Quick Calculators · Free to use
Board Foot Calculator
Calculate board feet from the dimensions you enter, with no nominal-size conversion.
Your estimate
Enter your measurements to see the estimate.
Total board feet
board ft- Board feet per board
- board ft
A board foot is a volume unit equal to 144 cubic inches.
Uses exactly the dimensions entered. Nominal and actual lumber sizes differ; confirm whether you need physical volume or a supplier’s billed dimensions. This does not calculate strength, usable yield, or lumber grade.
How to Use This Calculator
Calculate board feet from the dimensions you enter, with no nominal-size conversion.
Decimals and fractions accepted for dimensions. Unmarked values use the labeled unit; explicit feet/inches are converted. For example, 10' 6 1/4" is an explicit length; 10.6 means 10.6 of the labeled unit. Rates, prices, counts and areas use numbers only.
Inputs and where to find them
Board thickness (in). Use the board thickness appropriate to your purpose. For physical volume, measure the actual lumber; for a supplier tally, use the dimensions that supplier bills. The calculator will not replace the number with a nominal lumber size.
Board width (in). Enter the width of one board using the same actual-or-billed basis as its thickness. Keep that basis consistent so the result represents either the measured lumber or the supplier’s tally, rather than a mixture of the two.
Board length (ft). Enter the length of one board, in feet. Do not enter the combined length of all boards if you are also using the quantity field. Calculate different sizes or lengths separately.
Number of boards. Enter how many boards share the dimensions above. This must be a whole count. The result multiplies the volume of one board by this number; it does not estimate usable yield after defects or cutting.
Results, example and assumptions
Board feet measure lumber volume, not linear footage. The per-board result describes one board with the entered dimensions; the total multiplies that volume by the board count. Compare it with a supplier tally only when both use the same actual or billed dimensions.
Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) × quantity ÷ 12.
Worked example: Ten boards entered as 1.5 in thick × 5.5 in wide × 8 ft long have 5.5 board feet per board, or 55 board feet total. These entered dimensions are not automatically replaced with nominal 2 × 6 dimensions.
Uses exactly the dimensions entered. Nominal and actual lumber sizes differ; confirm whether you need physical volume or a supplier’s billed dimensions. This does not calculate strength, usable yield, or lumber grade.