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Board Foot Formula:
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Board foot is a unit of measurement for lumber volume. One board foot equals 144 cubic inches, typically represented as 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. It's the standard measurement used in the lumber industry for buying and selling wood.
The calculator uses the board foot formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the volume of lumber in board feet by multiplying the three dimensions and dividing by 12 to convert to the standard board foot measurement.
Details: Accurate board foot calculation is essential for pricing lumber, estimating project costs, determining material requirements, and ensuring fair transactions between buyers and sellers in the wood industry.
Tips: Enter thickness and width in inches, length in feet. All values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the total board feet based on your inputs.
Q1: Why divide by 12 in the formula?
A: We divide by 12 because one board foot equals 144 cubic inches (12×12), and the formula T×W×L gives us cubic inches when L is converted to inches (L×12). The division simplifies to T×W×L/12.
Q2: How accurate is board foot measurement?
A: Board foot measurement is standardized and widely accepted in the lumber industry. However, actual volume may vary slightly due to wood milling practices and moisture content.
Q3: Can I use this for different wood types?
A: Yes, the board foot calculation works for all wood types. However, pricing will vary significantly between different wood species and grades.
Q4: How does board foot relate to linear foot?
A: Linear foot measures length only, while board foot measures volume. A board that is 1 inch thick and 12 inches wide has 1 board foot per linear foot.
Q5: What about waste factor in calculations?
A: This calculator provides the exact board foot measurement. For practical projects, you should add 10-20% to account for cutting waste and defects in the wood.