Linear Feet Calculator
A running cut list for anything sold by length — trim, lumber, pipe, fencing, countertop stock. Enter each piece as feet and inches (or inches alone), repeat it with a count, and read the exact total in linear feet, inches, and meters, with a cost line at your price.
Pieces
Example: 5 pieces of 24 in = 120 in = 10 linear ft.
Length totals for purchase planning only — span, spacing, and anything load-bearing or code-related belongs with a qualified professional.
Inches in, one division out
Every entry becomes inches (feet × 12 + inches), the inches are summed, and the
total is divided by 12 exactly once: 5 pieces × 24 in = 120 in = 10 linear ft, with no rounding along the
way. Mixed entries work the same: 3 ft 6 in + 2 ft 6 in = 72 in = 6 linear ft, and at a user-entered $4.50 per linear foot that list prices at $27 — every number here computed at build time by the same engine the form runs.
Length is not area — pick the right measure
Linear feet suit anything bought by the running foot. The moment width matters — flooring, tile, drywall — you need area instead: measure with the square footage calculator. For lumber priced by volume, the board foot calculator does the length × width × thickness arithmetic, and for chaining tape-measure fractions like 5' 6 3/8" the feet & inches calculator keeps everything on the exact 1/16-inch grid.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a linear foot?
One foot measured along a single dimension — length only, ignoring width and thickness. Lumber, trim, pipe, fencing, and countertop stock are all quoted this way: ten 1-foot pieces and one 10-foot piece are both 10 linear feet, even though they are very different purchases.
Can I enter a piece in inches only?
Yes. Leave the feet field blank and put the whole measurement in inches — 24, 30, 96, whatever the tape says. Inches entries are not limited to 12, and the tool sums everything in inches before dividing by 12 once, so the arithmetic is exact.
How is this different from board feet?
Linear feet measure length alone; board feet measure volume (length × width × thickness ÷ 12). Dimensional lumber priced per stick or per foot uses linear feet; hardwood priced by volume uses board feet — for that, use the board foot calculator.
Should I add extra for waste and cuts?
Often, yes — but how much is a judgment about your cut list, so this tool does not silently pad the total. Add an extra piece or two to the list to represent your cushion, and the cost line will price exactly what you entered, at exactly the price you typed.
Your cut list is computed locally and never transmitted. How the engines are built and tested is documented on the methodology page.