Home
Back
Board Feet Formula:
| From: | To: |
Board foot is a specialized unit of measure for the volume of lumber in the United States and Canada. It represents the volume of a one-foot length of a board one foot wide and one inch thick.
The calculator uses the standard board foot formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates how many board feet are in a piece of lumber based on its dimensions. The division by 12 converts the cubic measurement into the standard board foot unit.
Details: Accurate board foot calculation is essential for lumber pricing, inventory management, project planning, and ensuring you purchase the correct amount of wood for construction or woodworking projects.
Tips: Enter length in feet, width in inches, and thickness in inches. All values must be positive numbers. The calculator will provide the board footage measurement.
Q1: Why is board foot measurement important in lumber industry?
A: Board foot is the standard unit for buying and selling lumber in North America, allowing for consistent pricing based on volume rather than just linear feet.
Q2: How does board foot differ from linear foot?
A: Linear foot measures only length, while board foot measures volume (length × width × thickness). Board foot accounts for all three dimensions of the lumber.
Q3: Can I use this calculator for metric measurements?
A: No, this calculator is specifically designed for imperial measurements (feet and inches) as board foot is an imperial unit. Convert metric measurements to imperial before using this calculator.
Q4: How accurate is board foot calculation for estimating lumber needs?
A: Board foot calculation provides an excellent estimate for lumber volume, but actual needs may vary based on waste factors, wood quality, and specific project requirements.
Q5: Does the calculation account for wood shrinkage or planing?
A: No, this calculator uses nominal dimensions. In practice, lumber is often sold by nominal size (e.g., 2×4) which is larger than the actual dressed size after planing.