What Is A Board Foot And How Is It Calculated
Board Foot Lumber: The Basics
First and foremost, a board foot is a type of measurement for lumber in North America, including the United States and Canada. The measurement of board foot is equal to 1 ft x 1 ft x 1 in.
The most common abbreviations for a board foot are FBM, BT and BDFT. When we start discussing larger quantities, the abbreviation is MFBM, MBF or MBFT.
How to Calculate Board Foot Lumber
When it comes to hardwood and softwood, they tend to look similar. However, when you sit down to do the calculations, there are clear differences. For example, softwoods are uniformly cut into specific sizes such as 1 x 8 or 2 x 4. This is much different than the formula used to calculate the price of hardwood.
With hardwood, sellers use board foot measurements. In essence, this measurement is a volume calculation. The pricing depends on the thickness of the hardwood. This is essential. If you need to calculate board feet, use the measurement length x width x thickness.
You will most likely find 1/4 inch increments of thickness for hardwood. Let’s take a look at 6 examples of hardwood thicknesses.
* 8/4 = 2.00 inches
* 7/4 = 1.75 inches
* 6/4 = 1.50 inches
* 5/4 = 1.25 inches
* 4/4 = 1.00 inch
* 3/4 = 0.75 inches
How to Find the Price
Let’s say you already know the board foot measurement as well as how much your specific lumberyard is charging. With this information available, you can easily calculate the price. When you’re in the process of buying and selling lumber, confirming the exact price of the lumber is crucial.
Many lumberyards will round numbers off. You can wind up paying significantly more than usual if you agree to use the rounded-up numbers from the lumberyard. Speak up and ask the seller for their exact measurements.
When they decide to round up, it can have a major impact on cost down the line. Due to the fact this measurement is a volume measurement, two separate boards with the same volume can vary greatly.
To give you an example and help you visualize, let’s take a look at two different-sized boards.
10 feet long x 6 inches wide x 1 inch thick = 5 board feet
2.5 feet long x 4 inches wide x 3 inches think = 5 board feet
As you can see from the above example, both boards are equal. The two boards are different sizes. You may need a specific type to fit your project.
As a result, when buying hardwoods it is best to find a board that will fulfill your needs. Next, you should individually measure them in order to calculate the price.
When & How Board Feet Calculations Are Used
Board feet calculations are not ones you come across every day. However, that doesn’t mean their importance isn’t recognized. Lumberyards can not sell using linear or per-board prices because they sell boards with random widths.
This is contrary to big box stores which can sell using linear and per-board pricing. Therefore, board feet calculations are important for the following reasons.
* Determining how much material to purchase for a job or project
* Communicating with the lumberyard when purchasing material
When you order lumber from a lumberyard, it is important to find out the price of the species you are looking for. Each species has a different price, therefore it is essential you know exactly what you have to pay. This way there are no surprises.
Secondly, you should determine how much of the material you will need for the project. It is advisable to add 50% to 100% more to that figure. You need to allow for redesigns, errors, defects, etc. Stock can get easily used up during the construction and building process. It is better to have too much material than not enough.
The percentage you add to that initial figure will vary based upon your previous projects and a general sense of how quickly materials will be used.
While board feet calculations are important, don’t forget to use good judgment when purchasing from the lumberyard. For example, you should inspect the boards, inspect the grain, look for imperfections and ensure it is the right fit for your project.
