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To estimate how much lumber you need, list each part’s quantity, nominal width and thickness, and length; then calculate board feet for volume-based ordering or linear feet for length-based ordering. Board feet are calculated from the board’s nominal dimensions and length, while linear feet simply add lengths. Your order also depends on the seller’s tally basis and available stock lengths, so the arithmetic is a starting point—not a substitute for matching your cut list to the material you can buy.
What information do I need before calculating lumber?
Start with a cut list: one row for each group of identical parts. For every row, record the quantity, nominal thickness in inches, nominal width in inches, and required length in feet. If the parts differ in any of those dimensions, give them separate rows. A single total is useful only after you have calculated each distinct group in the correct unit.
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Also find out how the seller quotes and tallies the lumber. The quote may be by board measure, linear length, piece, or another unit. Those measures are not interchangeable. Before comparing estimates or supplier quotes, confirm the unit, whether dimensions are nominal or actual dressed dimensions, and—particularly for hardwood—what tally basis is being used.
A calculator can help with multiplication and division, but the important work is entering the right dimensions and units. Keep the cut list beside the calculation so you can check that no quantity or size has been silently combined with a different one.
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What should each cut-list row contain?
Use a consistent format such as quantity, nominal thickness, nominal width, and required length. For example, a row for two nominal 2 × 4 pieces that are each 10 feet long is different from a row for two nominal 2 × 4 pieces that are each 8 feet long. A row for 2 × 6 material is different from either row even if its length is the same. Keeping those distinctions visible prevents a calculator from producing a precise total for an incorrectly grouped list.
Record the unit beside every entry. Thickness and width are inches in the standard board-foot formula, length is feet, and the result is board feet. A linear-foot row uses feet for length, but its width and thickness still identify what material the length refers to. If a supplier uses another convention, write that convention next to the quote rather than converting silently.
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Multiply nominal thickness in inches by nominal width in inches by piece length in feet, then divide by 12. For several identical pieces, multiply by the number of pieces as well:
Board feet = (nominal thickness in inches × nominal width in inches × length in feet × number of identical pieces) ÷ 12
This is a board-measure calculation: board feet express lumber as a volume-based tally. The U.S. Marine Corps construction estimating manual describes the inputs and board-foot measure in its lumber length calculations guidance.
The division by 12 keeps the result in board feet when thickness and width are entered in inches and length in feet. Enter the dimensions exactly as the seller’s board-measure convention requires; do not substitute a measured dressed dimension merely because it is easy to obtain.
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Example: one board
For one nominal 2 × 8 board that is 18 feet long:
(2 inches × 8 inches × 18 feet × 1) ÷ 12 = 24 board feet
The result is 24 board feet for that board—not 24 boards. Board feet measure the amount of material by board measure; the number of physical boards is a separate quantity.
Example: a group of identical boards
If a cut list calls for four identical nominal 2 × 8 pieces, each 18 feet long, calculate the group together: (2 × 8 × 18 × 4) ÷ 12 = 96 board feet. The multiplication by four is appropriate because the pieces have the same nominal thickness, width, and length.
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Example: a mixed cut list
Suppose a cut list contains one nominal 2 × 8 piece at 18 feet and two nominal 2 × 4 pieces at 10 feet. Keep them as separate rows:
- One 2 × 8 × 18-foot piece: (2 × 8 × 18 × 1) ÷ 12 = 24 board feet.
- Two 2 × 4 × 10-foot pieces: (2 × 4 × 10 × 2) ÷ 12 = 13⅓ board feet.
Add the two row totals only after calculating each: 24 + 13⅓ = 37⅓ board feet. Do not add the widths, lengths, or quantities first and treat the unlike pieces as one uniform group.
How do I calculate board feet for each line quickly?
For every row, multiply the three dimensional inputs first, multiply by the row quantity, and divide by 12. Keep fractional results rather than rounding each row prematurely. Add the row results at the end, then follow the seller’s rounding or billing practice when ordering. If you round, note where the rounding occurred so another person can reproduce the estimate.
