Building & DIY

Board Foot Calculator (Lumber Volume)

Calculate board feet from a board's thickness, width, and length. You can add a price per board foot for the total cost and see the cubic-feet equivalent.

How to use
  1. Enter thickness in inches, width in inches, and length in feet.
  2. Pick a hardwood preset size if it matches your stock.
  3. Add a price per board foot to get the total cost.
Quick board
Total board feet
5.33 BF

(2 × 4 × 8) / 12 × 1 piece

BF per piece
5.333 BF
Linear feet
8 ft
Volume
0.444 ft³
Total cost
—
Estimates only, allow for waste and confirm against local building codes and supplier specs.
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How it's calculated

board feet = (thickness × width × length × qty) ÷ 12

thickness and width in inches, length in feet, qty = number of pieces. Dividing by 12 converts to board feet (one BF = 144 in³).

Common questions

What is a board foot?

A board foot is 144 cubic inches of lumber, equal to a piece 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 1 foot long.

How do I calculate board feet?

Multiply thickness in inches by width in inches by length in feet, then divide by 12.

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