Board Feet Formula:
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Board feet is a unit of measurement for the volume of lumber. One board foot equals 144 cubic inches (12" × 12" × 1") and is used to quantify how much wood is in a given piece of lumber.
The calculator uses the board feet formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula converts all dimensions to a common unit (inches) and divides by 144 cubic inches (12 × 12) to get board feet.
Details: Board feet calculation is essential for lumber pricing, inventory management, and project planning in woodworking and construction.
Tips: Enter length in feet, width and thickness in inches. All values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the total board feet.
Q1: Why are width and thickness in inches while length is in feet?
A: This is the industry standard for measuring lumber in North America, where board feet is commonly used.
Q2: How do I calculate board feet for multiple pieces?
A: Calculate board feet for one piece and multiply by the number of identical pieces.
Q3: What's the difference between board feet and linear feet?
A: Linear feet only measures length, while board feet accounts for volume (length × width × thickness).
Q4: How accurate should my measurements be?
A: For most purposes, measuring to the nearest 1/4 inch is sufficient, though precision work may require more accuracy.
Q5: Does this work for metric measurements?
A: No, this calculator uses imperial units. For metric, you would calculate cubic meters or other metric volume units.