Estimate wind pressure and total wind force from wind speed, projected area, drag coefficient, and air density. This wind load calculator can help with rough planning for signs, panels, walls, fences, antennas, and outdoor surfaces.
Wind speed:
Enter the wind speed that will hit the surface.
Projected area:
Enter the area facing the wind, not the full material surface if only part is exposed.
Drag coefficient:
Use a shape factor to adjust for how much wind the object catches.
Air density:
Standard sea level air density is often estimated around 1.225 kg/m³.
A wind load calculator is useful for rough planning around signs, solar panels, fences, banners, temporary structures, walls, rooftop equipment, antennas, and outdoor objects exposed to wind.
For structural design, permits, safety-critical installations, or code compliance, use local building codes and a licensed engineer.
Your result estimates the wind pressure and total wind force on the projected area. Wind pressure is force per area, while total wind force estimates the overall push on the object. Higher wind speed, larger area, higher drag coefficient, or denser air will increase the result.
A common estimate is force = 0.5 × air density × wind speed² × drag coefficient × projected area.
Wind pressure increases with the square of wind speed, so small speed increases can create much larger loads.
Projected area is the area of the object facing the wind. It is the surface area the wind effectively pushes against.
No. This is a rough estimating calculator. Building-code wind design should use local codes, official wind maps, and professional engineering.