Lumber price per board foot converter.

Worked example

A 2 x 4 x 8 ft board holds 2 x 4 x 8 / 12 = 5.333 board feet and 0.667 board feet per linear foot. At $8.50 per piece that is $1.59 per board foot, $1,593.75 per MBF and $1.06 per linear foot. A $12 piece of 12 ft 2 x 6 (12 board feet) is exactly $1.00 per board foot.

Method and sources

Formulas: board feet per piece = thickness (in.) × width (in.) × length (ft) / 12 (Penn State Extension, Valuing Standing Timber); board feet per linear foot = thickness × width / 12; price per board foot = price per piece / board feet per piece = price per linear foot / board feet per linear foot = price per MBF / 1,000. One board foot is 144 cubic inches (Missouri Extension G5050), and prices per “thousand board feet” are used in Virginia Cooperative Extension 420-085 (all retrieved 2026-10). Limits: the size you enter sets the conversion. Entering nominal 2 x 4 reproduces the nominal basis; entering 1.5 x 3.5 gives the actual-size basis, which is a different number of board feet for the same board. Ask your seller which basis its per-board-foot price uses.

FAQ

How do I convert price per piece to price per board foot?

Divide the price by the board feet in the piece: thickness x width x length in feet / 12. An 8 ft 2x4 is 5.333 board feet.

How do I convert price per linear foot to price per board foot?

Divide by thickness x width / 12. A 2x4 is 0.667 board feet per linear foot, so $1.06 per linear foot is $1.59 per board foot.

What is a price per MBF?

MBF is a thousand board feet. $1,600 per MBF is $1.60 per board foot.

Why do two sellers quote different board feet for the same 2x4?

One may count nominal size (2 x 4) and the other actual size (1.5 x 3.5). The same board is 5.333 or 3.5 board feet at 8 ft. Compare on one basis.