Board Feet Calculator

Board feet for any lumber order: thickness × width × length ÷ 12 per piece, times quantity, with price per board foot.

Use nominal size for dimension lumber (a 2×8 counts as 2 in × 8 in). Hardwood is often sold in quarters: 4/4 = 1 in, 8/4 = 2 in.
$per board foot
Your rate is remembered on this device.
Total board feet
32.00 bd ft
Board feet per piece
32.00 bd ft
Volume (nominal)
2.6667
Estimated cost
$128.00

Estimate generated with SortedSums: https://sortedsums.com/board-feet-calculator/. For informational purposes only; verify before relying on it.

Estimate only. This tool is for informational and educational purposes. Results depend on your inputs and simplifying assumptions, and are not a substitute for professional engineering, design or financial advice. Always verify with a qualified professional and applicable codes before purchasing, building or making decisions.

How it’s calculated

A board foot is the volume of a board 1 in thick, 12 in wide and 1 ft long (144 in³ or 1/12 ft³).

Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12 Total = board feet per piece × number of pieces

Example: a plank 2 in × 8 in × 24 ft contains (2 × 8 × 24) ÷ 12 = 32 board feet. At $4 per board foot that is $128.

Softwood dimension lumber is tallied by nominal size (a 2×4 is really about 1½ × 3½ in), so enter nominal sizes unless your yard sells by actual dimensions. 1,000 board feet is written MBF.

Frequently asked questions

How many board feet are in a 2x4x8?

2 × 4 × 8 ÷ 12 = 5.33 board feet, using the nominal size.

How do I calculate board feet with all measurements in inches?

Multiply thickness × width × length in inches and divide by 144.

What does 4/4 or 8/4 mean?

Hardwood thickness in quarter inches: 4/4 is 1 in, 6/4 is 1½ in and 8/4 is 2 in of rough thickness.

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Sources

Formulas are taken from the free public references above. Results are provided “as is” for informational and educational purposes only. See our disclaimer.

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