What is a Board Foot?

A board foot is a unit of measurement used in the lumber industry. It measures the volume of wood based on its dimensions. One board foot equals a volume of:

• 1 foot in length,
• 1 foot in width, and
• 1 inch in thickness.

In simpler terms, a board foot helps you figure out how much wood you're buying or using in a project.

The Formula for Calculating Board Feet

The formula to calculate board feet for a single piece of wood is:

$\text{Board Feet} = \frac{\text{Length (in inches)} \times \text{Width (in inches)} \times \text{Thickness (in inches)}}{144}$

For Multiple Pieces of Lumber

If you have more than one piece of wood with the same dimensions, you multiply the board feet of one piece by the total number of pieces:

$\text{Total Board Feet} = \text{Board Feet (Single Piece)} \times \text{Number of Pieces}$

Example Calculation

Imagine you have a piece of lumber with the following dimensions:

• Length: 96 inches (8 feet),
• Width: 12 inches (1 foot),
• Thickness: 2 inches,
• Number of pieces: 5.

Step 1: Calculate Board Feet for One Piece

Using the formula:

$\text{Board Feet} = \frac{\text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Thickness}}{144}$

$\text{Board Feet} = \frac{96 \times 12 \times 2}{144} = 16 \, \text{board feet}$

Step 2: Calculate Total Board Feet for Multiple Pieces

If you have 5 pieces of lumber:

$\text{Total Board Feet} = \text{Board Feet (Single Piece)} \times \text{Number of Pieces}$

Substituting the values:

$\text{Total Board Feet} = 16 \times 5 = 80 \, \text{board feet}$

FAQs

How much is a board foot?

A board foot is a unit of measurement used in the lumber industry to calculate the volume of wood. It represents a volume of 1 foot in length, 1 foot in width, and 1 inch in thickness.

Definition of a Board Foot

• 1 Board Foot = 12 inches (length) × 12 inches (width) × 1 inch (thickness).
• This equals 144 cubic inches.

How can I estimate costs with board feet?

Once you know the total board feet, multiply it by the price per board foot to estimate the total cost.