If you are working with hardwood lumber, the board foot calculator is an important tool that helps you determine the total amount of lumber you may require for any project. While square footage determines area, board footage gives an idea about volume. Generally speaking, one board foot of hardwood lumber is equivalent to one square foot, i.e. lumber that is one inch in thickness.
You can calculate board feet by using the simple formula:
Board feet = Length of the lumber piece (feet) x width of the piece (inches) x thickness (inches) /12
The board foot calculator or lumber calculator helps you determine the amount/volume of lumber you will need for the project without any hassle.
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Board foot calculator: How to use it?
To determine how much money you need to spend to buy lumber, the board foot calculator is the best tool. Follow the given steps:
- A board foot is equivalent to a wooden board that is one inch thick, one foot long and one foot wide, which is equal to 144 cubic inches. The thickness is determined by the quarter of an inch, designated by 4/4, which means that one–half an inch of lumber is 6/4, lumber of two inches is 8/4, and the formula goes on. One thing you should note is these units are not surface dimensions but refer to the roughly sawn dimensions.
- The board foot calculator rounds up the lumber thickness to the next ¼ inches, and anything less than that is rounded up to 4/4 inches. For example, lumber of ¾ inches in thickness will be treated as a 4/4 inch material.
- In a typical board foot calculator, you need to enter the values/dimensions as decimals, for example, 10.75. If you are entering in the form of fractions, you need to leave a space between the whole number and the fraction unit, like 10 ¾.
See also: Concrete calculators: Significance and uses
Board foot calculator: Advantages
- If you have a sawmill business, you need to understand board feet to determine the pricing
- For hardwood construction projects, the board feet calculator helps create a budget estimate for the lumber you may need to buy
- For woodworkers, the board feet calculation is important to determine the volume of lumber for the project and reduce waste
FAQs
How to measure a board foot?
Take a piece of lumber (preferably rectangular); measure its length to the nearest decimal; measure its width and thickness in inches, and then multiply all three units and divide the value by 12. You will get the board feet.
Is there any difference between a board foot and a linear foot?
Of course, there is. The linear foot is just a measure of the length, while the board foot is a measure of the volume of a lumber board.
How much are 320 square feet in board feet?
There are no board feet in 320 square feet, as the latter is a measure of the area, while board feet are a measure of the volume. But for an area that is 320 square feet and one inch in depth, the board feet measurement is 320 as well.
