Board feet and cost, before you hit the yard.
Enter a board size and see the board feet per piece, the total across your quantity, and what it costs. One board foot is 144 cubic inches of wood, so this is a volume, not an area. Add more sizes to price a whole cut list.
Your board
Board feet per piece = thickness times width times length in inches, divided by 144. Use actual sizes: a 2x4 is really 1.5 by 3.5 inches.
What this means
Price a full cut list
Each row is one board size. Edit any cell and the totals update live. Great for a project that mixes framing, shelving and trim.
| Thickness (in) | Width (in) | Length (ft) | Qty | Board feet | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | 0 | $0 | ||||
The price per board foot from your inputs above, currently $4.50, is used for every row.
Board feet, explained
What a board foot actually measures
A board foot is a unit of volume, not area. One board foot equals 144 cubic inches of wood, which is the amount in a piece 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide and 12 inches long. Because it is a volume, a thick narrow board and a thin wide board can hold the same number of board feet. This is why lumberyards, especially hardwood dealers, price by the board foot rather than by the piece or the linear foot.
The formula is simple: multiply thickness in inches by width in inches by length in inches, then divide by 144. If you know the length in feet instead, a handy shortcut is thickness times width times length in feet, divided by 12, which gives the same answer.
Nominal size versus actual size
Softwood construction lumber is sold by nominal names that no longer match the real dimensions. A 2x4 is actually 1.5 by 3.5 inches once it has been dried and planed, and a 1x6 is really 0.75 by 5.5 inches. If you calculate board feet from the nominal numbers you will overstate the volume, so measure the board or use the actual dimensions for an honest figure.
Rough hardwood is described in quarters of an inch of thickness. A 4/4 board is one inch, 5/4 is one and a quarter inches, and 8/4 is two inches. Rough stock is usually closer to its stated thickness than surfaced softwood, but always confirm before you price a big order.
Turning board feet into a real cost
Once you know the total board feet, cost is just board feet times the price per board foot. This calculator also reports total linear feet and total volume so you can cross check a quote or plan a delivery. Add several board sizes to the table and it sums the board feet and the cost across the whole cut list, which is useful when a project mixes framing, shelving and trim.
Remember to buy a little extra. Waste from crosscuts, defects, checks and planing can eat 15 to 20 percent of a rough hardwood order, so pad the total before you place it.
Common questions
How do I calculate board feet?
Multiply thickness in inches by width in inches by length in inches, then divide by 144. If the length is in feet, multiply thickness by width by length in feet and divide by 12 instead. Both give the same board foot total.
Is a board foot the same as a linear foot?
No. A linear foot only measures length, while a board foot measures volume, combining thickness, width and length. Two boards can be the same length in linear feet but hold very different board feet if their thickness or width differs.
Should I use nominal or actual dimensions?
Use the actual dimensions. A 2x4 is really 1.5 by 3.5 inches, so calculating from the nominal 2 by 4 would overstate the board feet. Measure the board, or use the true planed size, for an accurate volume and cost.
Why is hardwood priced per board foot?
Hardwood comes in random widths and lengths, so pricing by the piece would be unfair. Charging per board foot ties the price to the actual volume of wood you take home, which is why the board foot is the standard unit at hardwood yards.
Estimates for planning only. Everything runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded. Board foot is a volume measure of 144 cubic inches. Buy 15 to 20 percent extra for waste, and confirm actual dimensions before placing a large order.