Board Foot Calculator

Calculator Design (No. of boards, length, width, thickness, & Total Board Foot in bd ft)

What is a Board Foot?

A board foot is a unit used to measure the volume of timber. While the unit square foot measures the area, the unit board foot is used for measuring the volume. But why do you need to know about this unit? If you are planning to purchase hardwood lumber, you will get pricing per unit volume. Also, most lumber pricing uses a board foot as the unit volume of the board. Thus, you should have a clear idea about the board foot tocalculate the total price of the board.

We purchase softwoods by square foot, whereas in the case of hardwoods, we need to consider volume due to different widths and thicknesses. Board feet are considered the uniform pricing metric for specialized and expensive projects like cabinetry or furniture.

How to Calculate Board Feet?

A board foot can be defined as the volume of lumber that covers one square foot of area with a thickness of one inch.

1 board foot = 144 cubic inches (for a board of 12 inches in length, 12 inches in width, and 1 inch in thickness) = 1/12 cubic foot

If the length, width, and thickness of the board are given in inches, then use this formula to calculate board feet-

Board Feet= Length (inches) × Width (inches) × Thickness (inches) ÷ 144

While calculating board feet, it is important to focus on the units. For instance, if the wooden board’s length is expressed in feet, whereas the width and thickness are in inches, then you have to use the following formula-

Board Feet = Length (feet) × Width (inches) × Thickness (inches) ÷ 12

Board Feet Charts

The below table expresses board feetper linearfoot for some standard lumber sizes-

Lumber Size	Board Feet/ Linear Foot
1 x 4	0.3333
1 x 6	0.5
1 x 8	0.6667
1 x 10	0.8333
1 x 12	1
2 x 2	0.3333
2 x 4	0.6667
2 x 6	1
2 x 8	1.3333
2 x 10	1.6667
2 x 12	2
4 x 4	1.3333
4 x 6	2
4 x 8	2.6667
4 x 10	3.3333
4 x 12	4

Common Practical Charts to Determine Board Feet

The two most commonly used lumber board sizes are 4/4 lumber and 8/4 lumber. The below chart shows board feet measurements at different lengths and widths for 4/4” thick lumber and 8/4” thick lumber-

4/4 Lumber (1″ Thick)
	4′ L	6′ L	8′ L	10′ L	12′ L	14′ L
4″ W	1.33 BF	2.0 BF	2.67 BF	3.33 BF	4.0 BF	4.67 BF
6″ W	2.0 BF	3.0 BF	4.0 BF	5.0 BF	6.0 BF	7.0 BF
8″ W	2.67 BF	4.0 BF	5.33 BF	6.67 BF	8.0 BF	9.33 BF
10″ W	3.33 BF	5.0 BF	6.67 BF	8.33 BF	10.0 BF	11.67 BF
12″ W	4.0 BF	6.0 BF	8.0 BF	10.0 BF	12.0 BF	14.0 BF
8/4 Lumber (2″ Thick)
	4′ L	6′ L	8′ L	10′ L	12′ L	14′ L
4″ W	2.67 BF	4.0 BF	5.33 BF	6.67 BF	8.0 BF	9.33 BF
6″ W	4.0 BF	6.0 BF	8.0 BF	10.0 BF	12.0 BF	14.0 BF
8″ W	5.33 BF	8.0 BF	10.67 BF	13.33 BF	16.0 BF	18.67 BF
10″ W	6.67 BF	10.0 BF	13.33 BF	16.67 BF	20.0 BF	23.33 BF
12″ W	8.0 BF	12.0 BF	16.0 BF	20.0 BF	24.0 BF	28.0 BF

Board Feet Measurement for Different Lumber Applications

• Constructing Decking Materials:

In the case of decking materials construction, knowing the board feet of the decks will help you estimate the construction cost.

Board Feet per linear foot (for a deck with 2×6 planks) = 0.763 Board Feet (where, Length = 1 ft, Width = 5.5 inches, and Thickness =1.5 inches).

• Cabinet Crafting:

We often see the use of hardwoods to craft cabinets sophisticatedly. The hardwoods for cabinetry are typically 8 inches wide and ¾ inches thick.

Board Feet per linear foot (for cabinetry hardwoods) = 0.5 Board Feet (where, Length = 1 ft, Width = 8 inches, and Thickness =0.75 inches).

• Custom Furniture: An Example

Imagine you want to craft a tea table with a wood slab. Now, the wood slab is 3 feet in length, 20 inches in width, and 2 inches thick.

Board Feet

= Length (inches) × Width (inches) × Thickness (inches) ÷ 144

= 36 inches × 20 inches × 2 inches ÷ 144                  (3 ft = 36 in)

= 10 BF

Therefore, to craft this tea table, we will require 10 BF of wood slab.

Frequently Asked Questions about Board Foot Calculator