Board Foot
A board foot is a unit of lumber volume equal to a piece 12 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 1 inch thick (144 cubic inches). It is the standard unit for pricing and selling hardwood lumber and large timbers. One board foot equals 1/12 of a cubic foot.
In Detail
The board foot formula is: (Thickness in inches × Width in inches × Length in feet) ÷ 12. For example, a 2×6 that is 8 feet long contains (2 × 6 × 8) ÷ 12 = 8 board feet. Note that the thickness and width use nominal dimensions (the dimensions the lumber is called, not the actual dimensions after surfacing).
Board feet are the standard pricing unit for hardwood lumber, large timbers, and engineered lumber beams. Softwood dimensional lumber (2x4s, 2x6s, etc.) is typically sold by the lineal foot or per piece rather than by the board foot, though the board foot measurement is still used in wholesale and mill transactions.
Engineered lumber products like LVL and PSL are often priced per lineal foot rather than per board foot because their cross-section is standardized. However, contractors and estimators still calculate board footage when comparing costs between solid lumber and engineered alternatives for the same structural application.
Related Terms
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product made by bonding thin wood veneers together with all grain running parallel, creating a beam material that is stronger, straighter, and more dimensionally stable than solid sawn lumber of the same size.
Glulam (Glue-Laminated Timber)
Glulam (glue-laminated timber) is an engineered wood product made by bonding layers of dimensional lumber together with structural adhesive to create large beams, arches, and columns. Glulam combines the strength of engineered wood with the appearance of natural timber.
Related Materials
LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber)
Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is a high-strength engineered wood product made from thin wood veneers bonded with structural adhesive under heat and pressure. It is the most commonly specified engineered beam and header material in residential and light commercial construction.
Glulam (Glued Laminated Timber)
Glulam (glued laminated timber) is a structural engineered wood product made by bonding multiple layers of dimensional lumber with waterproof adhesive. Available in architectural and industrial grades, glulam is used for beams, columns, arches, and exposed structural applications where both strength and appearance matter.