What linear feet are
A linear foot is a foot of length, measured along the piece, whatever its width or thickness. Trim, gutter, fencing, pipe and boards are sold by the linear foot; floors and walls by the square foot.
Linear feet = pieces × length of each (ft)Square feet covered = linear feet × width (in) ÷ 12Linear feet for an area = square feet × 12 ÷ width (in)For example, 12 pieces of 8 feet are 96 linear feet. Going the other way, a 200 square foot deck in boards that cover 5.5 inches each takes 200 × 12 ÷ 5.5 = 436.4 linear feet, before waste.
Linear feet in 100 square feet
| Width covered | Linear feet |
|---|---|
| 2.25 in | 533.3 |
| 3.5 in | 342.9 |
| 5.5 in | 218.2 |
| 7.25 in | 165.5 |
| 9.25 in | 129.7 |
How to measure linear feet
- Measure each run along its length: a wall for baseboard, an eave for gutter, a fence line.
- Add the runs in feet. Inches go in as twelfths: 6 inches is 0.5 feet.
- Add waste for the cuts and the joints, and round up to the lengths the material comes in.
The baseboard calculator does this for a room's trim, and the board foot calculator counts lumber by volume instead.
Common questions
How do I convert square feet to linear feet?
Multiply the square feet by 12 and divide by the width in inches each piece covers.
Is a linear foot the same as a foot?
Yes: 12 inches of length. "Linear" says the price or the count is by length, not by area.
How many linear feet in a 12 by 12 room?
48 linear feet around the walls, 12 + 12 + 12 + 12, before taking out the doorways.