Engineering
Lumber Board Feet (BF) & MBF pricing formula: (Thick" × Width" × Length') / 12
Convert nominal hardwood and framing tally lists into Board Feet, Linear Feet, and $/MBF (per 1,000 board feet) lumber orders.
Board Feet vs Linear Feet: why 1 Board Foot = 144 cubic inches!
A board foot is 144 cubic inches. With thickness and width in inches and length in feet, multiply pieces by thickness, width and length, then divide by 12. When every dimension is in inches, divide by 144 instead.
Wholesale quotes are stated in $/MBF (dollars per 1,000 Board Feet, where Roman numeral M = 1,000): 24 pieces of 2" × 6" × 10' stock = (24 × 2 × 6 × 10) / 12 = 240.00 BF; priced at $4,500 / MBF ($4.50 / BF), total extended cost = 240 × (4500 / 1000) = $1,080.00!
| Lumber Tally Line | Linear Feet (Pcs × Len') | Board Feet (Pcs×T"×W"×L'/12) | Cost @ $4,500 / MBF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 pcs — 2" × 6" × 10' | 240 LF | 240.00 BF (1.00 BF/LF) | $1,080.00 |
| 24 pcs — 2" × 8" × 10' | 240 LF | 320.00 BF (1.33 BF/LF) | $1,440.00 |
| 24 pcs — 1" × 6" × 10' (4/4) | 240 LF | 120.00 BF (0.50 BF/LF) | $540.00 |
Total Board Feet (BF) and Wholesale $/MBF Extended Cost formulas
Use the dimensional basis agreed in the supplier quote. Nominal, rough and actual surfaced dimensions are not interchangeable, and quartersawn describes grain orientation rather than a sizing rule. This calculates a volume tally; it does not establish structural suitability or account for waste.
=IF(OR(COUNT(A2:E2)<>5,A2<0,MOD(A2,1)<>0,MIN(B2:D2)<=0,E2<0),"Invalid lumber inputs",ROUND((A2 * B2 * C2 * D2) / 12, 2))Extended lumber cost from wholesale $/MBF quote (per 1,000 BF)
Divides $/MBF quote E2 by 1000 to convert per-thousand pricing into $/BF.
=IF(OR(COUNT(A2:E2)<>5,A2<0,MOD(A2,1)<>0,MIN(B2:D2)<=0,E2<0),"Invalid lumber inputs",ROUND(((A2 * B2 * C2 * D2) / 12) * (E2 / 1000), 2))Try the example
Use the original values or change them to test your understanding.