Board Foot Calculator
Lumber yards price by the board foot. Get your number before you price the job.
Calculate Board Feet
What is a Board Foot?
A board foot measures lumber volume, not surface area or linear length. One board foot is exactly 144 cubic inches, the equivalent of a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long.
Lumber yards price by the board foot, not by the piece or the running foot. If you are estimating material cost any other way, you are guessing, and you will usually guess low.
How to Calculate Board Feet
The formula is: (Length × Width × Thickness) ÷ 144 = Board Feet
All three measurements go in as inches. Length runs along the grain. Width is across. Thickness is the actual nominal dimension of the board, not the finished dimension after milling.
Example Calculation
A board 8 feet long (96"), 6 inches wide, 1 inch thick: (96 × 6 × 1) ÷ 144 = 4 board feet. Order 4 of them and you need 16 board feet before waste. Add 15% for defects and cutoffs and you are ordering about 18.5 board feet. That is the number to give your lumber yard.
Board foot cost is just the first variable in a complete furniture quote. For a full breakdown of material costs, labor, overhead, and profit margin, see our custom furniture pricing guide.
Wood Species Pricing Reference
Representative market pricing per board foot for common furniture hardwoods and softwoods. Prices vary by region, grade, and supplier. Use these as baseline estimates and update with your actual supplier costs in the full quote builder.
| Species | Price / Board Foot |
|---|---|
| Walnut | $12.50 |
| Mahogany | $10.50 |
| Cherry | $9.00 |
| White Oak | $8.50 |
| Hard Maple | $7.25 |
| Red Oak | $6.75 |
| Ash | $6.00 |
| Birch | $5.75 |
| Soft Maple | $5.50 |
| Poplar | $4.25 |
| Cedar | $4.00 |
| Pine (Select) | $3.50 |
Prices are representative market averages as of 2026. Actual costs vary by region, grade (FAS, Select, #1 Common), and supplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a board foot?
A board foot is a unit of lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches, the equivalent of a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. Lumber yards use board feet to price hardwoods consistently regardless of board dimensions.
How do you calculate board feet?
Board feet = (Length × Width × Thickness) ÷ 144, with all measurements in inches. A board 96 inches long, 6 inches wide, and 1 inch thick: (96 × 6 × 1) ÷ 144 = 4 board feet.
How many board feet do I need for a dining table?
A standard dining table top (72" × 36" at 1.5" thick) requires roughly 27 board feet before waste. Add 15 to 20 percent for defects and setup cuts and plan on ordering 32 to 34 board feet. Legs, aprons, and stretchers add another 15 to 20 board feet depending on design.
What is the most expensive wood for furniture?
Among common furniture hardwoods, walnut runs $10 to $15 per board foot for standard stock. Cherry and mahogany are mid-range at $9 to $12 per board foot. White oak and hard maple are solid value at $7 to $9 per board foot. Figured stock of any species commands a significant premium.
Why do lumber yards sell by the board foot instead of by the piece?
Board feet measure volume, which is consistent regardless of board dimensions. Pricing by volume lets the yard price any size board consistently and lets you compare species and grades on equal footing.
Board feet are step one.
The full quote still needs hardware, labor by category, overhead, and your margin. CraftQuote handles all of it, starting from a photo of the piece.
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