{
  "slug": "lumber",
  "title": "Board Foot Calculator",
  "heading": "Board Foot Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lumber",
  "summary": "Board feet and lumber cost for a materials order.",
  "description": "Hardwood is sold by the board foot — 144 cubic inches of wood. Rough lumber is measured before surfacing, so a 4/4 board that arrives at 13/16 inch still bills as a full inch.",
  "formula": "Board feet = Thickness (in) × Width (in) × Length (ft) ÷ 12 × Quantity.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=lumber",
  "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": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "length",
      "label": "Length",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 8,
      "unit": "ft",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "qty",
      "label": "Number of boards",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 12,
      "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": "Lumber cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "perBoard",
      "label": "Board feet per board",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "linearFt",
      "label": "Total linear feet",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Thickness: 1 in",
      "Width: 6 in",
      "Length: 8 ft",
      "Number of boards: 12",
      "Price per board foot: 6.5 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total board feet: 48",
      "Lumber cost: $312.00",
      "Board feet per board: 4",
      "Total linear feet: 96"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter thickness (in).",
      "Enter width (in).",
      "Enter length (ft).",
      "Enter number of boards.",
      "Enter price per board foot ($).",
      "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": 4.8,
        "qty": 7,
        "price": 3.9
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "thickness": 1,
        "width": 6,
        "length": 8,
        "qty": 12,
        "price": 6.5
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "thickness": 1.6,
        "width": 9.600000000000001,
        "length": 12.8,
        "qty": 19,
        "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 calculator work?",
      "a": "Hardwood is sold by the board foot — 144 cubic inches of wood. Rough lumber is measured before surfacing, so a 4/4 board that arrives at 13/16 inch still bills as a full inch. The underlying maths is: Board feet = Thickness (in) × Width (in) × Length (ft) ÷ 12 × Quantity."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "5 values: thickness, width, length, number of boards, 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",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/fence",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/stair"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Board Foot Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lumber)"
}