General
Board Foot Calculator
Calculate board feet for lumber purchasing based on thickness, width, and length.
Board feet = (thickness in inches x width in inches x length in feet) / 12. One board foot equals a piece of wood 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 1 foot long. Hardwood lumber is priced per board foot. Nominal and actual sizes differ for dimensional lumber.
Common Questions
What is a board foot?
A board foot is a unit of lumber volume equal to 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long. That is 144 cubic inches of wood. Hardwood lumber and specialty wood are priced per board foot.
How do I calculate board feet?
Multiply thickness in inches times width in inches times length in feet, then divide by 12. A board that is 2 inches thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 feet long is 8 board feet.
Why is lumber sold by board foot instead of linear foot?
Board foot pricing accounts for the full volume of wood, which matters when boards come in different widths and thicknesses. Dimensional lumber like 2x4s is sold by linear foot, but hardwoods and rough-sawn lumber use board feet.
How many board feet are in a 2x4x8?
A nominal 2x4 that is 8 feet long contains 5.33 board feet (2 times 4 times 8 divided by 12). But since the actual size is 1.5 by 3.5 inches, the real volume is 3.5 board feet.
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