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Board Feet Calculator

Convert lumber dimensions (thickness x width x length) into board feet, the standard unit lumber is priced by.

Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Figures are presented for United States against IRC 2024, and every formula is cited under regulatory standards below.

Last verified 2026-08-25 · v1.0.0

Market
Imperial · sales tax

Estimated board feet needed

4 board feet

High confidence
Per board
4 board ft
Number of boards
1 boards
Cubic feet (total)
0.33 cu ft

With the figures above, the result comes to 4 board feet. Note that number of boards sits at the low end of the range this calculator was checked against, so treat the output as indicative rather than settled. This is calculated for United States and cites IRC 2024. Building in another market? Change the selector above so the units and code reference follow.

Estimated cost — your price

This site holds no price list for this material — local prices vary too much to publish honestly. Enter your supplier's price and the result is costed with it.

Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — confirmed fixes become pinned regression tests.

[Schema Verified] Computed in alignment with American Concrete Institute (ACI 318-19) formulas and International Residential Code (IRC 2024) spatial boundaries.

Regulatory standards & verification citations

  • Standard formula: board feet = (thickness in inches x width in inches x length in feet) / 12

Your workspace

Most jobs need more than one number. Add the calculators you need next and they open right here, underneath this one — your figures stay on screen and nothing is lost to a page change.

Frequently asked questions

What is a board foot?
A board foot is a volume unit equal to a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 1 foot long (144 cubic inches). Hardwood lumber is priced by the board foot; softwood dimensional lumber is usually priced per piece or linear foot instead.
Nominal vs actual dimensions — which do I use?
Use nominal (the labeled size, e.g. '2x4') for board-foot calculations and pricing — that's the industry convention, even though the actual milled size is smaller (a '2x4' is actually 1.5 x 3.5 inches).
Does this work for metric lumber sizes?
Not directly — board feet is a US/imperial lumber convention. Convert your metric dimensions to inches and feet first.