A basic construction calculator is a useful convenience for repeated multiplication and division. California’s official hardwood board-foot procedure lists a calculator as optional equipment for this calculation; the California Department of Food and Agriculture method is a reference for that procedure. The calculator cannot decide whether the dimensions, units, or tally basis are correct, so check those inputs separately.
How many board feet do I need?
You need the sum of the board-foot results for all cut-list rows that are being described on the same board-measure basis. The sum is a material tally, not automatically an order quantity in physical boards. To turn it into an order, match the rows to stock lengths and account separately for cuts, defects, and unusable off-cuts.
For example, a list with 24 board feet of 2 × 8 material and 13⅓ board feet of 2 × 4 material totals 37⅓ board feet when the same nominal board-foot convention applies. It does not tell you whether that material will arrive as three boards, four boards, or another combination. The seller’s available lengths and the way the pieces can be cut determine that physical count.
If a quote lists one board-foot total for several sizes, ask whether the seller has combined unlike items for pricing or has calculated each size separately. Keep your own row-level calculations so you can compare the quote without losing the dimensions behind the total.
How do I calculate linear feet?
Add the lengths of the pieces you need. Linear feet are a length total; they do not include the board’s width or thickness and therefore do not describe how much cross-sectional material is included.
For example, ten runs that are each 8 feet long total 80 linear feet: 10 × 8 = 80. That is the required length before you decide how to match the runs to available stock. If you report a linear-foot requirement to a seller, state the required width and thickness separately so the length total is not mistaken for a volume measure.
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Use linear feet when the relevant order or estimate is based on length, and board feet when the seller’s relevant unit is board measure. If a seller quotes by the piece, calculate the pieces needed from the cut plan and stock lengths rather than translating a linear-foot total into a board count without checking the sizes.
Linear-foot example with unlike sizes
Imagine a cut list with six 8-foot pieces of one width and four 6-foot pieces of another width. The length arithmetic is 6 × 8 = 48 linear feet for the first row and 4 × 6 = 24 linear feet for the second row. The combined length is 72 linear feet, but the two rows should remain identified by their separate widths and thicknesses. A supplier cannot use 72 feet of an unspecified cross-section to fill both requirements.
What is the difference between board feet and linear feet?
| Measure | What it adds or describes | Inputs required | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board feet | A board-measure, volume-based tally | Nominal thickness, nominal width, length, and quantity | The physical number of boards, stock-length layout, or waste |
| Linear feet | Total length of required pieces | Piece lengths and quantities | Width, thickness, cross-sectional material, or board count |
| Pieces | A count of physical boards or parts | Cut plan and available stock lengths | A comparable volume or length total without dimensions |
Two orders can have the same linear footage but very different board-foot totals if their widths or thicknesses differ. Conversely, different combinations of boards can have the same board-foot total. State the measure whenever you communicate a requirement: for example, “37⅓ board feet of the listed nominal sizes” or “80 linear feet of nominal 2 × 4 material,” not simply “37⅓ feet.”
How do I turn a cut list into a lumber order?
Use the calculation to describe the material required, then fit the parts to the stock the seller actually offers. A board-foot total or a linear-foot total on its own does not tell you how many stock boards to order; the lengths and cut layout matter.
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- Write one row per identical part group. Record the quantity, nominal thickness, nominal width, and required length for each group. Separate rows whenever any of those dimensions differ.
- Confirm the seller’s unit. Ask whether the quote is by board measure, linear length, piece, or another basis. Use the matching calculation for the estimate.
- Calculate each row. For board feet, use the formula with nominal dimensions and length in feet. For linear feet, add required lengths. Keep units visible in the worksheet.
- Sum compatible results. Add board-foot row totals to get a board-foot total, or length totals to get a linear-foot total. Do not add unlike measures together.
- Compare the cut list with available stock lengths. Group cuts into stock lengths where practical. A length that accommodates the cut plan can reduce unusable off-cuts; the Marine Corps estimating manual discusses optimizing standard lengths.
