Board Foot Calculator

Calculate board feet of lumber from dimensions. See cost estimates by wood species.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated September 2026 · Source: HomeAdvisor

in
in
ft
Wood Type

Board Feet per Piece

4.00

Total Board Feet

4.00

Estimated Total Cost

$32.00

Lumber Calculation

Board Feet per Piece4.00 BF
Quantity1 piece
Total Board Feet4.00 BF
Cost per BF (oak)$8.00
Cost per Piece$32.00
Total Estimated Cost$32.00

Estimated Cost per Board Foot

Pine: $3/BF

Oak: $8/BF

Maple: $7/BF

Walnut: $14/BF

Cherry: $10/BF

Use the Board Foot Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only. Results are estimates from the numbers you enter and the assumptions described on this page; check them against local building codes, product specifications and current prices, and have structural, electrical or gas work designed or checked by a licensed professional.

How It Works

Lumber is sold by the board foot, and getting that count right is what separates an efficient order from an expensive one. A careful estimate is the difference between paying for wood you won't use and running short midway through a build.

Board feet come from a single formula: (Thickness in inches x Width in inches x Length in feet) / 12. A board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 10 feet long works out to 10 board feet. Because the formula normalizes every dimension to the same standard, it returns a reliable figure regardless of how the stock is sized.

The length input trips up the most people, since it belongs in feet while thickness and width stay in inches, so convert before you enter it. Board foot figures also tend to reflect rough lumber dimensions, which run a touch larger than the finished, planed product. Species matters just as much: the calculator prices oak at $8 a board foot and pine at $3, with maple at $7, cherry at $10 and walnut at $14, and your supplier's prices will differ by grade and region.

Example: Building a custom bookshelf

  1. 1 Input: You need 8 boards of red oak, each 1.5 inches thick, 8 inches wide, and 6 feet long (Wood Type = Oak, Quantity = 8).
  2. 2 Calculation: (1.5 inches x 8 inches x 6 feet) / 12 = 6 board feet per board. For 8 boards, 6 board feet/board * 8 boards = 48 total board feet.
  3. 3 Result: Your project requires 48 board feet of red oak.
  4. 4 Context: At the calculator's oak price of $8 per board foot, the material comes to 48 × $8 = $384, excluding taxes and shipping. Your supplier's price per board foot will differ by grade and region.

Source: HomeAdvisor · Last updated: September 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a board foot of lumber?
A board foot is a unit of volume equal to a 1-inch thick board that is 12 inches wide and 12 inches long (144 cubic inches). It is the standard measurement used to price hardwood lumber in the United States.
How do I calculate board feet from dimensions?
Multiply thickness (inches) x width (inches) x length (feet), then divide by 12. For example, a 2" x 6" x 8' board is (2 x 6 x 8) / 12 = 8 board feet.
How much does a board foot of walnut cost?
This calculator prices walnut at $14 per board foot, cherry at $10, oak at $8, maple at $7 and pine at $3. Actual prices depend on grade, thickness, supplier and region, so check a local lumberyard before you budget.

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