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Board Foot Calculator
Compute total board feet for any quantity of dimensional softwood or hardwood
lumber — with a waste factor and optional cost estimate.
Calculation results
Total board feet
—BF
Board feet per piece
—BF
Total linear footage
—ft
Estimated cost
$—
Softwood prices use nominal dimensions. For hardwood from a sawmill, enter rough cut sizes (4/4 = 1″, 5/4 = 1¼″, 8/4 = 2″).
Informational only. Board-foot conventions vary slightly by region. Confirm whether your supplier prices on nominal or actual dimensions before placing a large order.
What is a board foot?
A board foot (BF) is the standard unit for pricing dimensional
and hardwood lumber in the U.S. and Canada. One BF is the volume of a board
1″ thick × 12″ wide × 1 ft long — exactly 144 in³ of lumber.
At $1.20/BF (a typical SPF #2 price in 2026), the order is about $158 of lumber.
Nominal vs actual — which to enter
Softwood (SPF, Douglas Fir, Yellow Pine for framing): the industry
prices by nominal dimensions. A 2×4 is calculated as 2 × 4, even though it
actually measures 1½″ × 3½″ after surfacing.
Hardwood (oak, maple, walnut from a sawmill or specialty supplier):
prices reflect the rough sawn dimension before surfacing. Enter actual rough
sizes — 4/4 = 1″ thick rough, 5/4 = 1¼″, 8/4 = 2″. Width is variable; use the
average width of the boards you are buying.
Common board-foot reference table
Size
BF per 8 ft
BF per 10 ft
BF per 12 ft
BF per 16 ft
2×4
5.33
6.67
8.00
10.67
2×6
8.00
10.00
12.00
16.00
2×8
10.67
13.33
16.00
21.33
2×10
13.33
16.67
20.00
26.67
2×12
16.00
20.00
24.00
32.00
4×4
10.67
13.33
16.00
21.33
4/4 × 6″
4.00
5.00
6.00
8.00
8/4 × 6″
8.00
10.00
12.00
16.00
Frequently asked questions
What is a board foot in lumber?
A board foot is a piece of lumber 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide and 1 foot long — exactly 144 cubic inches. It is the volume unit by which most dimensional and hardwood lumber is sold in the U.S. and Canada.
How do you calculate board feet?
Board feet per piece = (Thickness in inches × Width in inches × Length in feet) ÷ 12. Multiply by piece count and add a waste factor for the order total.
Should I use nominal or actual dimensions?
For softwood at a home centre or lumberyard, use nominal — that is the industry convention. For hardwood from a sawmill priced per BF, use the rough actual dimensions (4/4 = 1″, 5/4 = 1¼″, 8/4 = 2″).
How many board feet in a 2×4×8?
A 2×4 × 8 ft piece is (2 × 4 × 8) ÷ 12 = 5.33 BF. Ten of them is 53.3 BF before waste.
What is the difference between board feet and linear feet?
Board feet is a volume measurement (thickness × width × length). Linear feet is just the length. A 2×6 and a 2×12 of equal length have the same linear feet but very different board feet.
What waste factor should I use?
Straight cuts and standard joinery on softwood: 10 %. Hardwood with knot or defect cull: 15 %. Angled cuts, miters, or projects with lots of small parts: 15 – 20 %. Always round up to whole pieces or boards.
How does board-foot pricing work?
Suppliers post a price per BF. The lumberyard computes BF for each piece using the convention above and charges accordingly. Bundle pricing (e.g., 208 pieces of 2×4×8 per bundle) is typically 15 – 25 % cheaper per BF than loose retail.