A Board Foot Calculator is also useful for people who are new to woodworking and are still learning how lumber measurements work. Board feet can initially seem confusing because they are different from linear feet and square feet. Linear feet measure length, while square feet measure surface area. Board feet measure lumber volume by including thickness as part of the calculation. Understanding this difference is important when comparing lumber prices or determining how much material a project requires. An online calculator provides a simple way to practice these calculations without repeatedly doing the math by hand.