Board Foot Calculator

Work out lumber board feet, volume and cost from thickness, width, length and quantity

About this calculator

The Board Foot Calculator works out how much lumber you are buying. A board foot is 144 cubic inches — a piece 1 foot long, 1 foot wide and 1 inch thick — so board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12, or ÷ 144 when the length is in inches. Enter thickness as a decimal or in hardwood quarter notation (4/4 = 1 in, 8/4 = 2 in), plus width, length, the number of boards and an optional price per board foot. It returns board feet per board, total board feet, total cost, and the equivalent volume in cubic feet and cubic metres. Lumber is normally sold by nominal size, so a 2×4 counts as 2 × 4 in even though it measures about 1½ × 3½ in.

How to use the Board Foot Calculator calculator

  1. Enter your values into the input fields.
  2. Read the result — it updates instantly as you type.
  3. Adjust the inputs to compare scenarios.
  4. Copy the page URL to share the exact calculation.

Common examples

  • 2 in × 6 in × 8 ft → 2 × 6 × 8 ÷ 12 = 8 board feet
  • 1 in × 12 in × 12 in → 1 × 12 × 12 ÷ 144 = 1 board foot
  • 5 boards of 2 in × 4 in × 10 ft at $3.50/BF → 33.33 BF, $116.67
  • 8/4 walnut, 6 in × 8 ft → 2 in thick → 8 BF per board (0.0189 m³)

Frequently asked questions

How does the Board Foot Calculator calculator work?

Enter your numbers and the calculator applies the standard formula for this everyday task, showing the result and how it was reached. It handles the unit and rounding details so you do not have to.

When would I use the Board Foot Calculator calculator?

Whenever this comes up in daily life — planning, shopping, home projects, travel or work — and you want a quick, dependable answer instead of estimating or working it out by hand.

How accurate are the results?

The math runs at full precision internally and only the displayed value is rounded for readability. For real-world use the practical limit is the accuracy of the numbers you enter, not the calculation.

Can I share a specific calculation with someone else?

Yes. Every value you enter updates the URL, so copying the address bar and sharing the link reopens the exact same calculation for whoever clicks it.