board feet
cubic meters

How to Calculate Lumber Requirements

Board Foot Formula

A board foot is a standard unit of measurement for lumber. It calculates the volume of wood as:

\text{Board Foot} = \left( \frac{\text{Thickness (in)} \times \text{Width (in)} \times \text{Length (ft)}}{12} \right)

Material Cost Formula

To calculate the total cost:

\text{Total Cost} = \text{Total Board Feet} \times \text{Unit Price (per board foot)}

Example Calculation

You need to purchase lumber for a deck construction project.

  1. Lumber Dimensions:
    • Thickness: 2 inches
    • Width: 6 inches
    • Length: 8 feet
  2. Quantity: 10 boards
  3. Unit Price: $3.50 per board foot

Calculate Board Feet per Board:

\text{Board Foot} = \frac{2 \times 6 \times 8}{12} = 8 \, \text{board feet}

Calculate Total Board Feet:

\text{Total Board Feet} = 8 \times 10 = 80 \, \text{board feet}

Calculate Total Cost:

\text{Total Cost} = 80 \times 3.50 = 280 \, \text{USD}

So, you will need 80 board feet of lumber, costing $280.