Board Foot to Linear Foot Calculator

Calculate:

Board Foot (bf): Bf

Linear Foot (Lf): Lf

Nominal Thickness (T):

Nominal Width (W):

1. What is a Board Foot to Linear Foot Calculator?

Definition: This calculator converts between board feet (bf), a measure of lumber volume, and linear feet (Lf), a measure of length, based on the nominal thickness and width of the lumber.

Purpose: It is used in woodworking and construction to estimate the amount of lumber needed or to convert between volume and length measurements for pricing and planning.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the following formulas:

\[ \text{Lf} = \frac{12}{\text{T} \times \text{W}} \times \text{bf} \] \[ \text{bf} = \frac{\text{T} \times \text{W} \times \text{Lf}}{12} \] Where:

\( \text{Lf} \): Linear feet (Lf)
\( \text{bf} \): Board feet (bf)
\( \text{T} \): Nominal thickness (in or cm)
\( \text{W} \): Nominal width (in or cm)

Calculations:

Linear Foot (Lf): \( \text{Lf} = \frac{12}{\text{T} \times \text{W}} \times \text{bf} \)
Board Foot (bf): \( \text{bf} = \frac{\text{T} \times \text{W} \times \text{Lf}}{12} \)

Unit Conversions:

Thickness (T) and Width (W): in, cm (1 cm = 0.393701 in)
Board Foot (bf): Volume unit, 1 bf = 144 cubic inches
Linear Foot (Lf): Length unit, 1 Lf = 12 inches

Steps:

Select what to calculate: Linear Foot (Lf) or Board Foot (bf).
Enter the known values (board foot or linear foot, thickness, width) with units.
Convert thickness and width to inches.
Calculate the unknown using the appropriate formula.
Display the result with 3 decimal places or in scientific notation if outside 0.0001 to 10000.

3. Importance of Board Foot to Linear Foot Calculation

Calculating board feet and linear feet is crucial for:

Cost Estimation: Determining lumber costs based on volume or length.
Material Planning: Ensuring the correct amount of lumber is purchased.
Construction and Woodworking: Accurately sizing materials for projects.
Inventory Management: Tracking lumber stock in yards or stores.

4. Using the Calculator

Examples:

Example 1 (Calculate Linear Foot): For 600 bf of 1 x 2 lumber:
- Input: \( \text{bf} = 600 \), \( \text{T} = 1 \, \text{in} \), \( \text{W} = 2 \, \text{in} \)
- \( \text{Lf} = \frac{12}{1 \times 2} \times 600 = 6 \times 600 = 3600 \, \text{Lf} \)
- Result: \( 3600.000 \, \text{Lf} \)
Example 2 (Calculate Board Foot): For 3600 Lf of 1 x 2 lumber:
- Input: \( \text{Lf} = 3600 \), \( \text{T} = 1 \, \text{in} \), \( \text{W} = 2 \, \text{in} \)
- \( \text{bf} = \frac{1 \times 2 \times 3600}{12} = \frac{7200}{12} = 600 \, \text{bf} \)
- Result: \( 600.000 \, \text{bf} \)
Example 3 (Calculate Linear Foot with cm): For 100 bf of lumber with \( \text{T} = 2.54 \, \text{cm} \), \( \text{W} = 5.08 \, \text{cm} \):
- Convert: \( \text{T} = 2.54 \times 0.393701 = 1 \, \text{in} \), \( \text{W} = 5.08 \times 0.393701 = 2 \, \text{in} \)
- \( \text{Lf} = \frac{12}{1 \times 2} \times 100 = 6 \times 100 = 600 \, \text{Lf} \)
- Result: \( 600.000 \, \text{Lf} \)

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is a board foot?
A: A board foot (bf) is a unit of lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches, or a board 1 ft long, 1 ft wide, and 1 in thick.

Q: What is a linear foot?
A: A linear foot (Lf) is a length of 12 inches, used to measure the length of lumber without considering width or thickness.

Q: Why convert between board foot and linear foot?
A: Conversion helps in pricing, planning, and purchasing lumber, as some suppliers use board feet (volume) and others use linear feet (length).

Q: Does the wood type affect the conversion?
A: No, the conversion formula is independent of wood type, but pricing may vary based on species, quality, and availability.