Board Foot Chart

Board feet by size and length

Nominal	6 ft	8 ft	10 ft	12 ft	16 ft
1 × 4	2.00	2.67	3.33	4.00	5.33
1 × 6	3.00	4.00	5.00	6.00	8.00
1 × 8	4.00	5.33	6.67	8.00	10.67
2 × 4	4.00	5.33	6.67	8.00	10.67
2 × 6	6.00	8.00	10.00	12.00	16.00
2 × 8	8.00	10.67	13.33	16.00	21.33
2 × 10	10.00	13.33	16.67	20.00	26.67
2 × 12	12.00	16.00	20.00	24.00	32.00
4 × 4	8.00	10.67	13.33	16.00	21.33

Nominal dimensions, thickness × width × length ÷ 12. A 2 × 4 and a 1 × 8 have the same board footage at equal length.

Price reference

Species	Rough $/BF	A 8 ft 1 × 6 costs
Poplar	$3–$5.50	$12–$22
Red oak	$4.50–$8	$18–$32
Hard maple	$5.50–$9.50	$22–$38
Cherry	$6–$12	$24–$48
Black walnut	$8–$15	$32–$60

Using the chart

List each part with its nominal size and length.
Read the board feet from the table, or use the lookup above.
Add 15% for a simple project, 25% when matching grain.
Multiply by the price per board foot for your budget.

A board foot is a billing unit, not a measure of wood

One board foot is 144 cubic inches: an inch thick, a foot wide, a foot long. The definition dates from a trade that priced lumber before it was planed, and it still uses nominal dimensions. That is why a 2 × 4 × 8 bills as 5.33 board feet while containing about 3.5 board feet of actual wood. The missing third is what surfacing removed, and you pay for it either way.

Once you accept that, the numbers stop looking arbitrary. Board footage measures the log the mill started with, not the board you carry out.

Why the chart repeats itself

A 1 × 8 and a 2 × 4 have identical board footage at the same length, and so do a 1 × 12 and a 2 × 6. That is not a coincidence: both pairs have eight nominal square inches of end area. The board foot counts only that cross-section, so it is blind to shape.

The practical consequence is that a price per board foot says nothing about the price of the part you need. If a project consumes a 3½-inch face, a 2 × 4 and a 1 × 8 at the same rate per board foot are not interchangeable — one yields 3½ inches of face, the other 7¼. Two conversions fix this:

Size	Board feet per linear foot	Cost per linear foot at $5/BF	Face width
1 × 4	0.33	$1.67	3½ in
1 × 6	0.50	$2.50	5½ in
1 × 8	0.67	$3.33	7¼ in
2 × 4	0.67	$3.33	3½ in

Now the 2 × 4 and the 1 × 8 cost the same per linear foot while giving very different amounts of usable face. Price per board foot hid that; price per linear foot exposes it.

Thickness is priced in quarters

Hardwood thickness is quoted in quarter inches: 4/4 is one inch, 5/4 is an inch and a quarter, 8/4 is two. Board footage uses the nominal quarter, so 8/4 stock bills at double the 4/4 rate for the same face area, even though a surfaced 8/4 board measures 1¾ inches and not 2. You are buying the log again, not the board.

A board foot total is not a shopping list

Total the cut list, add waste, and you have a number. You cannot buy a number. Boards come in widths the yard has, not widths your project wants, and the yield from a board depends on what else is on it.

Two projects can both need 40 board feet and need very different orders: forty feet of 1 × 4 rail is five boards, while forty feet of 12-inch-wide tabletop glue-up may be eight boards because wide clear stock is scarce and the defects have to fall outside the glue joints. The board foot total is the same. The bill is not.

Use the total to budget, then take the cut list to the yard and let the widths decide the count.

Frequently asked questions

How many board feet is a 2x4x8?

5.33 board feet.

What is the formula?

Thickness × width × length in feet ÷ 12, using nominal dimensions.

Why nominal?

Lumber is priced before planing; a 2 × 4 measures 1½ × 3½ inches but bills as 2 × 4.

How many board feet in a 1x6x8?

4.0 board feet, and it costs $12 to $22 at $3 to $5.50 per board foot.

Why do a 1x8 and a 2x4 have the same board footage?

Both have eight nominal square inches of end area, and board footage counts only that cross-section. Shape is invisible to the formula.

Is board footage based on nominal or finished size?

Nominal. That is why a 2x4x8 bills as 5.33 board feet while containing about 3.5 board feet of actual wood.

How do I turn a cut list into an order?

Total the board feet, add 15% for a simple project or 30% for grain matching, then take the list to the yard. The widths they stock decide how many boards that total actually is.

Note: Prices are planning ranges, not quotes. Confirm grading rules and pricing with your supplier.

Last reviewed: October 30, 2026 · Sources: NHLA lumber measurement rules; regional dealer prices

Board foot lookup