Figure out board footage and estimated cost for a stack of lumber, plus a quick explanation of what a board foot actually is.
A board foot is the standard unit hardwood is priced and sold by. One board foot is the volume of a piece of wood 12″ long × 12″ wide × 1″ thick — 144 cubic inches. Because hardwood boards come in all kinds of thicknesses, widths, and lengths, pricing by board foot lets a dealer charge fairly for a 6″ wide board versus an 11″ wide board of the same species and thickness — by volume, rather than just by length the way construction lumber is sold.
The formula: board feet = (thickness in inches × width in inches × length in feet) ÷ 12. Rough hardwood thickness is usually described in quarters — 4/4 (“four-quarter”) is roughly 1″ thick, 8/4 is roughly 2″ thick, and so on. See the reference table below.
This estimates board footage from nominal dimensions before milling waste, so actual finished yield will be a bit lower. Always confirm board footage and pricing directly with the dealer.
Rough-sawn hardwood thickness is sold in quarters of an inch. Actual milled thickness is usually a little less than nominal once it’s surfaced (S2S).
| Quarter size | Nominal thickness |
|---|---|
| 4/4 | 1″ |
| 5/4 | 1¼″ |
| 6/4 | 1½″ |
| 8/4 | 2″ |
| 10/4 | 2½″ |
| 12/4 | 3″ |
| 16/4 | 4″ |