How to Convert Cubic Feet Into Board Feet

You can use board feet to measure the volume of lumber.

The lumber industry uses the board-foot measurement to measure the volume of lumber and to price lumber for sale. One board foot is equal to wood that is 12 inches long by 12 inches wide by 1 inch thick. A cubic foot is another measure of volume. One cubic foot equals a piece of wood that is 1 foot long by 1 foot wide by 1 foot thick. One board foot is equivalent to 1/12 of one cubic foot. You can convert a known volume of wood in cubic feet to board feet to compare measurements of lumber in the same units.

Instructions

1. Determine a volume of lumber in cubic feet that you want to convert to board feet. For example, assume you want to convert 10 cubic feet of lumber to board feet.

2. Multiply the volume in cubic feet by 12. In the example, multiply 10 cubic feet by 12 to get 120.

3. Record your answer in board feet by writing the abbreviation for board feet, "bf," after your result. In the example, this results in 120 bf.

Tips & Warnings

• You can multiply your result in board feet by the price per board foot of wood to calculate the cost to purchase that volume of wood.

References

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; What Is A Board Foot?; A. Jeff Martin; 1989
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement: B; Russ Rowlett
• McGraw-Hill: Glencoe Online Learning Center; Figuring Board Feet
• University of Missouri Extension; Measurements and Pricing of Primary Wood Materials; James Pastoret; 1993