Linear Feet to Board Feet Calculator
Convert lumber between linear feet and board feet — the volume unit lumber yards use for pricing hardwood and dimensional stock.
—
The presets use actual dressed (planed) sizes, which is what board feet measures. Some sellers quote nominal sizes — confirm which one your supplier uses.
Common sizes at a glance
| Nominal size | Board ft per linear ft | Linear ft per board ft |
| 2×6 | 0.688 | 1.45 |
| 2×4 | 0.438 | 2.29 |
| 1×6 | 0.344 | 2.91 |
| 5/4×6 decking | 0.458 | 2.18 |
| 1×4 | 0.219 | 4.57 |
How the conversion works
A board foot is 144 cubic inches of wood — technically 1 in thick × 12 in wide × 1 ft long:
board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12
linear feet = board feet × 12 ÷ (thickness in × width in)
Board feet measure volume, so the same 100 board feet can be a long run of thin stock or a short run of thick timber. Linear feet measure only length, which is why the conversion always needs thickness and width.
Decking and fencing note
Deck boards are usually sold by linear feet or by square footage of coverage, not by board feet — board feet pricing shows up mostly in hardwood and specialty stock. For layout quantities, use the deck board calculator or the fence calculator, and read the tape measure guide for accurate site measurements.
Related calculators
Reviewed by the MaterialWhiz Editorial Team. Last reviewed: October 10, 2026. See how we calculate · Report a correction.