construction

Board Foot

A unit of lumber volume equal to a piece 1 foot long, 1 foot wide, and 1 inch thick (144 cubic inches).

A board foot is the standard unit for purchasing hardwood lumber in North America. It equals 144 cubic inches of wood.

Board Feet = (Thickness × Width × Length) ÷ 144

All measurements in inches. Alternatively: (T × W × L in feet) ÷ 12.

A board that is 2 inches thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 feet long: (2 × 6 × 96) ÷ 144 = 8 board feet.

Lumber is priced per board foot. Cherry at $8/BF for the above board = $64. Softwood (pine, cedar) is usually sold by the linear foot instead.

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