Board Foot Calculator
Board Foot Calculator
Calculate lumber volume in board feet, estimate costs by species, and plan your project. Formula: (Thickness × Width × Length) ÷ 12
What is a Board Foot?
A board foot equals a piece 1″ thick × 12″ wide × 12″ long (144 cubic inches). It's the standard unit for buying hardwood lumber.
Quick Add Common Sizes
#
Thickness (in)
Width (in)
Length (ft)
Qty
Board Feet
1
8.00 BF
Total Board Feet
8.00
BF
Total Pieces
1
pcs
Cubic Feet
0.67
ft³
Est. Weight
28
lbs
Line-by-Line Breakdown
| # | Thickness | Width | Length | Qty | BF/pc | Total BF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2″ | 6″ | 8′ | 1 | 8.00 | 8.00 |
Quick Reference
Common Board Feet
| Size | BF/pc |
|---|---|
| 2×4×8 | 5.33 |
| 2×6×12 | 12 |
| 2×8×16 | 21.33 |
| 4×4×8 | 10.67 |
| 1×6×8 | 4 |
Lumber Math
- 1 BF = 144 in³
- 12 BF = 1 cubic foot
- 1 MBF = 1,000 board feet
- BF = (T × W × L) ÷ 12
Weight Estimate
- Softwood: ~2.5 lbs/BF
- Hardwood: ~3.5 lbs/BF
- Exotic: ~5 lbs/BF
- Green lumber: +30-50%
Species Pricing Reference
| Species | Type | $/BF | Janka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-Treated Pine | Softwood | $2.50 | 690 |
| SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir) | Softwood | $2.00 | 590 |
| Douglas Fir | Softwood | $3.50 | 660 |
| Western Red Cedar | Softwood | $5.50 | 350 |
| Eastern Red Cedar | Softwood | $4.50 | 900 |
| Redwood | Softwood | $7.00 | 450 |
| Cypress | Softwood | $5.00 | 510 |
| Southern Yellow Pine | Softwood | $3.00 | 870 |
| Hemlock | Softwood | $2.75 | 500 |
| White Pine | Softwood | $2.25 | 380 |
| Ponderosa Pine | Softwood | $2.50 | 460 |
| Red Oak | Hardwood | $5.50 | 1,290 |
| White Oak | Hardwood | $6.50 | 1,360 |
| Hard Maple | Hardwood | $7.00 | 1,450 |
| Soft Maple | Hardwood | $5.00 | 950 |
| Black Walnut | Hardwood | $12.00 | 1,010 |
| Cherry | Hardwood | $8.00 | 995 |
| Ash | Hardwood | $5.50 | 1,320 |
| Hickory | Hardwood | $6.00 | 1,820 |
| Poplar | Hardwood | $3.50 | 540 |
| Birch | Hardwood | $5.00 | 1,260 |
| Alder | Hardwood | $4.50 | 590 |
| Beech | Hardwood | $5.50 | 1,300 |
| Ipe | Exotic | $18.00 | 3,680 |
| Cumaru | Exotic | $12.00 | 3,540 |
| Tigerwood | Exotic | $10.00 | 2,170 |
| Garapa | Exotic | $8.00 | 1,210 |
| Mahogany | Exotic | $10.00 | 800 |
| Teak | Exotic | $22.00 | 1,070 |
| Sapele | Exotic | $8.50 | 1,410 |
| Jatoba | Exotic | $11.00 | 2,350 |
| Massaranduba | Exotic | $10.00 | 3,190 |
| Bloodwood | Exotic | $14.00 | 2,900 |
| Purpleheart | Exotic | $11.00 | 2,520 |
| Bamboo (Strand-Woven) | Alternative | $6.00 | 3,000 |
| Thermally Modified | Alternative | $7.50 | 600 |
| Accoya | Alternative | $9.00 | 650 |