A ceiling fan weighs 8 to 35 pounds depending on its size and the materials used to produce it.
The ceiling fan weight data is based on research of 500 popular ceiling fans from 30 inches to 62 inches.
If you’re planning to climb a ladder to install a ceiling fan, knowing its weight is essential. It answers two questions:
Do I need help to install a ceiling fan, or can I do it by myself? While most fans are fairly light, it always makes sense to have an extra set of hands to help.
Will the structural supports above support the weight of the fan? Hint: They should, if the proper framing and junction box were installed with a fan in mind.
Ceiling Fan Weight by Size
Yes, the bigger the fan – meaning it’s diameter when the blades are attached – the heavier it will be. In general.
This chart shows all common ceiling fan sizes from 30” ceiling fans to 62” ceiling fans and how much they weigh.
| Ceiling Fan Size | Weight |
| 30 Inch | 8 – 15 Pounds |
| 42 Inch | 12 – 20 Pounds |
| 44 Inch | 13 – 22 Pounds |
| 52 Inch | 13 – 25 Pounds |
| 62 Inch | 25 – 35 Pounds |
Note: This data is based on 500 popular ceiling fans available from Home Depot.
Besides ceiling fan diameter, weight factors are:
Lights or no lights: Fan-only ceiling fans obviously weigh significantly less than the same fan model but with lights. Most manufacturers make lighted and unlighted versions of their most popular models.
Indoor vs outdoor: An outdoor ceiling fan of the same size as in indoor model will weigh more. Most are at the upper end of the weight range. This is because added materials are used to make the ceiling fan watertight and safe for use outside.
Metal vs plastic: Overall, the more plastic parts a ceiling fan has, the lighter it will be when compared to a fan with a higher percentage of steel parts.
Blade material: Light ceiling fans have plastic blades. Ceiling fans with wood blades or steel blades are heavier. Aluminum is about the same weight as plastic and some of the cheap wood materials used in fan blades.
Number of blades: The section below shows ceiling fan weight differences based on the number of blades used, from 3-blade fans to those with 8 blades.
In summary, ceiling fans with lights and metal blades are among the heaviest units in any fan size.
Ceiling Fan Weight by Number of Blades
All else being equal, more blades on a fan makes it heavier. Blade material is important too. For example, a 5 blade fan with metal blades might weigh twice as much as a 3 blade fan with plastic blades.
| Ceiling Fan Blade | Weight |
| 3 Blade | 10 – 22 Pounds |
| 4 Blade | 16 – 25 Pounds |
| 5 Blade | 13 – 25 Pounds |
| 8 Blade | 20 – 35 Pounds |
Note: This data is based on 500 popular ceiling fans sold by Home Depot.
As you consider fan weight by blade count, keep in mind that fans with more blades are usually larger fans. So, a fan with 8 blades is probably at least a 48 inch or 52 inch fan. It has a larger motor and housing, which add quite a lot to the weight.
A fan with 3 blades probably isn’t bigger than 52 inches, and most are 30 inches to 44 inches. They have a smaller motor, housing, etc.
Ceiling Fan Weight of Different Brands (11 Samples)
This chart of ceiling fan weights by brand shows how fan weights vary even within brands based on the factors discussed earlier.
Weight factors include size and number of blades, as the chart shows. Note, for example, that the 62 inch Honeywell fan with 8 blades weighs 3 times as much as the Honeywell 30 inch fan with 3 blades.
| Ceiling Fan | Size | Blade | Weight |
| Portage Bay 51492 | 52 Inch | 5 | 13.16 Pounds |
| Portage Bay 51437 | 42 Inch | 5 | 15.34 pounds |
| Hunter Fan Dempsey Low Profile | 44 Inch | 4 | 19.58 pounds |
| Hunter Cassius | 52 Inch | 3 | 14.52 pounds |
| Prominence Home Benton Ceiling Fan | 52 Inch | 5 | 25 pounds |
| FINXIN Indoor Ceiling Fan | 52 Inch | 4 | 16.96 pounds |
| Honeywell Ceiling Fans Eamon | 52 Inch | 3 | 15.82 pounds |
| Honeywell Ceiling Fans | 30 Inch | 3 | 10 pounds |
| Reiga 52″ Black Gold Ceiling Fans | 52 Inch | 3 | 21 pounds |
| Warmiplanet Ceiling Fan | 52 Inch | 5 | 17.8 Pounds |
| Honeywell Ceiling Fans 51473-01 | 62 Inch | 8 | 30.3 pounds |
How Much Weight Can a Ceiling Fan Hold?
Ceiling fans can hold 45 pounds to more than 100 pounds. A ceiling joist, which the fan bracket should be bolted to, can hold more than 1,000 pounds.
Can you hang from a ceiling fan? No. A ceiling fan cannot hold a person, so “riding a ceiling fan” should not be tried.
All ceiling fans are constructed with brackets, housing and downrod that can hold the total weight of the fan. The larger and heavier the fan, the more robust its construction.
This construction prevents the fan from pulling loose from the bracket, for example, and crashing to the floor. Most fans are produced with a heavy-duty bracket and fasteners to secure it safely to the ceiling.
This is especially true if the ceiling fan has attached lights, making it heavier than a fan without lights. Outdoor ceiling fan construction also tends to be stronger and more durable.
While falling ceiling fans are rare, there have been many recalls over the years. Most are for falling blades rather than the entire unit falling, like this recall of a Westinghouse ceiling fan, from the Consumer Products Safety Commission of fans deemed to be a fall hazard.
How do I know if my ceiling fan will fall?
It might fall if it becomes loose.
If your fan or fan downrod begins to wobble, turn off the fan and don’t use it until it can be repaired. Secondly, turn off the fan, remove the housing, and check the bracket once or twice a year. If the bracket or other components are look or cracked, have the fan repaired.
