Board Foot Calculator

A board foot is a volume equal to a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. Enter actual dimensions unless your estimate explicitly uses nominal dimensions.

Inputs

Unit system
Item 1

Result

Results update as you type.

Calculated result
Board feet to order
6 bd ft
Volume to order
0.5 ft³

How to use this calculator

Enter actual thickness and width.

Enter board length and the number of identical pieces.

Add line items and read the total board-foot volume.

Formula

Board feet = thickness(in) × width(in) × length(ft) × quantity ÷ 12.

Worked example

Ten boards measuring 1 in × 6 in × 8 ft equal 1 × 6 × 8 × 10 ÷ 12 = 40 board feet.

Assumptions and limits

  • Dimensions represent rectangular solid lumber.
  • Nominal dimensions are not converted automatically.
  • Kerf, surfacing loss, defects, and waste are excluded unless added separately.

Sources

Related calculators

Frequently asked questions

Is a board foot the same as a square foot?

No. A board foot measures volume, while a square foot measures area.

Can I use metric and US customary units in the Board Foot Calculator?

Yes. Unit changes convert the same canonical measurement; they do not reinterpret or round your original value.

When does the calculator round?

The calculation keeps full precision internally and rounds only the displayed result. Whole packages are rounded up at the final step.

Last updated · formula-v1 · content-2026-08-14 · Trusty Calculator Editorial Team