Board Foot

A board foot is a unit of lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches -- nominally, a board 12" wide, 12" long, and 1" thick. Hardwood is priced and sold by the board foot rather than by length alone, because it accounts for thickness: a 2"-thick board contains twice the board feet (and costs roughly twice as much) as the same width and length cut at 1" thick. Use the Board Foot Calculator to work out a project's actual material cost.