What is a Board Foot?
A board foot is a common hardwood lumber measurement unit. A board foot is a volume, as opposed to a square foot, which is a common unit for area.
One board foot equates to one sq ft of lumber with one inch of thickness.
How to Calculate Board Feet Measurements
The board foot calculator will do the work to get your desired lumber measurements. Find out how it is calculated in this simple board foot formula:
Length in Inches
Multiply the board’s thickness by its width and length, then divide it by 144.
Board footage formula: (thickness x width x length) / 144

Length in Feet
Multiply the thickness by the width in inches and by the length in feet, then divide by 12.
Board Footage Formula: Thickness (in.) x Width (in.) x Length (ft.) / 12
How to Calculate the Cost
The estimated cost of lumber is achieved by getting the total number of board feet in one lumber, multiplied by the quantity of boards.
If you know the price per board foot [1], multiply the calculated result by the price per board foot to get the total cost for the boards.
How to Use the Board Foot Calculator
To start using the calculator, simply enter the length, width, and thickness of the lumber you intend to use. Then, enter the cost of each given board to get the price.

You can also specify the number of boards needed.
Click the “Calculate” button for the total board feet.
Interesting Read: What is Common Board?
Board Feet Charts
4/4 Lumber (1-Inch Thick)
4’ L | 6’ L | 8’ L | 10’ L | 12’ L | 14’ L | |
4” W | 1.33 BF | 2.0 BF | 2.67 BF | 3.33 BF | 4.0 BF | 4.67 BF |
6” W | 2.0 BF | 3.0 BF | 4.0 BF | 5.0 BF | 6.0 BF | 7.0 BF |
8” W | 2.67 BF | 4.0 BF | 5.33 BF | 6.67 BF | 8.0 BF | 9.33 BF |
10” W | 3.33 BF | 5.0 BF | 6.67 BF | 8.33 BF | 10.0 BF | 11.67 BF |
12” W | 4.0 BF | 6.0 BF | 8.0 BF | 10.0 BF | 12.0 BF | 14.0 BF |
8/4 Lumber (2-Inch Thick)
4’ L | 6’ L | 8’ L | 10’ L | 12’ L | 14’ L | |
4” W | 2.67 BF | 4.0 BF | 5.33 BF | 6.67 BF | 8.0 BF | 9.33 BF |
6” W | 4.0 BF | 6.0 BF | 8.0 BF | 10.0 BF | 12.0 BF | 14.0 BF |
8” W | 5.33 BF | 8.0 BF | 10.67 BF | 13.33 BF | 16.0 BF | 18.67 BF |
10” W | 6.67 BF | 10.0 BF | 13.33 BF | 16.67 BF | 20.0 BF | 23.33 BF |
12” W | 8.0 BF | 12.0 BF | 16.0 BF | 20.0 BF | 24.0 BF | 28.0 BF |
FAQ
How many board feet are in a 2x4x8?
There are 5 1/3 board feet in a 2x4x8. Simply multiply the 2 x 4 x 8 dimensions and divide the result by 12 to determine the total board feet.
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