Board Feet Calculator
A board foot is a volume unit for lumber: thickness in inches times width in inches times length in feet, divided by 12, times the piece count. Nominal sizes are not dressed sizes. Estimate only, not a mill ticket or grade stamp.
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How to estimate board feet
- Enter thickness and width in inches. A common 2x6 uses 2 and 6 as nominal, not the dressed 1.5 by 5.5.
- Enter length in feet. The default is an 8 ft stick.
- Enter how many pieces. Count must be greater than 0.
- Read board feet. The default 2 × 6 × 8 / 12 is 8 board feet. Confirm with the yard. Estimate only.
Board foot
Lumber volume: T(in) × W(in) × L(ft) / 12 × pieces
| Formula | BF = T × W × L / 12 × pieces |
|---|---|
| Default example | 2 × 6 × 8 / 12 = 8 board feet |
| Thickness and width | Inches |
| Length | Feet |
| Nominal versus dressed | You choose which pair to type. The engine does not convert. |
| Advice | Estimate only. Not a grade stamp or mill cert. |
What a board foot is
One board foot is 144 cubic inches of wood, the volume of a 1 in by 12 in by 12 in piece. The trade formula uses inches for the two faces and feet for length, then divides by 12. Floor area without thickness is the square footage page and is not a board-foot takeoff.
How board feet are computed
BF = thickness(in) × width(in) × length(ft) / 12 × pieces. Every factor must be greater than 0. The default 2 × 6 × 8 × 1 / 12 equals 8. If you type dressed 1.5 × 5.5 for the same stick, the volume drops. The page does not switch nominal to dressed for you.
Nominal lumber, hardwood, and related area
Softwood 2x stock is often sold on nominal board feet. Hardwood may use surface measure. Doyle, Scribner, and International log rules are log-scale systems, not this dimensional identity. Waste, kerf, and moisture are out of scope.
Use cases
A deck joist count, a homework 2x6x8 check, or converting a cut list into a single BF total. Not structural design and not a building-code span table.
Limits
No dressed-size table. No species. No grade. Not code approval. CZNull does not receive the sizes.