🪵 Board Foot Calculator
Input Dimensions
2×4
2×6
2×8
2×10
2×12
4×4
6×6
1×4
1×6
1×8
Current Result
About Board Feet
A board foot (BF) is the standard unit of lumber volume used in North America. One board foot equals 12 inches × 12 inches × 1 inch, or 144 cubic inches of wood. It's the go-to measurement for buying and selling hardwood lumber.
Calculation Formula
- Imperial: Board Feet = (Thickness[in] × Width[in] × Length[ft]) / 12 × Quantity
- Alternative: Board Feet = (Thickness[in] × Width[in] × Length[in]) / 144 × Quantity
- Metric conversion: 1 BF = 0.002359737 m³ = 2,359.74 cm³
Wood Density Reference
| Species | Density (lb/ft³) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Pine | 22–35 | Softwood |
| Cedar | 23 | Softwood |
| Poplar | 29 | Hardwood |
| Cherry | 35 | Hardwood |
| Walnut | 38 | Hardwood |
| Red Oak | 44 | Hardwood |
| White Oak | 47 | Hardwood |
| Hickory | 51 | Hardwood |
Tips
- Lumber sizes are nominal — actual dimensions are smaller. A 2×4 measures 1.5" × 3.5". This calculator uses actual dimensions.
- Recommended waste factor: 10% for standard cuts, 15–20% for complex projects.
- Weight estimates are based on average density and may vary ±15% depending on moisture content.
- Cost includes waste compensation: Total = Price/BF × Total BF × (1 + Waste%) × (1 + Tax%).