Board Feet to Linear Feet Calculator
Convert between board feet and linear feet for any board size — both directions — because the yard prices in one and the project is measured in the other.
Two languages for the same board
Hardwood and rough lumber are priced by the board foot — a volume, 144 cubic inches. Projects, cuts and plans are measured in linear feet — a length. This converter translates between them for any board size, in both directions, and prices the piece when you give it the yard's rate: enter the board feet to learn the length, or the length to learn the board feet.
Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12 · Linear feet = board feet × 12 ÷ (thickness × width)
Example: a 2 × 4 carries 0.667 board feet per linear foot, so 12 board feet of 2 × 4 is 18 linear feet — at $3.50 per board foot, a $42 piece. A 2 × 12, by contrast, is exactly 2 board feet per foot of length.
Why the size changes the exchange rate
The conversion is not a constant — it is the board's cross-section doing the talking. Double the width and the same length holds twice the wood, so a linear foot is worth twice the board feet. That is why a price per board foot cannot be compared across sizes until it is converted: $4 per board foot is $2.67 per linear foot in a 2 × 4 but $8 per linear foot in a 2 × 12. Quote comparisons, cut lists and the yard's tally all meet at this exchange.
Two conventions to keep straight at the counter: sizes here are the entered (nominal) ones — a planed 2 × 4 is really 1.5 × 3.5 in, and hardwood yards tally by the nominal or the surfaced measure according to their own rule, which is worth one question before a big order. And waste in fine lumber is real but personal — it depends on your cut list, not a percentage — so this converter stays exact, like the board foot calculator it complements.
Frequently asked questions
How many linear feet are in a board foot?
It depends entirely on the board: a 1 × 6 holds half a board foot per linear foot, so a board foot is 2 linear feet of it. A 2 × 4 holds 0.667, making a board foot 1.5 linear feet. The calculator divides by your board's actual cross-section.
Why do hardwood yards price by the board foot?
Because their stock varies in width and length — a volume price lets any board be tallied fairly: thickness × width × length ÷ 12. Dimensional yards selling uniform 2×4s can price per piece; a hardwood yard with a wall of odd boards cannot.
Is a nominal 2 × 4 really 2 by 4 for this conversion?
Enter the size you are being charged for. Yards tallying surfaced lumber on nominal size use 2 × 4; a yard measuring the actual 1.5 × 3.5 in face gets about 34% fewer board feet for the same board. For converting a price quote into project lengths, matching the yard's own convention is what makes the answer spendable.
How is this different from the board foot calculator?
That one starts from a board's full dimensions and quantity and totals the board feet (and cubic meters). This one converts between the two length languages — given either the board feet or the linear feet, it finds the other — and prices a piece at a rate per board foot.
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