Board Feet Calculator · Free calculator

4x6 Board Feet Calculator

Every linear foot of 4x6 lumber is 2.000 board feet (nominal 4" × 6" × 12" ÷ 144). An 8-footer is 16.00 BF. Actual dressed size is 3.5" × 5.5".

Quick answer

LIVE

Total board feet

176.00BF

incl. 10% waste · 160.00 BF net

BF per piece

16.00BF

Linear feet

80.0LF

Actual size

3.5" × 5.5"

Est. cost

—

Length	BF per board	BF × 10 boards	Boards per 1,000 BF
4x6x8	16.00	160.0	63
4x6x10	20.00	200.0	50
4x6x12	24.00	240.0	42
4x6x14	28.00	280.0	36
4x6x16	32.00	320.0	32
4x6x20	40.00	400.0	25

Nominal	Actual	BF / LF	LF per 100 BF
1x4	0.75" × 3.5"	0.333	300.0
1x6	0.75" × 5.5"	0.500	200.0
1x8	0.75" × 7.25"	0.667	150.0
1x12	0.75" × 11.25"	1.000	100.0
2x4	1.5" × 3.5"	0.667	150.0
2x6	1.5" × 5.5"	1.000	100.0
2x8	1.5" × 7.25"	1.333	75.0
2x10	1.5" × 9.25"	1.667	60.0
2x12	1.5" × 11.25"	2.000	50.0
4x4	3.5" × 3.5"	1.333	75.0
4x6	3.5" × 5.5"	2.000	50.0
6x6	5.5" × 5.5"	3.000	33.3

Board feet are always figured from NOMINAL size for softwood dimensional lumber, even though a 2x is really 1-1/2" thick.

Hardwood is sold by the board foot in quarters (4/4 = 1", 8/4 = 2") of rough thickness.
Lumber yards quote framing by MBF (1,000 board feet) — divide the MBF price by 1,000 for $/BF.
Add 10–15% waste for defects and cut-offs.

16.00 board feet (4 × 6 × 8 ÷ 12).

4x6x12 = 24.00 BF; 4x6x16 = 32.00 BF.

63 pieces (1,000 ÷ 16.00).

3.5" × 5.5" after drying and planing. Board feet are still calculated on the nominal 4" × 6".