Board Foot Calculator
Compute board feet for one or many boards (thickness × width × length ÷ 12) and price the lot at $/BF.
Processed locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Board Foot Calculator
Boards (nominal thickness × width in inches, length in feet)
4 BF
Results
- Total board feet
- 4 BF
BF = thickness(in) × width(in) × length(ft) ÷ 12
Hardwood is sold by nominal (rough-sawn) dimensions — use nominal sizes, not surfaced.
About Board Foot Calculator
A board foot is 144 cubic inches of lumber: thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12. Add a row per board size, set quantities, and the tool totals the board feet and multiplies by your price per BF — the way hardwood dealers actually quote.
Common uses
- Total the board feet in a hardwood cut list before visiting the lumberyard
- Convert a $/BF quote into the real cost of a furniture project
Example
Input
2 pcs 1 in × 6 in × 8 ft + 3 pcs 2 in × 4 in × 10 ft at $5/BF
Output
28 board feet ≈ $140
Limitations
- Use nominal (rough-sawn) dimensions — surfaced lumber measures smaller but is sold by nominal size
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate board feet?
Thickness in inches × width in inches × length in feet ÷ 12. A board foot is 144 cubic inches of wood, so a 1 in × 6 in board 8 ft long is 4 board feet.
How many board feet are in an 8-foot 2x4?
5.33 board feet — 2 × 4 × 8 ÷ 12. Construction 2x4s are usually priced per piece rather than per board foot, but the figure is useful when you're comparing a lumberyard's $/BF quote against dimensional stock.
What does 4/4 mean when buying hardwood?
Quarters of an inch of rough thickness: 4/4 is 1 in, 5/4 is 1.25 in, 8/4 is 2 in. Enter that number as the thickness in inches — 8/4 walnut goes in as 2.
Do I use the nominal or the actual measured thickness?
Nominal, the rough-sawn size the board is sold as. A surfaced 4/4 hardwood board typically measures about 13/16 in and a nominal 2x4 measures 1.5 × 3.5 in, but both are billed at the nominal dimension, so measuring the finished board undercounts what you'll pay for.
Is my cut list stored or sent anywhere?
No. Board rows, quantities, and prices are totalled in your browser — nothing about your project is uploaded or saved on a server.