Linear Feet Calculator
To turn area into running length, you divide the square footage by the material width in feet. Enter your area and the board or roll width to get linear feet and pieces.
How to convert area to linear feet
Divide the square footage by the material width in feet (a 6-inch board is 0.5 ft wide). The result is how many feet of that material it takes to cover the area, before trimming waste.
Getting the piece count
Once you have linear feet, divide by the length of a single board or roll and round up. Longer pieces mean fewer joints but more offcut waste on short walls.
Related measures
For lumber priced by volume, use the board foot calculator. To find the area in the first place, start with the square footage calculator.
Frequently asked
How do I convert square feet to linear feet?
Divide the square footage by the width of your material in feet. 120 square feet of 6-inch-wide boards is 240 linear feet.
What is the difference between linear feet and square feet?
Linear feet measure length only — how far a board or roll runs. Square feet measure area. You convert between them using the material width.
How many boards is that?
Divide the linear feet by the length of one board and round up. 240 linear feet in 8-foot boards is 30 pieces.