MachineCalcs

Lumber Board Foot Calculator

Lumber board-foot tallies depend on actual or tally thickness, width, length, quantity and waste. Use the working calculator when rough thickness, dressed dimensions or price per board foot changes.

Calculate lumber board feet Build a cut list
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Rough lumber tally

For hardwood and rough stock, board footage is often tallied from thickness conventions such as 4/4, 5/4, 6/4 and 8/4 plus measured width and length.

Thickness convention

  • 4/4: use 1.00 inch tally thickness.
  • 5/4: use 1.25 inch tally thickness.
  • 6/4: use 1.50 inch tally thickness.
  • 8/4: use 2.00 inch tally thickness.

Move from tally to cuts

After volume and cost are known, use the cut list when part lengths, kerf, end trim and stock-board packing decide what to buy.

Frequently asked questions

What is 4/4 lumber in board feet?

For board-foot math, 4/4 is usually tallied as 1 inch thickness before multiplying by width, length and quantity.

Can I use dressed dimensions?

Yes. Enter the dimensions that match your buying or estimating convention, and keep that convention consistent with the seller price.

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