Construction CalculatorMaterial estimatePlanning guide

Board Foot Calculator

Calculate board feet for rough lumber, hardwood boards, slabs, and project stock. Enter thickness, width, length, quantity, and price per board foot to estimate volume and material cost before buying lumber.

Enter project measurements

Round material quantities up before ordering.

Estimated result

Board feet
-
With waste
-
Estimated cost
-
Cubic feet
-
Board feet measure rough lumber volume, not finished dimensions after milling. Plan extra stock for straightening, surfacing, knots, checks, and matching grain.

How this calculator works

Board feet are calculated as thickness in inches times width in inches times length in feet, divided by 12. The calculator multiplies that by quantity, then applies a waste allowance for ordering. Cost is the board feet with waste multiplied by the entered price per board foot.

Example: six boards that are 2 inches thick, 8 inches wide, and 10 feet long equal 80.0 board feet. With 10% waste, the order estimate is 88.0 board feet, costing about 572.00 at 6.50 per board foot.

Common reference values

FormulaUseNote
T x W x L / 12Board feetT and W in inches, L in feet
1 board foot144 cubic inchesVolume unit for lumber
Waste10%-25%Higher for furniture-grade selection
PricePer board footCommon for hardwood lumber

Ordering advice

Order enough extra lumber for milling loss and grain selection, especially for visible furniture parts. For rough lumber, final usable thickness and width are usually smaller after flattening and jointing. Keep species, grade, moisture content, and board length availability in the purchasing plan.

Frequently asked questions

What is a board foot?

A board foot is a lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches, commonly shown as a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long.

Do I use nominal or actual dimensions?

For rough lumber pricing, use the dimensions the supplier uses. For project yield, also account for final surfaced dimensions.

How much waste should I add?

Ten percent can work for simple projects, but furniture, slabs, defects, and grain matching often need 20% or more.

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