Calculated result
110board ft
Planning board footage
Formula
LUM-BF-001Thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) × quantity ÷ 12 × (1 + waste)
100 board ft
Net board footage
10 board ft
One-board footage
10 board ft
Waste allowance
Lumber & framing calculator
Board feet calculator
Lumber board-foot quantity from stated thickness, width, length, piece count and allowance.
By Feroz Sheikh · Formula LUM-BF-001 v1.0.0 · Tested formula
Formula
LUM-BF-001v1.0.0Project inputs
Enter your measurements. Switching units converts the same project, including coverage and unit rates. Package yields keep the unit printed beside each field.
Refine measurements and rates at any time. Your current values are included in the material-list PDF.
Planning estimate, not engineering advice. Confirm site measurements and product specifications. Calculation limits.
This calculator returns board feet from thickness, width, length and piece count, then a visible cut allowance. Formula LUM-BF-001 v1.0.0. Pricing thickness is the mill’s basis, not the dressed face. Carry the line into an estimate. It does not grade lumber or pick a span.
- Use the thickness and width basis used by the seller for pricing.
- Enter board length and count for identical pieces.
- Add a documented allowance for selection, defects or cuts before obtaining supplier pricing.
Size chart
Common stick chart → board feet (10% waste)
Pricing thickness × width × length ÷ 12, then waste. Dressed face is not the mill’s pricing basis.
| Stock | Pieces | Board feet |
|---|---|---|
| 2×4×8 | 10 | 58.7 board ft |
| 2×6×10 | 12 | 132 board ft |
| 2×8×12 | 10 | 176 board ft |
| 2×10×16 | 8 | 234.7 board ft |
| 4×4×8 | 12 | 140.8 board ft |
Metric example — twelve 50 × 150 × 3.0 m sticks. Twelve 50 × 150 mm × 3.0 m pieces with 10% waste return 125.9 board ft. Pricing thickness is still the mill’s basis.
- Board foot. One board foot is 144 in³: thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12. Pricing thickness is the mill’s basis. Hardwood Industries — board-foot calculator
- AWC. Span, grade and species are structural choices. This sheet counts board feet; it does not pick a joist. American Wood Council
Add your project costs
Enter supplier prices and any labour, equipment or delivery costs. Pick a currency — badges, inputs, and totals follow.
Costs use the stick or sheet rate you type. Construclytic does not fetch lumber-yard prices. Hangers, hardware and labour stay companion lines. For GCC projects, select QAR, AED, SAR, KWD, OMR or BHD and enter local supplier rates.
How this calculator works
A transparent board foot calculator takeoff.
Feroz SheikhWritten by Feroz Sheikh · founder
This calculator applies the standard board-foot volume formula to stated lumber dimensions and piece count, keeping its purchase allowance visible.
LUM-BF-001 is thickness × width × length × count ÷ 12, then a visible allowance. That is a board-foot takeoff, not a stud count and not a grade stamp. Formula ID stays so an old letter still explains the arithmetic.
Worked example. Example: ten 2 in × 6 in × 10 ft boards contain 100 board feet before a 10% allowance, resulting in 110 planning board feet.
See the example inputs and calculated result
This separate example uses the calculator's starting values in imperial units. It stays unchanged when you edit the tool above. Example rates, yields and dimensions are assumptions, not recommendations for your project.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Lumber thickness | 2 in |
| Lumber width | 6 in |
| Board length | 10 ft |
| Number of boards | 10 count |
| Waste factor | 10 % |
Example result: Planning board footage — 110 board ft.
Thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) × quantity ÷ 12 × (1 + waste)
Use the labelled units above when reproducing this example. To work in metric, switch the calculator to Metric; applicable measurements are converted, while product-specific units remain labelled.
- 1. Use the thickness and width basis used by the seller for pricing.
- 2. Enter board length and count for identical pieces.
- 3. Add a documented allowance for selection, defects or cuts before obtaining supplier pricing.
Field notes that change the number
- Thickness and width are nominal or actual — pick the one the yard uses and stay there.
- A 2×6 is not 2 in × 6 in actual. Confirm the convention before you send the list.
- Hardwood and framing lots do not share a waste default.
Common mistakes
- Mixing actual size into a nominal board-foot table.
- Using this as a wall-stud count.
- Treating board feet as a structural design.
Need the broader workflow? Read the lumber & framing planning guide.
Questions
Questions about board foot calculator
Does this choose nominal or actual lumber sizes?
No. Enter the measurement basis used by the seller; nominal and actual dimensions serve different planning purposes.
Does board footage determine structural suitability?
No. Board-foot arithmetic is a volume calculation, not lumber-grade, span or structural design approval.
How many board feet in 12 pieces of 2x6x10?
Twelve 2×6×10 sticks with 10% waste return 132 board ft. Pricing thickness is the mill’s basis, not the dressed face.
Is a 2x6 actually 2 inches by 6 inches?
No. Nominal 2×6 is typically 1½ × 5½ in dressed. Board-foot pricing still uses the nominal (or mill) basis the seller quotes.
What is the formula ID?
This board feet calculator publishes formula LUM-BF-001, version 1.0.0. The ID stays on the result and on the estimate line.