Calculators / Fences and decks
Board foot calculator
Put in the boards the way the yard sells them. You'll get the board feet, and the cost if you add their price.
Updated · How we check our numbers
Board feet
80 board feet
10 boards at 8 board feet each. Add a price per board foot to see the cost.
- Each board
- 8 bd ft
- Boards
- 10
Estimate for planning only, not professional advice. Check the manufacturer’s instructions, your local code and a licensed professional before you buy, build or install. Use at your own risk. Terms.
each = 2 in × 6 in × 8 ft ÷ 12 = 8 bd ft
total = 8 × 10 = 80 bd ft
Common boards
nominal size- 2x4, 8 ft5.3 board feet5.3 bd ft
- 2x6, 8 ft8 board feetYours
- 2x8, 12 ft16 board feet16 bd ft
- 2x10, 12 ft20 board feet20 bd ft
- 2x12, 16 ft32 board feet32 bd ft
- 4x4, 8 ft10.7 board feet10.7 bd ft
- 6x6, 10 ft30 board feet30 bd ft
- 1x6, 8 ft4 board feet4 bd ft
Board feet = thickness in × width in × length ft ÷ 12.
Use the size the lumber is sold as. A 2x4 is really 1½ x 3½ in, but it is billed as 2 x 4. For rough hardwood, 4/4 is 1 in thick and 8/4 is 2 in.
Board feet is what you pay for, not what ends up in the project. Buy about 10% over for cuts and bad boards, more for hardwood with defects to cut around.
How we work it out
A board foot is a board 1 in thick, 12 in wide and 1 ft long. The American Softwood Lumber Standard figures it from the nominal size:
board feet = thickness in × width in × length ft ÷ 12
Nominal means the name, not the tape measure. A 2x6 is really 1½ x 5½ in, but it's billed as 2 x 6, so an 8 ft 2x6 is 8 board feet. Rough hardwood is sold by quarters: 4/4 is 1 in thick, 8/4 is 2 in.
Buy about 10% over for cuts and boards you reject.
Where the numbers come from
Lumber for the job
More calculators
- FenceHow many posts, rails and pickets for my fence line?
- Fence costWhat will my fence cost installed?
- DeckWhat joist size and spacing does my deck span need?
- Deck costWhat will my deck cost to build?
- Deck boardsHow many deck boards and screws?
- Deck stairsHow many steps, and how long are the stringers?
- Shed fitWill a shed fit my setbacks and get through my gate?
- Shed foundationHow much gravel, block or concrete for my shed?