A board feet calculator measures lumber volume, which is how hardwood and many rough-sawn boards are priced. Enter a board’s thickness, width and length, along with the number of boards, and it calculates the total board feet so you can estimate cost and plan projects.
One board foot equals a piece of wood 12 inches long, 12 inches wide and 1 inch thick, or 144 cubic inches. The formula is: board feet = (thickness in inches × width in inches × length in inches) ÷ 144. If length is in feet, use (thickness × width × length in feet) ÷ 12. For example, a board that’s 2 inches thick, 6 inches wide and 8 feet long is (2 × 6 × 8) ÷ 12 = 8 board feet.
Lumber thickness is often described in quarters: 4/4 is 1 inch, 5/4 is 1.25 inches and 8/4 is 2 inches. Board feet are typically calculated using the nominal rough thickness, not the final planed dimension. Price per board foot × total board feet gives your cost.
Tips: add 15 to 30 percent extra for waste, defects and cutting losses, depending on the wood grade and your project. Measure the actual width of each rough board, since widths vary. For dimensional lumber like 2x4s sold at home centers, pricing is usually per piece, not per board foot.
How to use the Board Feet Calculator on Minedit: enter your values in the fields, press calculate, and review the step-by-step breakdown under the result. If something looks off, change one input at a time to see how it affects the answer, which is also a great way to learn the math behind it.
Why use an online Board Feet Calculator: it saves time, avoids simple arithmetic mistakes and shows each step, so you can check your homework, plan a project or make a decision with confidence. Bookmark the page so it’s ready the next time you need it.
Learn more on Wikipedia’s board foot article. Find rafter, stud and stair stringer calculators on Minedit.