BuildCalc

Board Foot Calculator

A board foot is a volume of lumber 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide and 1 foot long (144 in³). Enter the rough dimensions and quantity to total the board feet and cost.

Your measurements

in
in
ft
$

Per board

Board feet each
4 bd ft
Nominal size
1 × 6 × 8 ft

Order

Boards
1 boards

Total board feet

4 bd ft

Estimates only. Order a little extra for waste and verify against your supplier's coverage figures.

The formula

Board feet = (Thickness in × Width in × Length ft) ÷ 12 × Quantity

Example: A 1 in × 6 in × 8 ft board = (1 × 6 × 8) ÷ 12 = 4 board feet.

How it works

  1. 1Multiply thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft), then divide by 12.
  2. 2That gives board feet for one board; multiply by quantity for the total.
  3. 3Hardwood is priced per board foot, so multiply by the unit price for cost.

Frequently asked questions

Is a board foot the same as a linear foot?

No. A linear foot only measures length. A board foot measures volume (thickness × width × length), so two boards of the same length can have very different board-foot counts.