Quickly calculate board footage, waste factor, and lumber cost for woodworking projects
Enter each required component for your project. All board feet are calculated dynamically.
| Part Description | Qty | Rough thickness (in), e.g. 4/4 = 1 | Width (in) | Length (in) | BF Each | Total BF | Action |
|---|
What is a Board Foot? A board foot (BF) is a specialized unit of volume measurement used in the lumber industry in the United States and Canada. One board foot corresponds to nominal dimensions of 12 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 1 inch thick, totaling 144 cubic inches.
The Standard Formulas:
Board Feet = (Thickness" × Width" × Length") / 144Board Feet = (Thickness" × Width" × Length') / 12Rough Hardwood Quarter Sizing Reference:
Hardwood lumber sawmills cut rough lumber into quarter-inch increments. Below is the standard conversion chart between rough quarter sizing and typical surfaced (S2S / S4S) final thickness:
| Quarter Callout | Rough Thickness | Surfaced (Planed) Thickness | Typical Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4 (Four-quarter) | 1.00 inch (25.4 mm) | 3/4 inch (19 mm) | Cabinet sides, drawer fronts, face frames, light table tops |
| 5/4 (Five-quarter) | 1.25 inches (31.8 mm) | 1.00 inch (25.4 mm) | Heavy duty drawer fronts, chair seats, stair treads |
| 6/4 (Six-quarter) | 1.50 inches (38.1 mm) | 1.25 inches (31.8 mm) | Substantial dining table tops, robust workbench components |
| 8/4 (Eight-quarter) | 2.00 inches (50.8 mm) | 1.75 inches (44.5 mm) | Table legs, bed posts, thick workbench tops |
| 12/4 (Twelve-quarter) | 3.00 inches (76.2 mm) | 2.75 inches (69.9 mm) | Turned balusters, substantial newel posts, heavy timber framing |
Recommended Waste Factors: