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Board-Foot Calculator

Turn thickness, width, length, and quantity into a practical lumber-volume estimate.

Lumber math

Estimate the lumber before the cut.

Add each board size, its quantity, and your per-board-foot price. Totals include your waste allowance.

Board 1
Total lumber
4.0 board feet
With 15% waste
4.6 BF
At $8.75/BF
$40.25

Rough-thickness presets use nominal values: 4/4 = 1″, 5/4 = 1¼″, 6/4 = 1½″, 8/4 = 2″, 10/4 = 2½″, and 12/4 = 3″. Actual finished thickness varies after milling.

A couple of useful details

Turn board dimensions into lumber volume.

Enter thickness, width, length, and quantity to estimate board feet. Use the result for planning and pricing; confirm actual dressed dimensions with the supplier.

Example

A 2 × 6 × 8 board is 8 board feet by nominal dimensions.

What is a board foot?

One board foot is the volume of a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. The calculator uses the dimensions and quantities you enter.