Enter your Board Feet, Thickness, and Width into the Board Footage to Linear Feet Calculator to find your Linear Feet — then add a Price per Linear Foot to get your Total Cost and Cost per Board Foot so you know exactly what you're paying before you buy.
Linear Feet
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Total Cost
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Cost per Board Foot
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A board foot is a unit of measurement for lumber volume. One board foot equals a piece of wood 12 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 1 inch thick (144 cubic inches). It's the standard unit for buying and selling lumber.
A linear foot is simply a measurement of length - one foot long in a straight line. When buying lumber, linear feet tells you the actual length of the board, regardless of its width or thickness.
Converting board feet to linear feet helps you determine the actual length of lumber you'll receive. This is crucial for planning projects, ensuring you have enough material, and understanding spacing requirements.
The formula is: Linear Feet = (Board Feet × 12) ÷ (Thickness × Width). For example, 10 board feet of 1×6 lumber equals (10 × 12) ÷ (1 × 6) = 20 linear feet.
Yes, this calculator works for any lumber dimensions. Simply enter the thickness and width in inches, along with your board feet amount, and it will calculate the linear feet for that specific board size.
Nominal sizes are the traditional names (like 2×4), while actual sizes are the real dimensions after drying and planing. A nominal 2×4 actually measures 1.5×3.5 inches. Use actual dimensions for accurate calculations.
The pricing estimate is based on the price per linear foot you enter. Actual lumber prices vary by location, quality, species, and market conditions. Use this as a rough estimate and verify with suppliers.