Board foot price calculator
Enter a board size and a price in any unit — per board foot, per thousand board feet (MBF), per linear foot or per piece — to see the price in every other unit and the total cost.
Each board: 13.33 BF · 1 boards: 13.33 BF · total $160.00
| Same price | Price |
|---|---|
| per board foot | $12.00 |
| per 1,000 BF (MBF) | $12,000.00 |
| per linear foot | $16.00 |
| per piece | $160.00 |
Price formulas
| To get | Formula |
|---|---|
| Board feet per board | thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12 |
| Cost of a board | board feet × price per BF |
| Price per BF from per MBF | price per MBF ÷ 1,000 |
| Price per linear foot | price per BF × thickness × width ÷ 12 |
| Price per BF from a piece price | piece price ÷ board feet in the piece |
Worked examples
1. A walnut board priced per board foot
An 8/4 walnut board, 8 inches wide and 10 feet long, at $12 per BF: 2 × 8 × 10 ÷ 12 = 13.33 BF, so it costs 13.33 × $12 = $160.00. The same price is $16.00 per linear foot of that board.
2. A sawmill quote per thousand board feet
A small mill quotes rough 4/4 red oak at $1,150 per MBF, which is $1.15 per BF. Twelve boards averaging 6 1/2 inches wide and 8 feet long are 52.0 BF and cost $59.80. Mills usually tally random-width boards one by one and round each to the nearest board foot, so expect the invoice to differ by a few dollars.
3. Trim sold by the linear foot
A 1×6 primed poplar board (3/4 × 5 1/2 inches actual) at $3.25 per linear foot works out to $9.45 per BF on its actual size. Compare that with rough 4/4 poplar from a hardwood dealer before paying for convenience: you pay for planing, sanding and primer.
4. Dimensional lumber priced by the piece
Home centers price softwood by the piece. Board feet use the nominal size, so a 2×4 × 8 ft counts as 2 × 4 × 8 ÷ 12 = 5.33 BF. Typical piece prices convert like this:
| Piece | Price | BF | Per BF | Per MBF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2×4 × 8 ft | $4.25 | 5.33 | $0.80 | $797 |
| 2×6 × 8 ft | $6.50 | 8.00 | $0.81 | $813 |
| 2×10 × 12 ft | $18.00 | 20.00 | $0.90 | $900 |
| 4×4 × 8 ft | $12.50 | 10.67 | $1.17 | $1,172 |
| 1×6 × 8 ft | $7.00 | 4.00 | $1.75 | $1,750 |
The piece prices are examples only — lumber prices move with the market. The conversion shows why wholesale framing lumber is quoted per MBF.
Price per linear foot from price per board foot
One linear foot of a board contains thickness × width ÷ 12 board feet. Multiply by the price per BF to get the price per linear foot.
| Board | BF per linear ft | at $4/BF | at $6/BF | at $8/BF | at $12/BF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4 × 4 in | 0.333 | $1.33 | $2.00 | $2.67 | $4.00 |
| 4/4 × 6 in | 0.500 | $2.00 | $3.00 | $4.00 | $6.00 |
| 4/4 × 8 in | 0.667 | $2.67 | $4.00 | $5.33 | $8.00 |
| 5/4 × 6 in | 0.625 | $2.50 | $3.75 | $5.00 | $7.50 |
| 6/4 × 6 in | 0.750 | $3.00 | $4.50 | $6.00 | $9.00 |
| 8/4 × 6 in | 1.000 | $4.00 | $6.00 | $8.00 | $12.00 |
| 8/4 × 8 in | 1.333 | $5.33 | $8.00 | $10.67 | $16.00 |
Buying tips
- Rough thickness is what you pay for. A 4/4 board is charged as 1 inch even after it is surfaced to 13/16 inch, and 8/4 as 2 inches.
- Surfaced lumber costs more per BF but has no milling waste; rough lumber is cheaper but loses 15–30% to jointing, planing and defects. Add that to your order with the waste allowance in the board foot calculator.
- Compare quotes in one unit. Convert piece, linear-foot and MBF prices to price per BF before deciding where to buy.
- Log prices are per MBF too, but on a log scale such as Doyle. See the log board feet calculator to compare log rules.
How to use the calculator
- Enter the board size. Type the nominal thickness (1 for 4/4, 2 for 8/4), the width in inches and the length in feet, plus the number of boards.
- Enter the price you were quoted. Type the price and choose its unit: per board foot, per thousand board feet (MBF), per linear foot or per piece.
- Compare. Read the board feet and total cost, and the same price expressed in every other unit, so you can compare quotes from different suppliers.
Planning the cuts as well as the cost? The lumber cut list optimizer shows how many boards of each length to buy, and board feet explained covers grades and thickness.
FAQ
How do I calculate the price of a board in board feet?
Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12. Multiply by the price per board foot. An 8/4 board 8 inches wide and 10 feet long is 2 × 8 × 10 ÷ 12 = 13.33 BF; at $12 per BF it costs $160.
What does MBF mean in lumber prices?
MBF is a thousand board feet (M is the Roman numeral for 1,000). Sawmills, log buyers and wholesale lumber are priced per MBF; divide by 1,000 for the price per board foot — $1,200/MBF is $1.20 per BF.
How do I convert price per board foot to price per linear foot?
Multiply the price per BF by the board feet in one linear foot, which is thickness × width ÷ 12. A 4/4 × 6-inch board has 0.5 BF per linear foot, so $8/BF is $4 per linear foot.
Do you pay for the rough or the planed thickness?
Hardwood is priced on its rough (nominal) thickness: a 4/4 board planed to 13/16 inch is still charged as 1 inch. Softwood dimensional lumber is also tallied on nominal size, so a 2×4 counts as 2 × 4 inches.