Wood Board-Foot Cutting Yield Calculator

How to use this estimate

Board feet are a volume unit: inches of length × width × thickness divided by 144. The entered yield fraction is your planning estimate for kerf, defects, surfacing, and layout loss; it is not inferred from a species or grade. This result is not a cut optimizer and does not guarantee pieces fit a particular board.

Method

Net board feet = piece count × length × width × thickness / 144. Estimated rough stock = net volume / yield fraction. Divide total cut length by stock length for a separate rough length count, which does not prove width/thickness fit.

Worked example

Eight 24 × 4 × ¾ in pieces contain 4 net board feet. At a user-estimated 65% yield, plan 6.15 rough board feet; 16 ft of total cut length is two 8 ft length-equivalents before fit checks.

Assumptions and supported inputs

Use measured dimensions and the listed field ranges. Values outside those bounds, missing entries, non-finite numbers, and fractional counts where a whole number is required are rejected. Displayed results are rounded to two decimal places; internal calculations retain full precision. This is a planning estimate, not a substitute for an on-site layout, product instructions, or a qualified trade decision where applicable.

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Northstar Calculators provides this arithmetic for scenario planning. Verify the assumptions and physical fit before buying or building.