Cannabis Decarboxylation Temperature and Time Chart

At 100C (212F), decarb dry flower for 90 to 120 minutes, which converts 70 to 85% of THCA to THC. Decarb cannabis at roughly 115C (239F) for 40 minutes. That is the standard setting for dry flower in a home oven and it converts almost all THCA to THC. The full chart is below.

This page is the numbers. For the chemistry, the equipment and the common mistakes, read the complete guide to cannabis decarboxylation instead. New to the process? Start with the beginners guide to decarboxylation.

The main decarboxylation chart

Temperatures are oven air temperature measured with a thermometer, not the dial setting. Times are for dry flower in a single layer.

Temperature	Time	THCA to THC conversion	What you lose	Best for
100C (212F)	90 to 120 min	70 to 85%	Almost no terpenes	Very aromatic flower where smell matters more than speed
105C (221F)	75 to 90 min	80 to 90%	Light monoterpene loss	Terpene-forward infusions, tinctures
110C (230F)	50 to 70 min	85 to 95%	Some myrcene and limonene	A safe default if your oven runs hot
115C (239F)	40 to 50 min	90 to 97%	Moderate terpene loss	The standard. Most flower, most ovens
120C (248F)	30 to 40 min	92 to 98%	Noticeable terpene loss	Butter and oil infusions where flavour is secondary
130C (266F)	20 to 30 min	95 to 99%	Most terpenes, first THC losses	Speed over quality
140C (284F)	15 to 20 min	Near complete	Terpenes gone, small CBN formation	Trim and material you do not taste
150C (302F)	10 to 15 min	Complete, then reversing	Measurable THC to CBN	Not recommended
160C (320F)	Under 10 min	Complete, degrading fast	Significant THC to CBN	Not recommended
175C (347F) and above	Any	Irrelevant	Heavy THC loss, scorching, smoke	Nothing. This is a mistake, not a method

These are practical ranges, not lab constants. They come from published decarboxylation studies and from repeatable home results. Sources disagree, sometimes widely: published work puts the practical window anywhere from 105C to 145C (221F to 293F), and conversion percentages depend on moisture, particle size and storage. Treat every figure as a starting point for your own oven.

The ceiling nobody can beat: about 87.7%. Decarboxylation removes a carboxyl group, which leaves as carbon dioxide. That lost mass is roughly 12.3% of the molecule, so 1000mg of pure THCA can only ever become about 877mg of THC. Any calculator claiming 1:1 is wrong. Our potency calculator applies the 0.877 factor, and how to calculate the potency of homemade edibles shows the arithmetic.

Decarb time by material and form

Denser and wetter material needs longer. Finer material needs less. All rows assume 115C (239F) unless stated.

Material	Temperature	Time	Notes
Whole buds, unbroken	115C (239F)	55 to 70 min	Heat reaches the core slowly. Break buds apart instead if you can
Coarse ground flower	115C (239F)	40 to 50 min	The standard. Pieces roughly rice-sized
Fine ground flower	110C (230F)	25 to 35 min	Large surface area heats fast. Drop the temperature to avoid scorching
Kief	105C (221F)	20 to 30 min	Very fast, and it burns easily. Watch it and stir once
Hash, pressed	110C (230F)	30 to 45 min	Break it up first. Pressed hash decarbs unevenly
Trim and sugar leaf	115C (239F)	40 to 50 min	Lower cannabinoid content, same heat requirement
Fresh or damp material	100C (212F) then 115C (239F)	20 min, then 40 min	Dry it first at the lower temperature, or the water holds the material below decarb range

Method comparison

Method	Temperature control	Terpene retention	Smell	Effort
Oven, open tray	Poor. Cycles 15 to 25C either side of the dial	Low	Strong, fills the house	Low
Oven, mason jar	Poor oven control, but the jar buffers swings	Medium. Volatiles condense and return	Much reduced	Low, but jar and lid care needed
Sous vide, sealed bag	Excellent. Within 1C of setpoint	High	Almost none	Medium. Needs a circulator and vacuum bag
Dedicated decarb device	Good. Preset cycles, sealed chamber	High	Low	Lowest. One button

Sous vide is limited by water: it tops out just under 100C (212F) at sea level, so it needs 90 to 120 minutes. It is the most accurate option and the slowest. The NOIDS decarb method trades some control for convenience.

