenty for most takeout shops. The large exists for sharing and family orders; a fourth mostly adds mistakes.
- Toppings scale with area too. A 12" has 44% more surface than a 10", so it needs 44% more cheese, not 20%. Price the same way.
- Dropping a size? Tell customers in numbers: a 12" is 44% more pizza than a 10" and only 27% less than a 14".
Once sizes are fixed, customers need to see them: inches and a price per size on your online menu stop the “how big is the large?” calls in the middle of service.
What a dough ball costs
In a 60% hydration dough, flour is roughly 61% of the weight, so a 9 oz ball holds about 5½ oz of flour — about a third of a pound. Take the price on your last invoice for a 50-pound bag and divide by 50: at, say, $30 a bag that is 60 cents a pound and roughly 20 cents of flour per ball. Even with salt, yeast, oil and gas it stays a small number. Weighing to the tenth of an ounce is about consistency, not margin: three quarters of an ounce either way is a thinner or thicker pizza than yesterday’s.
Pizza recipe cost card: cost per pizza
Dividing and weighing in practice
- Use a scale that reads to 0.1 oz, and divide by weight, never by eye.
- Keep balls within about ±0.2 oz of each other, or stretching becomes inconsistent.
- Aim about 0.1 oz over target: bench flour and evaporation in the dough boxes take a little off.
- Past about 100 balls a day, a divider-rounder pays for itself in time saved.
Work out the dough for X balls of Y ounces
Pizza topping portions by size
FAQ
How much dough for a 12 inch pizza?
About 9 oz for a classic takeout or NY-style crust, 10 to 10½ oz for a Neapolitan with a pronounced rim, and around 7½ oz for a thin, sheeted crust. Keep every ball within about ±0.2 oz.
How much dough for a 16 inch pizza?
About 16 oz — one pound — at a classic thickness, up to about 18 oz for a puffier rim. A 16" has 1.78 times the surface of a 12".
How do I calculate dough weight for any size?
Multiply the area in square inches (3.14 × radius²) by a thickness factor: about 0.065 for thin, 0.08 for classic and 0.09 for Neapolitan. Calibrate the factor from a pizza you already make.
How much dough for a half sheet pan?
About 1½ to 1¾ lb for a thinner, crisp pan pizza, and 2 to 2¼ lb for a tall, airy one.
Should I offer one size or two?
Two, sometimes three. Fewer sizes means faster prep, fewer ball weights, simpler topping specs and clearer prices.