A board foot, often abbreviated as bd ft, is a unit of measurement used to quantify the volume of wood in terms of cubic feet. Unlike square feet, which denotes the area of a material on two dimensions, and linear feet, which signifies the length of an area or material, board feet provides a comprehensive measurement encompassing the entire volume of the wood, including its length, width, and depth.

When it comes to measuring and pricing large slabs of rough wood, hardwood lumber, and exotic woods, the standard practice is to use board feet as it factors in the thickness, width, and length of the lumber. This method ensures more precise sizing and cost estimation for a diverse range of materials.

In practical terms, one board foot is equivalent to 144 cubic inches and corresponds to a wood board that is 1 inch thick and occupies an area of 1 square foot. The term “board foot” is often abbreviated in various ways, including bd ft, BDFT, BF, or FBM (foot, board measure).