What temperature should I decarb cannabis at?

115C (239F). That is the best balance of conversion, speed and terpene survival for dry flower. If your oven is known to run hot, set 110C (230F) and add ten minutes.

How long does decarboxylation take?

40 to 50 minutes at 115C (239F) for coarse ground flower. Lower temperatures need longer, up to two hours at 100C (212F). Higher temperatures are faster and cost you terpenes, then cannabinoids.

What happens if you decarb too hot?

Above roughly 160C (320F), THC degrades toward CBN measurably fast. CBN is more sedating and less intoxicating. It is not a substitute for THC. If your batch came out sleepy and weak, overheating is the likely cause, and CBN, the hidden gem of the cannabinoids covers what it does. Terpenes go first: most monoterpenes boil off well below the temperature where cannabinoids suffer, which is why an over-hot decarb smells scorched.

What happens if you decarb too cold?

Below about 100C (212F) the reaction runs slowly and incompletely. You end up with a mix of THCA and THC and a weak batch, and time does not fully compensate. This is the most common cause of edibles that do nothing, covered in why edibles do not work for me.

Does grinding change decarb time?

Yes. Finer material heats faster and needs less time and slightly less heat. Fine ground flower is done in 25 to 35 minutes at 110C (230F). Whole buds can take 70 minutes. Grind to roughly rice-sized pieces: powder scorches at the edges before the middle is ready.

How do you know when decarb is done?

Properly decarbed flower is dry, crumbles between your fingers rather than compressing, and has gone from green to light toasted brown. The smell shifts from grassy to nutty. Colour alone is unreliable, since strains darken at different rates. Use all three signs.

About your oven

Domestic ovens commonly run 15 to 25C (27 to 45F) off their dial, and they cycle rather than holding steady. A dial set to 115C might average 130C with peaks above that. Put an oven thermometer on the middle shelf, watch it for twenty minutes, and correct the dial by the offset you measure. This check matters more than any number in the chart above.

Print this

Most people screenshot the first table and stop reading, which is a reasonable use of this page. The three tables are the whole reference: temperature, material, method.

Once decarbed, the material goes into fat. The best oils for cannabis infusion covers which to choose. If a past batch failed, why edibles do not work works through the causes in order.

Frequently asked questions about decarb temperature

What is the best temperature to decarb cannabis?

115C (239F) for 40 to 50 minutes. It converts 90 to 97% of THCA while keeping some terpenes.

Can you decarb at 120C (248F)?

Yes. 30 to 40 minutes at 120C (248F) works and is slightly faster. You lose more terpenes than at 115C.

How much THC do you get from THCA?

About 87.7% by mass at most. The carboxyl group leaves as carbon dioxide, so 1000mg of THCA yields roughly 877mg of THC.

What temperature destroys THC?

Degradation to CBN becomes measurably fast above roughly 160C (320F). At 175C (347F) and above, losses are heavy.

Do you need to grind before decarbing?

Coarse grinding is better. It cuts time by around 20 minutes versus whole buds and heats evenly. Do not grind to powder.

Does decarbing in a mason jar change the temperature or time?

Not the temperature. Use the same chart figures. The jar buffers oven swings and cuts the smell, and some volatiles condense and return to the material.

Is longer at a lower temperature better?

For flavour, yes. 105C (221F) for 75 to 90 minutes retains more terpenes than 130C (266F) for 25 minutes, at similar conversion.

How do I know my oven is accurate?

Assume it is not. Use a separate oven thermometer on the middle shelf and read it over twenty minutes to catch the cycling range.

Kit for accurate, low-smell decarb and infusion at home: the NOIDS Basic Bundle.