Calculators/ Framing & Exterior/Board Foot Calculator
Board Foot Calculator
Board feet and cost for hardwood lumber.
Board Foot Calculator
in
in
ft
$
Hardwood is sold by the board foot, a volume unit equal to 144 cubic inches. It catches people out because a board foot is not a length: a 1×12 and a 2×6 of the same length contain the same board footage.
How this is calculated
- Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12.
- Use the nominal rough thickness for rough-sawn stock and the actual measurement for surfaced lumber. Quarter notation (4/4, 8/4) means quarters of an inch: 4/4 is one inch.
- Multiply by the board count for the total, then by your price per board foot.
Frequently asked questions
What is a board foot?
The volume of a board one inch thick, twelve inches wide and one foot long, which is 144 cubic inches.
Why is hardwood priced by board foot instead of length?
Because hardwood comes in random widths and lengths. Pricing by volume is the only way to charge fairly across a mixed stack.