Board Foot Calculator for Lumber

Calculate board feet for one size of lumber, multiply by quantity, and optionally estimate cost per board foot.

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Total board feet
Nominal sizeBF per piece
1 × 6 × 8 ft4 BF
2 × 4 × 8 ft5.33 BF
2 × 6 × 12 ft12 BF
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Board foot formula

Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) × quantity ÷ 12. Lumber yards may tally surfaced lumber from its nominal or pre-surfaced size, so confirm the seller’s method.

Common examples

Nominal board Board feet
1 × 6 × 8 ft 4 BF
2 × 4 × 8 ft 5.33 BF
2 × 6 × 12 ft 12 BF

How lumber is bought in the US

Hardwood is often priced by the board foot. Framing lumber such as 2×4s is commonly sold by the piece in fixed lengths, so use the dedicated quantity calculator for a wall.

2×4 quantity calculator · Metric lumber volume calculator

Misha Noyr, M.Eng.

Misha Noyr, M.Eng.

Civil Engineer · 15+ yrs · structural design, geotechnics. Full bio ↓