How to Calculate Board Feet
The North American lumber unit explained with examples and conversions.
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What is a board foot
A board foot is a volume unit equal to 1 foot × 1 foot × 1 inch of lumber, or 144 cubic inches.
Formula
Board feet = (length ft × width in × thickness in) / 12
Worked example
A plank 8 ft long, 6 in wide and 2 in thick:
(8 × 6 × 2) / 12 = 8 board feet
Conversions
- 1 m³ ≈ 423.77 board feet
- 1 board foot ≈ 0.00236 m³
Practical tips
- Board feet are nominal: surfaced lumber measures less than its nominal size.
- Some suppliers quote prices per thousand board feet (MBF).
Try the wood volume calculator to convert instantly.
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