A linear foot is 12 inches of length, no matter how wide or thick the material is. To get linear feet, add up the lengths of all pieces in feet (divide inches by 12). To get linear feet from an area, multiply the square feet by 12 and divide by the board width in inches.
This calculator does both. Add any number of pieces in feet, inches, yards, meters or centimeters, or convert an area in square feet into the linear footage of boards you need. Include waste and a price per linear foot to get a material cost and a count of standard 8, 12 and 16 ft boards.
How to use this calculator
- Choose Lengths of pieces to total trim, fencing or lumber you have measured, or Square feet to turn a deck, floor or wall area into boards.
- For pieces: enter each length, its unit and how many you need. Use + Add piece for more rows.
- For area: enter the square footage and the actual face width of the board in inches (not the nominal size).
- Enter a waste percentage to cover cuts, defects and mistakes.
- Optionally add the price per linear foot to see the total cost.
- Read the total linear feet, the same length in meters and yards, and how many 8, 12 or 16 ft boards to buy.
How it's calculated
- From inches:
linear ft = inches ÷ 12 - From meters:
linear ft = meters × 3.28084(1 ft = 0.3048 m exactly, NIST Handbook 44) - From yards:
linear ft = yards × 3 - From square feet:
linear ft = sq ft × 12 ÷ board width (in) - Waste:
total = linear ft × (1 + waste % ÷ 100) - Boards:
boards = total ÷ board length, rounded up to a whole board
The area formula works because a board of width w inches covers w ÷ 12 square feet for every foot of length. It assumes boards laid edge to edge; if you leave gaps between deck boards, add the gap to the width.
Worked examples
Baseboard for a 12 × 14 ft room
Perimeter: 12 + 12 + 14 + 14 = 52 linear feet. With 10% waste: 57.2 ft, which is 8 boards at 8 ft or 4 at 16 ft. At $2.50 per linear foot the trim costs about $143.
Decking for a 12 × 16 ft deck
Area 192 sq ft with 5/4×6 boards (5.5 in actual width): 192 × 12 ÷ 5.5 = 418.9 linear feet. Plus 10% waste = 460.8 ft, or 29 boards 16 ft long.
Fence with mixed measurements
One 48 ft run, two 30 ft runs and a 180-inch gate side: 48 + 60 + 15 = 123 linear feet of fence line.
Square feet to linear feet chart
| Area | 3.5 in board | 5.5 in board | 7.25 in board | 12 in wide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft² | 171 ft | 109 ft | 83 ft | 50 ft |
| 100 ft² | 343 ft | 218 ft | 166 ft | 100 ft |
| 200 ft² | 686 ft | 436 ft | 331 ft | 200 ft |
| 300 ft² | 1,029 ft | 655 ft | 497 ft | 300 ft |
| 500 ft² | 1,714 ft | 1,091 ft | 828 ft | 500 ft |
Nominal vs actual board sizes
Nominal lumber is smaller than its name. Under the American Softwood Lumber Standard (NIST PS 20, Table 3), a dry 1×4 is 3.5 in wide, a 1×6 or 5/4×6 deck board is 5.5 in, and a 1×8 is 7.25 in. A 1× board is 3/4 in thick and a 5/4 deck board is 1 in thick. Green (unseasoned) boards are slightly wider — 5-5/8 in for a 6-inch board. The USDA Wood Handbook lists nominal 2, 4 and 6 in widths as 38, 89 and 140 mm — 1.5, 3.5 and 5.5 in. Always use the actual width when converting area to linear feet.
Length is different: the Wood Handbook notes that lumber length is recorded in actual dimensions, while width and thickness are recorded nominally. An 8 ft board really is 8 ft long.
Linear feet vs square feet vs board feet
- Linear feet — length only. Used for trim, moulding, fencing, gutters and many lumber prices.
- Square feet — area. Used for flooring, decking coverage, drywall and paint.
- Board feet — volume. NIST Handbook 130 defines a board foot as a board 1 ft long, 1 ft wide and 1 in thick, or 144 cubic inches. It is the customary unit for hardwood lumber.
