Board Feet Calculator
Calculate lumber volume in board feet — the standard unit of lumber measurement
Single Board
Total Board Feet
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Project Cut List
Project Total
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Board Feet Formula & Reference
Formula: Board Feet = (Thickness × Width × Length) ÷ 12
Where thickness & width are in inches, length in feet. One board foot = 1" × 12" × 12" (144 cubic inches).
Where thickness & width are in inches, length in feet. One board foot = 1" × 12" × 12" (144 cubic inches).
| Nominal Size | Actual Size | BF per Lineal Foot | Common Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1×4 | ¾" × 3½" | 0.33 BF | 8–16 ft |
| 1×6 | ¾" × 5½" | 0.50 BF | 8–16 ft |
| 1×8 | ¾" × 7¼" | 0.67 BF | 8–16 ft |
| 1×10 | ¾" × 9¼" | 0.83 BF | 8–16 ft |
| 1×12 | ¾" × 11¼" | 1.00 BF | 8–16 ft |
| 2×4 | 1½" × 3½" | 0.67 BF | 8–16 ft |
| 2×6 | 1½" × 5½" | 1.00 BF | 8–16 ft |
| 4×4 | 3½" × 3½" | 1.33 BF | 8–16 ft |
Lumber Cost Estimator
Estimate project lumber cost with waste factor and multiple species
Cost by Board Feet
Net BF Needed
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Subtotal
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Tax
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Total
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Species Price Reference
| Species | Approx $/BF | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pine (select) | $2–4 | Easy to work |
| Poplar | $3–5 | Paints well |
| Red Oak | $4–7 | Classic hardwood |
| White Oak | $5–9 | Rift/qtr available |
| Hard Maple | $5–9 | Excellent for tops |
| Walnut | $8–15 | Premium furniture |
| Cherry | $6–12 | Fine furniture |
| Ash | $4–8 | Bends well |
| Teak | $20–35 | Outdoor/marine |
| Mahogany | $7–14 | Classic cabinet wood |
Miter & Bevel Calculator
Find saw settings for any corner angle — including compound miters
Simple Miter (Flat Work)
Enter the corner angle of the finished piece (e.g. 90° for a box, 135° for an octagon).
OR enter sides to auto-fill corner
Miter Saw Setting
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Compound Miter (Crown Moulding)
For moulding held flat on the saw bed with blade tilted.
Common: 38° or 45°
Miter Angle
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Bevel Angle
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Common Polygon Miter Reference
| Shape | Sides | Corner Angle | Miter Setting | Cut Per Piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triangle | 3 | 60° | 30° | 6 cuts |
| Square / Box | 4 | 90° | 45° | 8 cuts |
| Pentagon | 5 | 108° | 36° | 10 cuts |
| Hexagon | 6 | 120° | 30° | 12 cuts |
| Octagon | 8 | 135° | 22.5° | 16 cuts |
| Decagon | 10 | 144° | 18° | 20 cuts |
| Dodecagon | 12 | 150° | 15° | 24 cuts |
Dovetail Layout Calculator
Evenly space tails and pins across any board width
Tail Spacing
Softwood: 6–8 · Hardwood: 8–10
Layout (left to right from baseline)
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Dovetail Angle Reference
| Wood Type | Ratio | Angle | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softwoods | 1:6 | 9.5° | Pine, cedar, fir |
| Hardwoods | 1:8 | 7.1° | Oak, maple, walnut |
| Hardwoods | 1:7 | 8.1° | Cherry, ash, beech |
| End grain | 1:5 | 11.3° | Box joints, trays |
Shelf Sag Calculator
Estimate mid-span deflection for loaded shelves
Deflection Estimate
Mid-span Deflection
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Rating
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Rule of 32 — Max Span Guide
A common guideline: multiply shelf thickness (in inches) by 32 to get a safe maximum span in inches for typical book loads (~25 lbs/ft).
| Thickness | Max Span | Load Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| ½" | 16" | Light (paperbacks) |
| ¾" | 24" | Medium (hardcovers) |
| 1" | 32" | Standard books |
| 1¼" | 40" | Heavy reference |
| 1½" | 48" | Very heavy loads |
Dado & Rabbet Calculator
Size your dadoes, grooves, and rabbets for a snug fit
Dado / Groove Sizing
Dado Width
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Dado Depth
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Remaining Stock
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Rabbet Sizing
Rabbet Width
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Rabbet Depth
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Finish Coverage Calculator
How much finish, stain, or paint do you need for your project?
Coverage Estimator
Quarts Needed
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Gallons Needed
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Quick Area Calculator
Add up multiple surfaces to get a total sq ft figure.
Total Surface Area
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sq ft — paste into Coverage Estimator above
Screw & Fastener Reference
Pilot hole sizes, lengths, and countersink dimensions for common wood screws
Pilot Hole Calculator
Pilot Hole (body)
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Pilot Hole (shank)
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Countersink
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Depth (threads)
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Wood Screw Reference Chart
| Screw # | Shank Dia. | Soft Pilot | Hard Pilot | Countersink | Threads/in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4 | 0.112" | 3/64" | 7/64" | ¼" | 32 |
| #6 | 0.138" | 1/16" | 7/64" | 5/16" | 18 |
| #8 | 0.164" | 5/64" | 9/64" | 3/8" | 15 |
| #10 | 0.190" | 3/32" | 5/32" | 7/16" | 13 |
| #12 | 0.216" | 7/64" | 3/16" | ½" | 11 |
| #14 | 0.242" | 1/8" | 7/32" | 9/16" | 10 |
Pocket Screw Length Guide
| Material Thickness | Screw Length | Drill Setting |
|---|---|---|
| ½" | 1" | ½" step |
| ¾" | 1¼" | ¾" step |
| 1" | 1½" | 1" step |
| 1½" | 2½" | 1½" step |