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Board Foot Price Calculator

6″ nominal2″bf per lf = (T × W) ÷ 12 = 1.00
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8 board feet

1 bf per linear foot for a 2x6; bf = T × W × L ÷ 12, computed on nominal (not actual) dimensions.

≈ $40.00 at $5.00/bf.

  • Board feet always use nominal dimensions by definition, so a 2x4 counts as 2×4 even though it measures 1.5×3.5 (PS 20).
  • Hardwood dealers may quarter-round thickness (4/4, 5/4), so confirm their measure convention.

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Why This One Is Different

A board foot is a volume unit, not a price, and that's exactly where flat online "lumber cost calculators" go wrong. This one multiplies your project's board footage (thickness times width times length, divided by 12, on nominal dimensions) by a price per board foot you supply, because hardwood alone can run from roughly $3/bf for common poplar to $15+/bf for figured walnut, before grade, moisture content, or your regional mill even enter the picture. We don't publish a lumber price: nobody honest does, since it moves weekly and by species. Type in your own quote and the board-foot math is exact.

Where the Numbers Come From

  • A board foot counts volume, not the size stamped on the tag: it's computed as T(in) × W(in) × L(ft) ÷ 12 on nominal dimensions, not the smaller actual dressed size, which is why a nominal 2×6×8 is exactly 8.0 board feet (2×6×8÷12). Source: SPIB, 'Nominal vs Actual Lumber Sizes' (2021), citing PS 20-20 (construction-estimating canon)
  • This calculator takes your entered price per board foot rather than publishing one: hardwood alone spans a wide range by species, grade, and moisture content, and prices move with regional mill supply week to week. Source: trade convention, labeled as such: we do not publish lumber prices
  • Same pile of lumber, wildly different bill, depending only on the price you plug in: worked example: 40 board feet priced at $4/bf totals $160, while the same 40 bf at $8/bf totals $320. The board-foot math is exact; the dollar total is only as good as the price you enter. Source: worked example (closed-form arithmetic)

More Questions

Does board-foot pricing use nominal or actual lumber dimensions?

Nominal. A board foot is a defined volume unit computed on the nominal (stated) size, such as 2×6, even though the actual dressed board measures smaller (1.5" × 5.5") per PS 20.

Related Calculators

Formulas, waste factors, and cost models on this page follow the sourced conventions on our methodology page. Estimates only; verify with your supplier and local code.