Board feet per linear foot for common nominal sizes (thickness × width ÷ 12). This uses nominal dimensions; the Wood Handbook notes board measure depends on whether nominal or actual sizes are used, so check which one your supplier quotes.
| Nominal size | Board feet per linear foot | Board feet in a 12 ft piece |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 | 0.333 | 4 |
| 1×6 | 0.5 | 6 |
| 2×4 | 0.667 | 8 |
| 2×6 | 1 | 12 |
| 2×8 | 1.333 | 16 |
| 2×10 | 1.667 | 20 |
| 2×12 | 2 | 24 |
| 4×4 | 1.333 | 16 |
How lumber is sold by the linear foot
Under NIST Handbook 130, which many states follow for method of sale, softwood lumber is sold by the number of pieces with either the length of each piece or the total lineal footage. A store can label a board with its nominal size only if it also says "nominal" or "nom" and shows the actual or minimum dressed size. That is why a price tag might read "2×4 (nom.), actual 1-1/2 × 3-1/2 in".
Softwood lumber is made in 1 ft length multiples, and even 2 ft multiples are most common for construction lumber; retail yards typically carry 8 to 18 ft lengths (USDA Wood Handbook). Buying fewer long boards means fewer joints; buying short boards can mean less waste on small cuts.
Common mistakes
- Using the nominal width. A 1×6 covers 5.5 in, not 6 in. Using 6 in underestimates the boards you need.
- Forgetting waste. Miter cuts, knots and short offcuts add up. The calculator starts at 10%; add more for complex layouts.
- Mixing units. Enter inches as inches rather than typing a decimal foot by hand — 6 ft 6 in is 6.5 ft, not 6.6.
- Counting openings. Doorways don't need baseboard; driveways don't need fence.
- Assuming every board is usable end to end. A 16 ft board may yield only three 5 ft pieces. For cut lists, total by piece rather than by area.
Related calculators
For concrete, soil or fill you need volume rather than length — use the cubic feet calculator. Framing a picture? The moulding is sold by the linear foot, and the picture frame mat calculator works out the mat window and border sizes first.
Filling a bed or path under that edging? The cubic yard calculator works out dirt, gravel and mulch. For a whole-room budget, see the renovation cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a linear foot?
A linear foot is simply 12 inches of length, measured in a straight line regardless of width or thickness. Boards, trim, fencing, countertops and fabric are often priced per linear foot.
How do I calculate linear feet?
Measure each piece, convert to feet and add them up. For inches, divide by 12. Two 12 ft walls and two 14 ft walls are 52 linear feet.
How do I convert square feet to linear feet?
Divide the area by the width of the material in feet: linear ft = sq ft × 12 ÷ width in inches. 100 sq ft of 5.5-inch deck boards needs about 218 linear feet.
How many linear feet are in 96 inches?
96 ÷ 12 = 8 linear feet.
How many linear feet in a meter?
1 meter is 3.28084 linear feet, because a foot is exactly 0.3048 m.
Is linear feet the same as feet?
Yes — 'linear' just stresses that it's length, not area (square feet) or volume (cubic or board feet).
What is the difference between linear feet and board feet?
A linear foot measures only length. A board foot is a volume: 1 ft long, 1 ft wide and 1 in thick, or 144 cubic inches (NIST Handbook 130). One linear foot of a nominal 2×6 is 1 board foot; one linear foot of a 2×4 is 0.67.
How many linear feet of baseboard do I need for a 12 × 14 room?
The perimeter is 52 ft. Add about 10% for cuts and you get 57.2 ft, or 4 boards 16 ft long. Subtract door openings if you want a tighter number.
How much decking do I need for a 12 × 16 deck?
192 sq ft ÷ (5.5 in ÷ 12) = 418.9 linear feet of 5.5-inch boards. With 10% waste that's 460.8 ft, or 29 boards 16 ft long.
What lengths does lumber come in?
Softwood lumber is made in 1 ft length multiples, and 2 ft even multiples are common for construction lumber. Retail yards often stock dimension lumber from 8 to 18 ft in 2 ft steps (USDA Wood Handbook).
Sources & method
- NIST PS 20-20 (Rev. 1) American Softwood Lumber Standard, Table 3 — dry dressed sizes
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook ch. 6 — lumber sizes and standard lengths
- NIST Handbook 130 (2023), Method of Sale §2.10 and §2.12 — lineal footage and board foot
- NIST Handbook 44 (2026) Appendix C — 1 ft = 0.3048 m
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.