1x4x12 — Weight and Board Feet
A 1x4 cut to 12 ft: 4 board feet of nominal section, and 0.2188 cubic feet of actual material to carry. Weight depends on the species, so it is tabulated below.
Quick specification1x4x12
| Nominal size | 1 × 4 in |
|---|---|
| Actual size (dry) | 0.75 × 3.5 in (19.05 × 88.9 mm) |
| Length | 12 ft (144 in) |
| Board feet | 4 bd ft |
| Actual volume | 0.2188 ft³ |
| Weight (Spruce (Sitka)) | 5.87 lb (2.66 kg) |
| Weight per foot | 0.489 lb/ft |
Board feet is a nominal-section convention; volume and weight use the actual section. The two are not interchangeable and are not meant to agree.
Weight by speciesall species in the database, lightest first
Wood database| Species | Density | 1x4x12 weight |
|---|---|---|
| Balsa | 0.16 g/cm³ | 2.18 lb · 0.99 kg |
| Cedar (Western Red) | 0.37 g/cm³ | 5.05 lb · 2.29 kg |
| Poplar (Yellow) | 0.42 g/cm³ | 5.74 lb · 2.6 kg |
| Basswood | 0.42 g/cm³ | 5.74 lb · 2.6 kg |
| Redwood | 0.42 g/cm³ | 5.74 lb · 2.6 kg |
| Spruce (Sitka) | 0.43 g/cm³ | 5.87 lb · 2.66 kg |
| Cedar (Eastern Red) | 0.47 g/cm³ | 6.42 lb · 2.91 kg |
| Hemlock (Western) | 0.47 g/cm³ | 6.42 lb · 2.91 kg |
| Cypress (Bald) | 0.48 g/cm³ | 6.55 lb · 2.97 kg |
| Fir (Douglas) | 0.53 g/cm³ | 7.24 lb · 3.28 kg |
| Pine (Southern Yellow) | 0.55 g/cm³ | 7.51 lb · 3.41 kg |
| Mahogany (Honduran) | 0.55 g/cm³ | 7.51 lb · 3.41 kg |
| Cherry (Black) | 0.56 g/cm³ | 7.65 lb · 3.47 kg |
| Larch | 0.58 g/cm³ | 7.92 lb · 3.59 kg |
| Teak | 0.63 g/cm³ | 8.6 lb · 3.9 kg |
| OSB (Oriented Strand Board) | 0.65 g/cm³ | 8.88 lb · 4.03 kg |
| Walnut (Black) | 0.66 g/cm³ | 9.01 lb · 4.09 kg |
| Ash (White) | 0.67 g/cm³ | 9.15 lb · 4.15 kg |
| Birch Plywood | 0.68 g/cm³ | 9.29 lb · 4.21 kg |
| Birch (Yellow Birch) | 0.69 g/cm³ | 9.42 lb · 4.27 kg |
| Bamboo | 0.7 g/cm³ | 9.56 lb · 4.34 kg |
| Maple (Hard Maple) | 0.705 g/cm³ | 9.63 lb · 4.37 kg |
| Beech (American) | 0.72 g/cm³ | 9.83 lb · 4.46 kg |
| Oak | 0.75 g/cm³ | 10.24 lb · 4.64 kg |
| MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) | 0.75 g/cm³ | 10.24 lb · 4.64 kg |
| Hickory | 0.82 g/cm³ | 11.2 lb · 5.08 kg |
| Rosewood (East Indian) | 0.85 g/cm³ | 11.61 lb · 5.27 kg |
| Ipe | 1 g/cm³ | 13.66 lb · 6.2 kg |
Weights are derived, not quoted: density at about 12% moisture content × actual volume. Treat them as a floor — green stock stays heavier until it dries. The spread across species is roughly six to one, so a freight or support estimate that assumes one figure for “a 1x4” can be wrong by a large margin.
Board feet explainedhow 4 bd ft is arrived at
A board foot is 144 cubic inches of nominal section — a board an inch thick, a foot wide and a foot long. Lumber is bought and sold on that basis, so the calculation uses the nominal thickness and width rather than the dressed ones:
(1 × 4 × 12 × 12) ÷ 144 = 4 board feet
The rated price therefore covers more wood than is delivered, which is the long-standing convention rather than an error. The actual volume of material in the same piece is 0.2188 cubic feet.
Lengthhow 12 ft compares with the rest of the table
Frequently asked questionsabout a 1x4x12
How much does a 1x4x12 weigh?
In Spruce (Sitka), about 5.87 lb (2.66 kg). Across the species in this database it ranges from 2.18 lb in Balsa to 13.66 lb in Ipe.
How many board feet is a 1x4x12?
4 board feet, calculated from the nominal section: (1 × 4 × 144) ÷ 144.
What are the actual dimensions of a 1x4x12?
0.75 × 3.5 inches in section, 12 ft long — 19.05 × 88.9 millimetres by 12 feet. The nominal 1 × 4 inch call size is the rough green section.