🪵 Lumber Calculator
Calculate board feet, linear feet, and total lumber cost for framing and carpentry projects.
How to Use This Calculator
Select a common lumber preset or enter custom thickness and width in actual inches (not nominal). Enter the length per piece and number of pieces, optionally add pricing, and hit Calculate.
Note: Lumber is sold by nominal size (e.g., "2×4") but the actual dimensions are smaller. A 2×4 is actually 1.5 inches × 3.5 inches. Use the actual dimensions for accurate board foot calculations.
What is a Board Foot?
A board foot (BF) is a unit of lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches — roughly a piece 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long. It's used for pricing dimensional lumber and hardwood.
(thickness and width in inches, length in feet)
Lumber Prices in 2026
2×4 studs run approximately $0.35–$0.55 per linear foot at home improvement stores. Framing lumber (2×6, 2×8) costs $0.60–$1.20 per linear foot. Hardwood lumber is priced by board foot and varies widely by species — common hardwoods like oak run $5–$12 per board foot.