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Board Feet and Framing Lumber Calculator
Hardwood and a lot of framing lumber are priced by the board foot. Enter the pieces with their nominal thickness, width and length, and the calculator gives the board feet and the cost at your price per thousand. Or enter a wall to count its studs and plates and turn them into a shopping list.
The numbers stay in your browser: we do not store or receive them.
Lumber list
Use the nominal size lumber is sold by, so a 2x4 is 2 and 4. Lengths are the stock length in feet.
Wall framing
Studs and plates for each wall. Headers, sills and blocking go in the lumber list above.
Assumptions
Board feet
338.7
42 pieces
With 10.0% waste
372.5
Wall 1: 19 studs on layout + 12 extra = 31 2×4 × 8 ft studs, 5 plate pieces × 16 ft.
| Size | Pieces | Board feet |
|---|---|---|
| 2×4×8 | 31 | 165.33 |
| 2×4×16 | 5 | 53.33 |
| 2×10×12 | 6 | 120.00 |
| Total | 42 | 338.67 |
What a board foot is
A board foot is 144 cubic inches of lumber, the volume of a board 1 in thick, 12 in wide and 1 ft long. For one piece, board feet = thickness in inches × width in inches × length in feet ÷ 12. A 2x4 that is 8 ft long is 2 × 4 × 8 ÷ 12 = 5.33 board feet, and a 2x10x12 is 20.
Lumber is measured by its nominal size, the name it is sold by, not the smaller size it is after drying and planing. A 2x4 counts as 2 in × 4 in even though it measures about 1-1/2 in × 3-1/2 in.
Cost
Prices are often quoted per 1,000 board feet, written MBF. The cost is the board feet × the price ÷ 1,000. Enter your own price, since it changes with the species, the grade and the market.
Counting a wall
Studs on layout = wall length × 12 ÷ spacing, rounded up, plus 1. A 24 ft wall at 16 in on center takes 24 × 12 ÷ 16 + 1 = 19 studs. Extra studs are added for each corner or tee and each opening, using the numbers in the assumptions box (2 per corner and 4 per opening, two king studs and two jacks, to start). Plates are the wall length × the number of plates, three being one bottom and a double top, cut from stock lengths and rounded up.
Change any of those numbers to match how you frame. Headers, sills, cripples, blocking, sheathing and fasteners are not counted for you, so add headers and other pieces to the lumber list.
A worked example
A 24 ft wall of 2x4 studs 8 ft long at 16 in on center with 2 corners and 2 openings takes 19 + 4 + 8 = 31 studs. Its plates, 3 × 24 = 72 ft, need 5 pieces of 16 ft. The studs are 31 × 5.33 = 165.3 board feet and the plates are 53.3, for 218.7 board feet of 2x4.
Add 6 pieces of 2x10x12 for the header and joists (120 board feet) and the list comes to 338.7 board feet, or 372.5 with 10 percent waste.
What this does not do
It counts nominal board feet for pricing. It does not account for the actual dimensions, the lumber grade, or lumber sold by the piece or by the linear foot, which is how most dimensional lumber is actually priced at a yard. The waste percent is applied to the board feet and cost, while the piece counts are shown as figured, so round your shopping list up yourself. Check your plans for the real stud spacing, wall heights and framing details.
FAQ
How do you calculate board feet?
Multiply the thickness in inches by the width in inches by the length in feet, then divide by 12. For several pieces, multiply by the number of pieces.
Is board feet based on nominal or actual size?
Nominal. A 2x4 is figured as 2 in by 4 in, even though it measures about 1-1/2 in by 3-1/2 in.
How many studs do I need for a wall?
Divide the wall length in inches by the spacing, round up, and add one. Then add extra studs for corners and openings. A 24 ft wall at 16 in on center needs 19 studs on layout.
What is 16 in on center?
It means the center of each stud is 16 in from the center of the next one. Other common spacings are 12 in, 19.2 in and 24 in.
How much waste should I allow?
About 10 percent is a common allowance for framing lumber, with more for cut-up layouts and lower-grade lumber that has culls. The box is yours to change.
Is anything I type saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent to us.
Pricing the whole frame? PoPs Estimating counts studs, plates and sheathing from your plans and keeps the quantities tied to the bid.
Questions?
Ask us anything about PoPs Suite, pricing, or running a construction company. A real person answers, usually within a business day.