Free tool · for woodworkers, carpenters and lumber yards
Board Foot Calculator: Board Feet and Lumber Cost for Your Whole Cut List
Add every board you need, in inches or quarter thicknesses, feet and inches long, with quantities. Get total board feet, cubic feet, linear feet and cost, then copy or print the list for the lumber yard.
Board Foot Calculator
- Board 14 BF each4 BF
Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12. Rough hardwood is sold by nominal thickness in quarters (4/4 = 1 in); dimension lumber such as a 2×4 is counted at its nominal size, not the planed 1 1/2 × 3 1/2 in.
How Do You Calculate Board Feet?
Multiply the board’s thickness in inches by its width in inches and its length in feet, then divide by 12. A 2×6 that is 10 feet long is 2 × 6 × 10 ÷ 12 = 10 board feet. Use nominal sizes for dimension lumber and quarter sizes such as 8/4 for rough hardwood.
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Board Feet Chart for Common Lumber Sizes
Board feet per piece, using nominal sizes.
| Size | 8 ft | 10 ft | 12 ft | 16 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1×4 | 2.67 | 3.33 | 4 | 5.33 |
| 1×6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| 1×8 | 5.33 | 6.67 | 8 | 10.67 |
| 2×4 | 5.33 | 6.67 | 8 | 10.67 |
| 2×6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 16 |
| 2×8 | 10.67 | 13.33 | 16 | 21.33 |
| 2×10 | 13.33 | 16.67 | 20 | 26.67 |
| 2×12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 32 |
| 4×4 | 10.67 | 13.33 | 16 | 21.33 |
| 6×6 | 24 | 30 | 36 | 48 |
How to Calculate Board Feet
- Measure thickness and width in inches. For rough hardwood, use the quarter size (8/4 = 2 in).
- Measure length in feet. 8 ft 6 in = 8.5 ft.
- Multiply and divide by 12. 2 × 6 × 8.5 ÷ 12 = 8.5 board feet.
- Multiply by the number of boards, then add extra for defects and cuts.
Board Feet vs Linear Feet
Linear feet is just length, used to price trim, moulding and many softwood boards. Board feet is volume, used for hardwood. A 1×6 board 10 feet long is 10 linear feet and 5 board feet.
To compare prices: price per board foot = price per linear foot × 12 ÷ (thickness × width).
Add This Calculator to Your Website, Free
Lumber yards, sawmills and woodshops: let customers build their cut list on your site, in your colors, with a button to request your quote.
Paste it into any page of your website as an “HTML” or “embed” block. It’s free, needs no account and collects no visitor data.
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Questions
What is a board foot?
A board foot is a volume of wood 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide and 12 inches long, which is 144 cubic inches. Hardwood is priced by the board foot.
How do I calculate board feet?
Multiply thickness (inches) × width (inches) × length (feet) and divide by 12. A board 1 inch thick, 6 inches wide and 8 feet long is 1 × 6 × 8 ÷ 12 = 4 board feet. With the length in inches, divide by 144 instead.
How many board feet are in a 2x4x8?
About 5.33 board feet: 2 × 4 × 8 ÷ 12. Board feet use the nominal size, so a 2×4 counts as 2 by 4 inches even though it is planed to about 1 1/2 × 3 1/2 inches.
What does 4/4 or 8/4 mean?
Rough hardwood thickness is sold in quarters of an inch: 4/4 is 1 inch, 5/4 is 1 1/4 inches, 6/4 is 1 1/2 inches and 8/4 is 2 inches. Use the quarter thickness in the board foot formula.
How much extra lumber should I buy?
Woodworkers commonly add 15 to 30% for rough hardwood to allow for knots, checks, splits and milling, and less for dimensional lumber. The calculator lets you add this as a percentage.
How many board feet are in a cubic foot?
Twelve. A cubic foot is 1,728 cubic inches, and a board foot is 144 cubic inches.