- Assess waste from the actual layout. Consider the cuts, material quality, and defects when estimating additional material. No single waste percentage is right for every project, and a generic percentage should not be confused with the cut-list calculation.
- Confirm the order basis and dimensions before purchase. Make sure the supplier’s description, tally, and quote use the same conventions you used in your estimate.
How should I choose stock lengths?
Start with the longest and most constrained cuts, then compare them with the lengths the seller has available. The objective is not to make the board-foot total look smaller; it is to place the required cuts into actual stock while leaving as little unusable material as practical. Keep each stock-board assignment on the worksheet so you can see which off-cuts remain.
A stock length that is just long enough for one required part may not be the best choice if another available length can supply that part and a second cut from the same board. Conversely, combining cuts is not useful if the resulting off-cut cannot satisfy another listed part. The cut layout, not a universal allowance, determines the additional material needed.
A simple cut-list worksheet
| Quantity | Nominal thickness (in.) | Nominal width (in.) | Required length (ft.) | Board-foot calculation | Row total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 8 | 18 | (2 × 8 × 18 × 1) ÷ 12 | 24 BF |
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | (2 × 4 × 10 × 2) ÷ 12 | 13⅓ BF |
| Total, calculated by row | 37⅓ BF | ||||
For a linear-foot worksheet, use the same part groups but multiply quantity by required length in each row, then add the row totals. Keep the width and thickness columns in the cut list even though they are not part of the linear-foot arithmetic; they are still needed to identify the material. Add columns for proposed stock length, cuts taken from each board, and remaining off-cut when you are planning the physical order.
Should I use nominal or actual board dimensions?
Use the dimension basis that matches the seller’s tally. Nominal size is a trade designation, not necessarily the board’s dressed measurement. The current U.S. softwood standard, Voluntary Product Standard PS 20-25, explains the nominal-size convention and says invoices for dressed standard lumber should show nominal size and length as well as actual thickness and width.
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That distinction matters when checking a quote against delivered material. Do not quietly replace nominal dimensions in the board-foot formula with measured dressed dimensions—or compare a calculation based on one convention with a supplier tally based on another. Ask the seller which dimensions the quoted board measure uses. Keep both nominal and actual dimensions on the paperwork when available, but do not use one as though it were the other.
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What should I check on the invoice?
Look for the nominal size and length, the actual dressed thickness and width when applicable, the quantity or board-foot tally, and the unit price. Those entries let you identify whether the delivered material matches the description you used. If an invoice gives only a total without its basis, request the dimensions and tally convention before comparing it with your worksheet.
Why can hardwood board-foot tallies differ?
Hardwood tallies may be described as gross or green, or as net kiln-dried. The tally basis is important when comparing a quote with another quote or with a calculated amount. The American Hardwood Export Council’s measurement guide says kiln-dried lumber sold on a green-tally basis may have approximately 7% fewer board feet because of kiln shrinkage.
That approximately 7% figure is specific to the green-tally and kiln-drying context described by the Council. It is not a general allowance for project waste, bad cuts, defects, or every lumber order. Check whether the seller is quoting a gross/green or net kiln-dried tally before drawing conclusions from a difference in board-foot totals. The American Hardwood Export Council’s measurement guidance explains these tally terms.
When comparing two hardwood quotes, put the tally label beside each number. A green-tally figure and a net kiln-dried figure may describe related material at different stages, so comparing the numbers without the labels can make a normal tally difference look like a calculation error.
How should I estimate waste?
Separate the required dimensions from the extra material you may need to buy. The board-foot or linear-foot formula describes the listed parts; it does not simulate saw cuts, defects, selection of clear pieces, or unusable off-cuts. Examine the actual cut plan and the quality of the material being purchased.
For a simple list of long, identical parts, stock selection may leave relatively few useful remnants. A mixed list can leave several short remnants that do not fit another required cut. Defects can also make a nominally long enough board unsuitable for a particular part. Record those conditions as an ordering allowance tied to the project rather than applying one percentage to every job.
