How Many Board Feet in a 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10 and 2x12?
How many board feet are in a 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10 or 2x12, with a chart for 8, 10, 12 and 16 foot lengths.
An 8-foot 2x4 is 5.33 board feet, a 2x6 is 8, a 2x8 is 10.67, a 2x10 is 13.33 and a 2x12 is 16. Each size holds a fixed number of board feet per foot of length, so you can scale to any length.
Board feet per piece, by size and length
| Size | 8 ft | 10 ft | 12 ft | 16 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2x4 | 5.33 | 6.67 | 8 | 10.67 |
| 2x6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 16 |
| 2x8 | 10.67 | 13.33 | 16 | 21.33 |
| 2x10 | 13.33 | 16.67 | 20 | 26.67 |
| 2x12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 32 |
Board feet per linear foot
Multiply nominal thickness by nominal width and divide by 12. That gives 0.67 for a 2x4, 1 for a 2x6, 1.33 for a 2x8, 1.67 for a 2x10 and 2 for a 2x12. A 4x4 is 1.33, and a 6x6 is 3. The 2x6 is the easy one: its linear feet and board feet are the same number.
Which is cheaper, per board foot?
Framing lumber is priced by the piece, so divide the price by the board feet in that piece. If an 8-foot 2x4 costs $4 and a 2x6 costs $6.50, the 2x4 is $0.75 per board foot and the 2x6 is $0.81. Wider boards often cost a little more per board foot, and the gap changes by region and by species. Check the Board Foot Calculator to run the numbers for your own sizes, lengths and prices.