Materials & quantities
Board Feet Calculator
Calculate nominal board feet from thickness, width, and length in common lumber units.
Use this to compare a measured lumber quantity with a supplier's board-foot pricing, while retaining actual piece counts separately.
What the result means
Board feet are a volume-style quantity using the entered dimensions. The result is not a count of boards or a grade/price estimate.
The formula
Thickness in * width in * length ft / 12
Results are displayed to at most two decimal places. Calculations use the unrounded inputs.
A worked example
Put the formula to work
- Thickness (inches)
- 2
- Width (inches)
- 6
- Length (feet)
- 10
Board feet: 10
A 2 by 6 board ten feet long contains 10 board feet on this nominal basis.
How to use this calculator
- Confirm the supplier's nominal or actual dimension convention.
- Enter thickness and width in inches.
- Enter length in feet.
- Multiply and divide by 12, then compare with the supplier's unit.
Why this number matters
Board feet translate three dimensions into a common lumber quantity without inventing a price or grade assumption.
Input definitions
- Thickness (inches)
- Nominal or measured thickness basis in inches.
- Width (inches)
- Board width in inches.
- Length (feet)
- Board length in feet.
Assumptions and limitations
- Nominal and actual dimensions differ across products and regions.
- The result does not account for defects, cutting waste, species, or grade.
- It is not a structural sizing recommendation.
Methodology
The default result and worked example use the same calculation functions as the interactive tool. The formula cannot verify the quality or scope of your source data.
Read our calculation methodology
Last updated .