Board Foot Calculator
A board foot calculator converts lumber thickness, width, length and quantity into the buyable board-foot volume, then adds waste allowance and price-per-board-foot cost.
Board foot formula
Board feet measure volume, not area. Enter actual lumber dimensions unless you intentionally want a nominal construction-lumber estimate.
BF = thickness_in * width_in * length_ft / 12
Quantity, waste and cost
Multiply board feet per piece by quantity, then add overage for end trim, kerf, defects, grain selection and matching before applying price per board foot.
buy_BF = BF_each * quantity * (1 + waste_percent / 100)
When a chart is enough
Use the chart for quick one-inch-thick rough lumber rows. Use the calculator when thickness, quantity, waste, dressed dimensions or price changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is board foot singular or board feet plural?
Both describe the same lumber volume unit. One board foot is 144 cubic inches; most totals are reported as board feet.
Should I use nominal or actual dimensions?
Use the dimensions used for the sale or tally. Rough hardwood is often tallied differently from dressed construction lumber.
Related pages
- Board feet calculator - live lumber volume, waste and cost calculator.
- Board feet chart - quick lookup rows for common widths and lengths.
- Lumber board foot calculator - rough-lumber search path with thickness and tally notes.
- Cut list calculator - move from volume to repeated stock-board cuts.
- Lumber weight calculator - estimate handling, payload and freight weight.