Calculate board feet for your woodworking projects
A board foot is the standard unit of measurement for lumber in North America. It represents a volume of 144 cubic inches — equivalent to a piece of wood that is 12 inches wide, 12 inches long, and 1 inch thick. This unit allows woodworkers and lumber dealers to price and compare lumber regardless of individual board dimensions.
Lumber is sold by nominal dimensions (e.g., "2×4"), but the actual surfaced dimensions are smaller. A 2×4 is actually 1.5×3.5 inches, a 1×6 is 0.75×5.5 inches. This calculator works with actual dimensions for accurate board foot calculations. When buying lumber, always use the actual thickness and width.
1×2: 0.75×1.5", 1×4: 0.75×3.5", 1×6: 0.75×5.5", 1×8: 0.75×7.25", 2×4: 1.5×3.5", 2×6: 1.5×5.5", 2×8: 1.5×7.25", 2×10: 1.5×9.25", 2×12: 1.5×11.25", 4×4: 3.5×3.5".