Woodworking Calculators & Tools

Free woodworking calculators and tools to help you plan your projects, estimate materials, and save money at the lumber yard.

Board Foot Calculator

Calculate board feet for your lumber purchases. Add multiple boards to get a total, and optionally include price per board foot to estimate your project cost.

Board Foot Calculator









Total Board Feet
0.00
Boards
0

Total Cost
$0.00

Cubic Feet
0.00

Formula: Board Feet = (Thickness” × Width” × Length”) ÷ 144
Tip: A board foot is a volume measurement equal to a 1″ × 12″ × 12″ piece of lumber. Hardwood is typically sold by the board foot.

What is a Board Foot?

A board foot is a unit of volume used to measure lumber. One board foot equals 144 cubic inches of wood, or the equivalent of a board that is 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long.

When you buy hardwood lumber from a dealer, prices are typically quoted per board foot. This allows you to compare costs regardless of the board dimensions. Common hardwood prices range from $3-6 per board foot for domestic species like oak and maple, up to $15+ for exotic woods.

How to Calculate Board Feet

The formula is straightforward:

Board Feet = (Thickness × Width × Length) ÷ 144

Where all dimensions are in inches. If your length is in feet, multiply the length by 12 first, or use the simpler formula:

Board Feet = (Thickness" × Width" × Length') ÷ 12

Quick Reference

  • A 1" × 12" × 8' board = 8 board feet
  • A 2" × 6" × 8' board = 8 board feet
  • A 4/4 (1") × 8" × 6' board = 4 board feet

Understanding Lumber Thickness

Hardwood lumber is sold in "quarters" referring to the rough thickness in quarter inches:

  • 4/4 (four-quarter) = 1" thick
  • 5/4 = 1.25" thick
  • 6/4 = 1.5" thick
  • 8/4 = 2" thick

After surfacing (S2S), expect to lose about 3/16" from each face.

Wood Movement Calculator

Calculate how much your wood will expand or contract with seasonal humidity changes. Essential for planning tabletops, panel glue-ups, and any project where wood movement matters.

Wood Movement Calculator






Typical Indoor MC: Winter 6-8% | Summer 10-14%
Typical Outdoor MC: 12-19% depending on climate

Expected Width Change
0.000"
New Width
12.000"

% Change
0.00%

Movement/Foot
0.000"

Understanding Wood Movement

Wood is hygroscopic - it absorbs and releases moisture from the air. As indoor humidity changes seasonally, wood expands and contracts. Understanding this movement is critical for furniture that lasts.

Why Wood Moves

Wood cells are like bundles of straws. When humidity increases, moisture enters the cell walls and pushes them apart. When humidity drops, cells shrink. This happens across the grain (width), not along the grain (length).

Flat Sawn vs Quarter Sawn

  • Flat Sawn (Plain Sawn): Growth rings run roughly parallel to the face. Moves the MOST - about 2x as much as quarter sawn. Most common cut.
  • Quarter Sawn: Growth rings run roughly perpendicular to the face. Moves the LEAST. More stable but more expensive.
  • Rift Sawn: Growth rings at 30-60 degrees. Movement between flat and quarter sawn.

Moisture Content by Season

Environment Winter MC Summer MC
Heated Home (North) 6-8% 10-12%
Air Conditioned (South) 8-10% 10-14%
Covered Outdoor 12-15% 14-18%

Design Strategies for Wood Movement

  • Breadboard ends: Attach with elongated slots to allow tabletop expansion
  • Floating panels: Don't glue panels into frames; let them float
  • Slotted screw holes: Allow tabletops to move on aprons
  • Figure-8 fasteners: Rotate to allow movement
  • Expansion gaps: Leave space at edges in built-ins

More Calculators Coming Soon

We're building more free tools for woodworkers:

  • Project Cost Estimator
  • Wood Species Database

Bookmark this page and check back soon!

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