Do not treat the approximately 7% hardwood shrinkage figure as a waste factor. It describes a green-tally versus kiln-dried tally context, not cutting loss. Keep tally differences, stock-layout waste, and material defects as separate questions in your estimate.
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A difference does not necessarily mean either calculation is wrong. Check the details in this order:
- Unit: Is one figure in board feet and the other in linear feet or pieces?
- Dimensions: Does the calculation use nominal size while the quote or tally refers to actual dressed dimensions, or vice versa?
- Grouping: Were unlike widths, thicknesses, or lengths kept in separate cut-list rows?
- Stock lengths: Does the supplier’s available stock fit the required cuts, or does the ordering plan leave off-cuts?
- Hardwood tally: Is the material being compared on a gross/green or net kiln-dried basis?
- Price unit: Is the quote priced by the same unit as the estimate?
Reconcile the measurement basis before changing the quantity. A price comparison is meaningful only when the material description and tally units match. If the supplier gives a price per board foot, do not compare it directly with a price per linear foot or per piece; first identify what amount of material each price covers.
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How do I compare lumber prices fairly?
Write the price unit beside every quote and keep the associated dimensions on the same line. A lower-looking number may simply be quoted per piece while another is per board foot, or one may use a different stock length. Confirm whether the quote includes the same nominal size groups, the same lengths, and the same tally basis.
For hardwood, ask whether the board-foot number is gross/green or net kiln-dried. For dressed softwood, check that the invoice identifies nominal size and length and also states actual thickness and width where required by the standard. Compare like with like before deciding which quote costs less.
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A board-foot total gives a volume-based board measure for the listed nominal dimensions and lengths. It helps describe the amount of material in a cut list and can be used when a seller tallies or quotes by board measure.
It does not, by itself, specify the number of boards to buy, guarantee a particular stock-length layout, or account for every off-cut and defect. Nor can a linear-foot total replace it: length alone does not state width or thickness. For an order, preserve the cut list and use the total alongside the seller’s units, dimensions, stock lengths, and tally conventions.
Order checklist
- Have I listed every part with quantity, nominal thickness, nominal width, and length?
- Did I keep unlike sizes and lengths in separate rows?
- Did I label inches, feet, board feet, linear feet, pieces, and price units?
- Does the seller quote by board measure, linear length, piece, or another basis?
- Are the quoted dimensions nominal, actual dressed, or both?
- For hardwood, is the tally gross/green or net kiln-dried?
- Do the proposed stock lengths fit the cut plan?
- Have I considered defects and off-cuts without assuming a universal waste percentage?
- Does the invoice show the same material description and tally basis as my worksheet?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert a board-foot total directly into a number of boards?
Not without knowing the dimensions and lengths of the boards being counted. A board-foot total represents board measure, while a board count is a count of pieces; different combinations of sizes can produce the same board-foot total.
Do board feet include the waste from cutting?
The formula totals the dimensions and quantities you enter; it does not automatically model a cut layout, defects, or unusable off-cuts. Treat any added material as a separate estimate tied to the actual layout and material, rather than assuming the board-foot arithmetic already includes it.
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Only after confirming how each is tallied. A green-tally basis and a net kiln-dried tally can produce different board-foot figures, so ask the seller to state the basis before treating the totals as directly comparable.
Does nominal lumber size mean the board measures that size?
No. Nominal size is a trade designation and can differ from actual dressed thickness and width. Check the seller’s stated dimensions and tally basis rather than assuming the nominal label is a measurement of the finished board.
Is 80 linear feet the same as 80 board feet?
No. Eighty linear feet states only a total length. Board feet also depend on nominal thickness and width, so the same 80 linear feet can represent different board-foot amounts for different sizes.
The Bottom Line
Build the estimate from a labeled cut list: calculate each identical group separately, using nominal dimensions for board feet, or add lengths for linear feet. Then verify the seller’s unit, dimensions, hardwood tally basis, stock lengths, and the cut-specific allowance for off-cuts and defects before placing the order.
