Cost Per Board Foot Calculator
This tool helps you determine the price you are paying per board foot for lumber. This is a crucial metric for comparing the cost-effectiveness of different wood types, grades, or suppliers.
Enter the Total Cost you paid for a quantity of lumber and the Total Board Feet volume of that same quantity. The calculator will provide the cost per board foot.
Enter Purchase Details
Understanding Cost Per Board Foot
What is Cost Per Board Foot?
Cost Per Board Foot (often abbreviated as $/BF or $ per BF) is simply the price paid divided by the volume of lumber in board feet. It standardizes pricing, allowing you to compare the cost of different size boards or different species accurately.
A board foot is a unit of volume for lumber equal to a board 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 1 foot long. (1 BF = 144 cubic inches).
Formula
The formula is straightforward:
Cost Per Board Foot = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
Why Calculate Cost Per Board Foot?
Using cost per board foot helps you:
- Compare prices between different wood species.
- Compare prices from different suppliers.
- Determine if buying larger or smaller dimensions is more cost-effective per volume.
- Track material costs accurately for projects.
This calculator assumes you have already determined the total board feet of your lumber purchase. If you need to calculate board feet first, you'll need a separate board foot volume calculator.
Cost Per Board Foot Examples
Here are 10 examples demonstrating how to calculate the cost per board foot:
Example 1: Simple Purchase
Scenario: You bought a stack of lumber for $100.
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $100, Total Board Feet = 50 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $100 / 50 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $2.00 / BF
Conclusion: The lumber cost $2.00 per board foot.
Example 2: Bulk Purchase
Scenario: You purchased a large quantity of framing lumber.
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $5000, Total Board Feet = 2500 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $5000 / 2500 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $2.00 / BF
Conclusion: The framing lumber cost $2.00 per board foot.
Example 3: Expensive Hardwood
Scenario: Buying a small amount of exotic hardwood.
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $80, Total Board Feet = 10 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $80 / 10 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $8.00 / BF
Conclusion: This expensive hardwood costs $8.00 per board foot.
Example 4: Budget Softwood
Scenario: Purchasing standard construction-grade lumber.
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $30, Total Board Feet = 20 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $30 / 20 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $1.50 / BF
Conclusion: The budget softwood costs $1.50 per board foot.
Example 5: With Fractional Board Feet
Scenario: A purchase results in a non-whole number of board feet.
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $40, Total Board Feet = 15.5 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $40 / 15.5 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF ≈ $2.58 / BF
Conclusion: The cost per board foot is approximately $2.58.
Example 6: Very Large Order
Scenario: Buying a large quantity of lumber for a major project.
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $10000, Total Board Feet = 4000 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $10000 / 4000 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $2.50 / BF
Conclusion: For this large order, the cost was $2.50 per board foot.
Example 7: Single Board Calculation
Scenario: Calculating cost per board foot for a single 1" x 6" x 10' board that costs $15 (Volume is 5 BF).
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $15, Total Board Feet = 5 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $15 / 5 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $3.00 / BF
Conclusion: The single board costs $3.00 per board foot.
Example 8: Another Single Board Calculation
Scenario: Calculating cost per board foot for a single 2" x 8" x 12' board that costs $40 (Volume is 16 BF).
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $40, Total Board Feet = 16 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $40 / 16 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $2.50 / BF
Conclusion: This board costs $2.50 per board foot.
Example 9: Comparing Two Purchases
Scenario: Which purchase offers a better price per BF?
Purchase A: Total Cost = $300, Total Board Feet = 120 BF. Cost Per BF = $300 / 120 BF = $2.50 / BF.
Purchase B: Total Cost = $400, Total Board Feet = 150 BF. Cost Per BF = $400 / 150 BF ≈ $2.67 / BF.
Conclusion: Purchase A ($2.50/BF) is slightly cheaper per board foot than Purchase B ($2.67/BF).
Example 10: Lumber for a Small Project
Scenario: You bought all the lumber needed for a small woodworking project.
1. Known Values: Total Cost = $75, Total Board Feet = 30 BF.
2. Formula: Cost Per BF = Total Cost / Total Board Feet
3. Calculation: Cost Per BF = $75 / 30 BF
4. Result: Cost Per BF = $2.50 / BF
Conclusion: The lumber for the project cost $2.50 per board foot.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cost Per Board Foot
1. What does this calculator do?
It calculates the cost you paid for each unit of board foot volume of lumber, given the total price you paid and the total volume in board feet.
2. What inputs do I need?
You need two inputs: the Total Cost (the total amount of money paid) and the Total Board Feet (the total volume of the lumber in board feet).
3. What is a board foot?
A board foot is a standard unit of lumber volume equal to 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 1 foot long, or 144 cubic inches.
4. Why calculate cost per board foot?
It's the most common way to compare lumber prices consistently. It allows you to see which types of wood, grades, or suppliers offer the best value on a volume basis.
5. What is the formula used?
The calculator uses the simple formula: Cost Per Board Foot = Total Cost ÷ Total Board Feet.
6. What happens if I enter zero for Total Board Feet?
The calculator will show an error because you cannot divide by zero. You must have a positive volume of lumber to calculate a cost per board foot.
7. What units should I use for cost?
Enter the cost in your local currency (e.g., dollars, euros, pounds). The result will be in that currency per board foot.
8. How do I find the Total Board Feet of my lumber?
You need to measure the dimensions of each board (Thickness in inches, Width in inches, Length in feet) and use a separate Board Foot Volume calculator or the formula: (Thickness * Width * Length) / 12. Sum the volumes of all boards to get the Total Board Feet.
9. Does this account for lumber grade or defects?
No, this calculator only gives you a raw price per volume. Higher grades or lumber with fewer defects will typically have a higher cost per board foot, but this tool simply performs the division based on the numbers you provide.
10. Can I use this to compare different wood types?
Yes, this is one of the primary uses! Calculate the cost per board foot for different wood types and compare the resulting values to see which is more expensive per volume.
