1. What is Board Foot Measurement?

Board foot (BF) is a unit of measurement for the volume of lumber. One board foot equals 1 foot long × 1 foot wide × 1 inch thick (or equivalent volume). It's the standard unit for buying and selling hardwood lumber in North America.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the board foot formula:

Where:

• \( BF \) — Board feet
• \( T \) — Thickness in inches
• \( W \) — Width in inches
• \( L \) — Length in feet

Explanation: The formula calculates volume in cubic inches (T × W × L × 12) then converts to board feet by dividing by 144 cubic inches (12 × 12 × 1) per board foot.

3. Importance of Board Foot Calculation

Details: Accurate board foot calculation is essential for pricing lumber, estimating material needs for projects, and comparing costs between different lumber sizes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter thickness and width in inches, length in feet. All values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the total board feet.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is board foot different from square foot?
A: Board foot measures volume (including thickness), while square foot measures only surface area. 1 board foot = 1 sq ft at 1" thickness.

Q2: What's the board foot for a 2×4?
A: A 2×4 that's 8 feet long: (1.5" × 3.5" × 8')/12 = 4.666 BF (actual dimensions are 1.5" × 3.5" for nominal 2×4).

Q3: How do you calculate board feet for multiple pieces?
A: Calculate BF for one piece, then multiply by the number of identical pieces. Or sum all pieces' dimensions before calculating.

Q4: Does board foot apply to all wood products?
A: Primarily used for lumber. Plywood and veneer are typically sold by square foot, while logs may be measured in other units.

Q5: Why divide by 12 in the formula?
A: Because 1 board foot = 144 cubic inches (12" × 12" × 1"), and we're converting from cubic inches to board feet.