Board feet chart

Board feet in the boards people buy most: 1x and 2x lumber, posts and hardwood in quarters, at the common lengths. Board feet are thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12. Each figure links to a page that works it out step by step and gives the board’s weight in common species.

Softwood lumber, by the nominal size

By the name on the rack (a 2x4 counted as 2 × 4 in). Each page also gives the board feet in the smaller actual size the lumber is dressed to under the softwood standard.

Board feet in softwood lumber (nominal)
Size	8 ft	10 ft	12 ft	14 ft	16 ft
1x4	2.67	3.33	4	4.67	5.33
1x6	4	5	6	7	8
1x8	5.33	6.67	8	9.33	10.67
1x10	6.67	8.33	10	11.67	13.33
1x12	8	10	12	14	16
2x4	5.33	6.67	8	9.33	10.67
2x6	8	10	12	14	16
2x8	10.67	13.33	16	18.67	21.33
2x10	13.33	16.67	20	23.33	26.67
2x12	16	20	24	28	32
4x4	10.67	13.33	16	18.67	21.33
4x6	16	20	24	28	32
6x6	24	30	36	42	48

Hardwood, at the rough size

Hardwood is sold rough in quarters (4/4 is 1 in thick) and billed at that rough thickness, even after it is surfaced. Hardwood comes in random widths, so these are boards of the width shown. A yard’s NHLA tally rounds each board’s surface measure to a whole foot first; each page shows both.

Board feet in hardwood boards (rough size)
Thickness × width	8 ft	10 ft	12 ft
4/4 × 4 in	2.67	3.33	4
4/4 × 6 in	4	5	6
4/4 × 8 in	5.33	6.67	8
5/4 × 4 in	3.33	4.17	5
5/4 × 6 in	5	6.25	7.5
5/4 × 8 in	6.67	8.33	10
6/4 × 4 in	4	5	6
6/4 × 6 in	6	7.5	9
6/4 × 8 in	8	10	12
8/4 × 4 in	5.33	6.67	8
8/4 × 6 in	8	10	12
8/4 × 8 in	10.67	13.33	16

For other sizes or a whole order, with cost and waste, use the board foot calculator. Actual dressed sizes are on the lumber sizes chart, and hardwood quarters on the hardwood thickness chart.