{
  "slug": "board-foot",
  "title": "Board Foot Calculator",
  "heading": "Board Foot & Lumber Cost Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/board-foot",
  "summary": "Board feet and cost for rough or dimensional lumber.",
  "description": "A board foot is 144 cubic inches of lumber. Hardwood is priced by the board foot, which is why thickness matters more than face size when you buy.",
  "formula": "BF = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (in) ÷ 144.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=board-foot",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "thickness",
      "label": "Thickness",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1,
      "unit": "in",
      "min": 0.25,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "width",
      "label": "Width",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6,
      "unit": "in",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "length",
      "label": "Length",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 96,
      "unit": "in",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "pieces",
      "label": "Number of pieces",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 10,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "price",
      "label": "Price per board foot",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6.5,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Total board feet",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "cost",
      "label": "Total lumber cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "bf",
      "label": "Board feet per piece",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "perPiece",
      "label": "Cost per piece",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "linearFt",
      "label": "Total linear feet",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "cuIn",
      "label": "Total cubic inches",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Thickness: 1 in",
      "Width: 6 in",
      "Length: 96 in",
      "Number of pieces: 10",
      "Price per board foot: 6.5 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total board feet: 40",
      "Total lumber cost: $260.00",
      "Board feet per piece: 4",
      "Cost per piece: $26.00",
      "Total linear feet: 80",
      "Total cubic inches: 5,760"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter thickness (in).",
      "Enter width (in).",
      "Enter length (in).",
      "Enter number of pieces.",
      "Enter price per board foot ($).",
      "Read your total board feet on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "thickness": 0.6,
        "width": 3.5999999999999996,
        "length": 58,
        "pieces": 6,
        "price": 3.9
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "thickness": 1,
        "width": 6,
        "length": 96,
        "pieces": 10,
        "price": 6.5
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "thickness": 1.6,
        "width": 9.600000000000001,
        "length": 154,
        "pieces": 16,
        "price": 10.4
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the board foot & lumber cost calculator work?",
      "a": "A board foot is 144 cubic inches of lumber. Hardwood is priced by the board foot, which is why thickness matters more than face size when you buy. The underlying maths is: BF = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (in) ÷ 144."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "5 values: thickness, width, length, number of pieces, and price per board foot. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the total board feet result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a decimal number and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/deck-board-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/framing-studs"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Board Foot Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/board-foot)"
}