Timber Volume & Board Feet Calculator: measuring notes and method
Check the board-foot quote
Ask which dimensions the supplier uses for board-foot pricing before comparing their quote with the physical volume shown here.
Keep unlike lengths separate
Save each timber size and length as its own item. Equal total volume does not mean interchangeable stock: ten short pieces may not replace five long pieces where continuous members are required.
Formula
Volume = actual width × actual thickness × length × quantity. One board foot = 144 cubic inches.
Worked examples in metric and imperial units
Illustrative values match Reset example and stay fixed when you edit the calculator. Both columns describe the same calculation; converted inputs are rounded.
Metric worked example
- Timber length
- 3 m
- Actual width
- 90 mm
- Actual thickness
- 45 mm
- Quantity
- 20
Solid timber volume: 0.243 m³
Imperial worked example
- Timber length
- 9.8425 ft
- Actual width
- 3.5433 in
- Actual thickness
- 1.7717 in
- Quantity
- 20
Solid timber volume: 0.3178 yd³
Follow the calculation
Lengths in this working are in metres.
- Volume = 3 × 0.09 × 0.045 × 20 = 0.243 m³.
- Divide cubic metres by 0.002359737216 to obtain board feet.
Reviewed 19 October 2026. How calculations are checked · Report a correction