Price Per Linear Foot Calculator
Enter a total cost and a length to find the price per linear foot - then scale it to your actual project quantity. Compare two options side by side to see which is cheaper and by how much. Add a waste allowance so your estimate covers offcuts and mistakes. You can also enter a budget to see how many feet it buys at each price.
What is price per linear foot and why does it matter?
Price per linear foot (also written $/ft or price/LF) tells you what a material costs for every one-foot length, regardless of how it is packaged. Suppliers sell the same timber in 8-foot boards, 12-foot boards, and 16-foot boards, each at a different sticker price. Dividing the sticker price by the number of feet turns those different packages into a single, comparable number. Once you have the price per foot for each option, you can multiply by the total footage you need to get an apples-to-apples project cost - and pick the option that saves you the most money.
The formula and how to use it
The core formula is straightforward: price per linear foot = total cost / total length. If a 12-foot board costs $36, the price per linear foot is $36 / 12 = $3.00/ft. To scale that to a project, multiply by the footage you need. For 80 feet of material at $3.00/ft, the material cost is $240. Always add a waste allowance - typically 5-10% for straight cuts and 15% or more for diagonal or pattern work - to avoid running short. With 10% waste, order 80 ft x 1.10 = 88 ft worth of material.
Comparing two options and finding your break-even
When two suppliers quote the same material differently - one sells it in 10-foot bundles, the other in 16-foot bundles - convert both to a price per foot before comparing. This calculator does that conversion automatically, even when the two options are measured in different units (for example, one quoted in feet and one in metres). The savings shown represent how much less the cheaper option costs per foot, and the total project saving shows what that difference adds up to over your full quantity. For large projects, even a small per-foot saving compounds quickly: $0.10/ft saved over 500 feet is $50 back in your pocket.
When to use linear feet vs. square feet vs. board feet
Linear feet count only length. Square feet count length times width (useful for flooring, paint coverage, or roofing shingles). Board feet count length times width times thickness and are standard for buying rough-sawn hardwood lumber. Use price per linear foot when the item is sold by the running length regardless of its width or thickness - baseboard, trim, pipe, cable, fencing, and most dimensional lumber fall into this category. Use square feet when width matters for coverage (flooring, carpet, tile). Use board feet when you are pricing rough lumber cut to a custom width at the sawmill.
Typical price per linear foot by material
| Material | Typical range ($/ft) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensional lumber (2x4 pine) | $0.40 - $0.80 | Common framing; price varies with board footage |
| Hardwood trim (oak, maple) | $2.00 - $6.00 | Finished moulding and casing |
| PVC baseboard | $0.60 - $1.50 | Moisture-resistant, paintable |
| Crown moulding (MDF) | $0.80 - $2.50 | Interior finish carpentry |
| Composite decking (Trex) | $2.50 - $6.00 | Hollow vs. solid core affects price |
| Cedar fence board (1x6) | $1.00 - $2.50 | Natural resistance to rot |
| Steel square tube (1") | $2.00 - $5.00 | Structural steel, price tied to commodity markets |
| Copper pipe (3/4") | $3.00 - $8.00 | Plumbing; fluctuates with copper spot price |
| Vinyl fencing | $5.00 - $12.00 | Installed price; DIY materials only is lower |
| Natural hardwood flooring (oak) | $3.00 - $10.00 | Per board-foot equivalent; wider boards cost more |
Representative retail ranges in the United States (2024-2025). Actual prices vary by region, grade, and supplier.
Frequently asked questions
What does price per linear foot mean?
Price per linear foot is the cost of one foot of a material measured along its length. It is calculated by dividing the total price by the total length purchased. For example, if you pay $48 for a 16-foot length of timber, the price per linear foot is $48 / 16 = $3.00/ft. It is useful for comparing bundles of different sizes from different suppliers.
How do I convert price per linear foot to price per metre?
One foot equals 0.3048 metres, so one metre equals approximately 3.281 feet. To convert: price per metre = price per foot x 3.281. For example, $2.00/ft is about $6.56/m. This calculator handles the conversion automatically when you select different units for each option.
How much waste should I add to my linear foot estimate?
A standard rule of thumb is 10% for straight cuts on a simple run, 15% for rooms with many corners or offcuts, and 15-20% for diagonal or herringbone patterns. Add extra if you are working with material that must be matched for grain or pattern. The waste allowance makes sure you order enough to complete the job without a costly mid-project trip to the supplier.
How is linear foot different from square foot?
A linear foot measures one foot of length only. A square foot measures one foot of length times one foot of width. If a baseboard trim is 3 inches wide and 1 foot long, it covers 0.25 square feet but is still 1 linear foot. Trim, pipe, cable and fencing are normally sold by the linear foot because the width is fixed. Flooring, carpet and tile are sold by the square foot because width varies.
Can I use this for fencing, trim, or pipe?
Yes. The price per linear foot formula works for any material sold by length: lumber, baseboard and crown moulding, fencing boards and rails, PVC or copper pipe, electrical conduit, cable and wire, fabric, countertop edge banding, and more. Just enter the cost and length for each package you are comparing and the calculator finds the per-foot rate.
What if one supplier quotes in metres and another in feet?
Use the unit selector next to each option to set the right unit. This calculator converts both lengths to feet before comparing, so you get an accurate side-by-side result even when the units differ. Option A might be quoted in metres and Option B in feet, and the comparison will still be correct.
How do I find how many feet a budget will buy?
Enter your available budget in the "Budget" field. The calculator divides that number by the price per foot for each option and shows you how many linear feet you can afford. This is a quick way to check whether a budget will cover your project before you commit.