Linear Foot
lumber
A measurement of length only — one foot along a piece of material, regardless of its width or thickness.
Linear feet are how you buy trim, moulding, siding, fencing, and dimensional lumber sold by the running foot. The distinction from board feet matters commercially: a 12-foot 1×4 is 12 linear feet but only 4 board feet, so the same board has a completely different quantity depending on which unit the supplier quotes. When pricing a job, always confirm which unit a quote is in — the two differ by a factor of three or more on typical stock.
Example
A room with a 52 ft perimeter needs 52 linear feet of baseboard, plus about 10% for mitre cuts — so order 58 feet.
Common mistake
Comparing a per-linear-foot price against a per-board-foot price as though they were equivalent. They measure different things and the cheaper-looking number is often the more expensive material.
Use the Lumber Calculator
Calculate board feet, linear feet, and cost for any lumber order. Useful for framing, decking, trim, and pricing across suppliers.
Open Lumber Calculator →Related Terms
- Board Foot — A unit of lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches — a board 1 inch thick, 12 inc…
- On Center (OC) — The spacing between framing members measured from the centre of one to the centr…