About Free Board Foot
Free Board Foot is a free, tool-first lumber measurement platform for woodworkers, contractors, hardwood buyers, and forestry professionals.
Our Mission
To provide the most accurate, transparent, and easy-to-use board foot calculators on the web — for free, without registration or lead-generation walls.
Accuracy Standards
Every calculator on this site is tested against industry-standard cross-check values before publication:
- Board foot geometry: Tested against known values (4/4 × 6" × 8' = 4.00 BF; 2×4×8' nominal = 5.33 BF; etc.)
- NHLA tally: Rules verified against published NHLA (National Hardwood Lumber Association) grading conventions.
- Log rules: Doyle formula is exact. Scribner Decimal C and International ¼-inch polynomial approximations are verified against the USDA Forest Service Scaling Handbook (EM 7133-4).
- Unit conversions: 1 BF = 144 in³ = 1/12 ft³ = 0.002360 m³ (exact from SI definitions).
All calculators show their assumptions and formulas. If you find an error, please contact us.
Sources
- NHLA (National Hardwood Lumber Association) grading rules
- USDA Forest Service Scaling Handbook (EM 7133-4)
- Grosenbaugh, L.R. (1952). Shortcuts for cruisers and scalers. USDA Forest Service Occasional Paper 126.
- American Wood Council / Southern Pine Inspection Bureau lumber dimension standards
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook
Disclaimer
Calculator results are estimates. Actual lumber volumes, log yields, and costs depend on measurement conventions, species, grade, moisture content, and supplier-specific practices. Always confirm measurements and pricing with your supplier, mill, or a licensed log scaler before financial transactions.