Home
Back
Board Feet Formula:
| From: | To: |
Board feet is a measurement of lumber volume. One board foot equals 144 cubic inches, which is equivalent to a piece of wood 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. It's the standard unit for buying and selling lumber in North America.
The calculator uses the board feet formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the volume of each lumber piece in board feet and sums them to get the total volume.
Details: Accurate board feet calculation is essential for pricing lumber, estimating project costs, and ensuring you purchase the correct amount of wood for construction or woodworking projects.
Tips: Enter the number of pieces first, then provide thickness in inches, width in inches, and length in feet for each piece. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: Why divide by 12 in the formula?
A: We divide by 12 to convert the measurement from cubic inches to board feet, since one board foot equals 144 cubic inches (12×12).
Q2: How do I measure lumber dimensions?
A: Measure thickness and width in inches across the grain, and length in feet along the grain. Use the nominal dimensions for rough lumber or actual dimensions for planed wood.
Q3: Does the calculation account for waste?
A: No, this calculator provides the exact board feet measurement. You should add 10-20% extra for cutting waste depending on your project.
Q4: Can I use this for metric measurements?
A: This calculator uses imperial measurements. For metric, you would need to convert to cubic meters or use a different formula.
Q5: How accurate is board feet pricing?
A: Board feet is the standard measurement for lumber pricing, but prices can vary based on wood species, grade, moisture content, and market conditions.