Calculate the total board feet of lumber for woodworking, framing or any construction project. Enter the thickness, width and length of your boards, specify the quantity, and optionally add a price per board foot to get a material cost estimate.
Enter board dimensions to calculate.
A board foot (BF or FBM) is the standard unit of lumber volume in North America. One board foot equals a piece of wood 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide and 12 inches long.
Board Feet = (Thickness in × Width in × Length ft) ÷ 12
For example, a 2×6 board that is 10 feet long contains: (2 × 6 × 10) ÷ 12 = 10 board feet. Board feet measure volume, not surface area, so thicker boards have more board feet for the same face area.
Lumber is sold by nominal dimensions but arrives at a smaller actual (dressed) size:
Board foot pricing is based on nominal dimensions. Enter the nominal size into this calculator unless your supplier specifies actual dimensions. Hardwood lumber at lumber yards is sometimes sold by actual thickness in quarter-inch increments (4/4 = 1 in, 6/4 = 1.5 in).
Lumber prices are quoted per board foot for hardwoods and per linear foot or per piece for dimensional framing lumber. Typical hardwood prices range from $3–$20+ per board foot depending on species, grade and availability.
A 2×4 that is 8 feet long contains (2 × 4 × 8) ÷ 12 = 5.33 board feet. At $1 per board foot, this board costs about $5.33.
Measure the total surface area of your deck, then divide by the width of your decking boards (in feet). Multiply by the board thickness in inches, divide by 12 to get board feet. Add 15% for waste and end cuts.
Pine, fir and spruce (framing lumber) offer the most board feet per dollar. Hardwoods like oak, maple and walnut cost significantly more but offer greater durability and appearance.