Calculate board feet for lumber purchases. Enter nominal dimensions and get exact board footage, total for multiple pieces, and estimated cost. Essential for buying hardwood, rough-sawn lumber, and custom milling orders.
Board Feet = (Thickness × Width × Length) ÷ 144
Using nominal dimensions in inches, length in inches
Board footage uses nominal dimensions. Actual lumber dimensions are smaller than nominal.
Not sure about actual lumber sizes? Check our lumber dimensions reference
Buying ten 2×6 boards at 8 feet long? Each board is 8.00 board feet (2 × 6 × 96 ÷ 144). Ten boards is 80 board feet total. At $5 per board foot for kiln-dried hardwood, that's $400.
| Lumber Size | 8 ft | 10 ft | 12 ft | 16 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1×4 | 2.67 | 3.33 | 4.00 | 5.33 |
| 1×6 | 4.00 | 5.00 | 6.00 | 8.00 |
| 2×4 | 5.33 | 6.67 | 8.00 | 10.67 |
| 2×6 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 12.00 | 16.00 |
| 2×8 | 10.67 | 13.33 | 16.00 | 21.33 |
| 2×10 | 13.33 | 16.67 | 20.00 | 26.67 |
| 2×12 | 16.00 | 20.00 | 24.00 | 32.00 |
| 4×4 | 10.67 | 13.33 | 16.00 | 21.33 |
A board foot is a unit of lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches — equivalent to a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 1 foot long. It's the standard unit for pricing hardwood and rough-sawn lumber.
Multiply thickness (inches) × width (inches) × length (inches), then divide by 144. For length in feet: thickness × width × length ÷ 12.
Nominal dimensions. A 2×4 is calculated as 2 inches × 4 inches, even though its actual size is 1.5 × 3.5 inches.
5.33 board feet. (2 × 4 × 96) ÷ 144 = 5.33.
Common species: red oak $4–$7/bf, poplar $3–$5/bf, maple $5–$8/bf, walnut $8–$14/bf, cherry $6–$10/bf. Prices vary widely by region, quality, and thickness.
Typical Results
💡 Hardwoods are priced per board foot. Softwood framing lumber is typically priced per piece.