What is a board foot?
A board foot (BF) is a volume of lumber equal to a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide and 12 inches long, which is 144 cubic inches. Hardwood and large timbers are priced by the board foot. Framing lumber is usually ordered by the piece and length instead.
Formula
Board feet = thickness (in) x width (in) x length (ft) / 12, using nominal sizes
Worked example
One 2x6 that is 10 ft long, and one 2x4 that is 12 ft long.
- 1.2x6 x 10 ft: 2 x 6 x 10 / 12 = 10 BF
- 2.2x4 x 12 ft: 2 x 4 x 12 / 12 = 8 BF
The two boards total 18 board feet.
Measure it in MetreMate
Measure the runs in linear feet with the Measure tool, work out your pieces from stock lengths, then apply the board-foot formula to the pieces.
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