Lumber Volume Converter

Convert lumber volume between board feet, cubic metres, cubic feet, cubic inches, and the standard 1×12 linear-foot shortcut.

Last updated 25 March 2026

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Timber Volume

Lumber volume converter: board feet, cubic volume, and 1×12 trade assumptions explained

A lumber volume converter helps when timber is described in trade volume terms like board feet, in geometric units like cubic feet or cubic metres, or in the common 1×12 linear-foot shortcut. Those labels are related, but they are not interchangeable unless the underlying board-foot assumption is stated clearly.

About this calculator

Reviewed March 2026

Methodology

Converts the entered trade or geometric lumber volume into a shared cubic-metre base, then derives board feet, cubic feet, cubic inches, cubic metres, and the standard 1×12 linear-foot shortcut from that same volume.

Limitations

The linear-foot result assumes a 1×12 cross-section and should not be treated as a universal length conversion.
This page converts volume only and does not estimate dressed yield, waste, species mass, or project-specific cut lists.
Displayed values are rounded for readability.

Disclaimer

Use this calculator as a planning reference only. For purchasing, fabrication, or structural decisions, verify the actual stock dimensions, grade, and supplier specification before treating a converted result as final.

Sources

NIST Guide to the SI — Official NIST guide covering unit usage and the exact inch-to-millimetre relationship used in timber measurement.
University of Minnesota Extension — Sampling and Measuring Timber — Extension guidance on timber measurement and board-foot style volume planning.

See our calculation methodology and editorial standards for how this estimate is produced.

What a board foot means

A board foot is the volume of a board that is 1 foot long, 1 foot wide, and 1 inch thick. It is a trade unit used because it translates lumber yield into a compact planning number for rough stock, framing take-offs, and material estimates.

That also explains why linear footage only works as a shortcut when the cross-section is fixed. If the stock is not based on the standard 1×12 board-foot assumption, a plain linear length is not enough to describe the actual volume.

1 board foot = 144 in³ = 1/12 ft³

Core lumber-volume relationship behind board-foot conversions.

1 in = 25.4 mm

Official inch-to-millimetre bridge used when comparing imperial lumber planning with metric stock volume.

Why cubic units and trade units both matter

Board feet are convenient for lumber estimation, but cubic units are better when you need literal space, shipping volume, or metric planning. Showing both at once makes it easier to translate between supplier language, workshop notes, and engineering-style quantity checks.

The same stock can therefore be read as a board-foot quantity for purchase discussions and as a cubic-volume quantity for transport, storage, or mixed-unit project coordination.

What this page assumes

The linear-foot output on this page intentionally assumes the standard 1×12 cross-section because that is the classic board-foot shortcut. If the real board width or thickness differs, use cubic units or calculate the exact geometric volume from the true dimensions.

This page is a volume converter, not a stock-yield optimiser. Saw kerf, planing, dressed size reductions, and species-specific mass differences are outside scope.

Lumber Volume Converter

Lumber volume converter: board feet, cubic volume, and 1×12 trade assumptions explained

What a board foot means

Why cubic units and trade units both matter

What this page assumes

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