Lumber Board Feet Calculator
The Lumber Board Feet Calculator converts the dimensions of your lumber into board feet, the standard unit U.S. lumber yards use for pricing hardwood and specialty wood. In metric mode it reports timber volume in liters and cubic meters instead, since board feet is a U.S.-only unit. Because the calculator multiplies whatever thickness and width you enter, it doesn't automatically convert framing lumber's nominal size (like a "2×6") to its actual milled dimensions (1.5 in × 5.5 in) — using nominal dimensions instead of actual measured ones overstates the true board footage by roughly 40–50% for common dimensional sizes, which matters when you're pricing lumber by the board foot rather than by the piece. Most hardwood dealers also round each board's footage up to the nearest half or whole board foot before pricing, rather than billing on the precise decimal this calculator returns, so expect your invoice to run slightly higher than the raw sum of your individual calculations.
Switch between U.S. Customary and Metric units.
How This Tool Works
Pick your units, then enter the thickness, width, and length of a single board, plus how many pieces you need, to get total board feet (or timber volume in metric).
Formula & Method
Board feet = (thickness in inches × width in inches × length in feet) ÷ 12, multiplied by quantity. In metric, the tool reports timber volume (thickness cm × width cm × length m × quantity) in liters and cubic meters.
Example Calculation
For a rough-sawn board measuring 2 in thick, 7 in wide, and 6 ft long: board feet per piece = (2 × 7 × 6) ÷ 12 = 84 ÷ 12 = 7 board feet. For an order of 3 identical boards: total = 7 × 3 = 21 board feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a board foot?+
A board foot is a unit of volume equal to a piece of wood 12 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 1 inch thick (144 cubic inches).
How do I calculate timber volume in metric?+
Switch the unit toggle to Metric and enter thickness and width in centimeters and length in meters. Board feet is a U.S.-only unit, so metric mode returns the timber volume in liters and cubic meters instead.
Why does lumber use board feet instead of linear feet?+
Board feet account for thickness and width, not just length, which matters for pricing hardwoods sold by volume rather than standard dimensional lumber.
Is nominal or actual lumber size used here?+
Enter whichever dimensions you're quoted — nominal (e.g., "2×6") for framing lumber pricing, or actual measured size for rough-sawn or hardwood lumber.
Why is my calculated board footage different from what my lumberyard charges me?+
Lumberyards typically round each board's footage up to the nearest half or whole board foot for invoicing, rather than billing on the precise decimal this calculator returns. For a single board the difference is small, but it compounds across a large order of odd-sized boards.
Does the quantity field let me total up boards of different sizes?+
No — the quantity field multiplies a single set of dimensions only. If you're ordering boards in several different sizes, run the calculator once per size and add the board-foot totals together yourself.
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<a href="https://everyfix.net/tools/lumber-board-feet-calculator/">Lumber Board Feet Calculator</a> by <a href="https://everyfix.net">EveryFix</a>Related Tools
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