By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
A cut list is easier to price in board feet than in pieces. This calculator takes up to six board sizes, totals their board footage and weight, and multiplies by your price per board foot — the way a lumber yard quotes hardwood and the way a trailer limit is judged.
Board feet, weight and cost for a whole cut list.
BF = (T × W × L × qty) ÷ 12 Weight = BF × density factor
Board footage uses nominal thickness and width in inches and length in feet. Weight uses species density at 12% moisture content; green lumber is 20–40% heavier. Kiln-dried softwood sold as 2 × 4 is actually 1½ × 3½, so its true volume is lower than nominal board footage.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| T, W | Nominal thickness and width in inches. |
| L | Length in feet. |
| BF | Board feet for the line and the order. |
Each board is 4 board feet, so twelve are 48 board feet. At 550 kg/m³ and 12% moisture that is about 42 kg, or 93 lb.
Continue with the Gravel Calculator, Sand Calculator, Rock Calculator, or the River Rock Calculator — or browse more materials & quantities and all construction calculators.
A volume of 144 cubic inches: 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, 12 inches long. It is the standard unit for hardwood pricing.
Results use standard construction estimating arithmetic: volumes from measured area and depth, unit weights from published material densities, and code-referenced spans or clearances where the page names a code. Quantities are rounded up to whole saleable units and include the stated waste allowance. These tools are planning aids, not structural design, and do not replace a licensed engineer, a local code check, or a contractor's site measurement.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
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Content updated: September 2026