Identifying a linear foot is right in the name. Technically, a linear foot is a measurement that is 12 inches long (so, one foot) and that is measured in a straight line, which is why it's called linear.

How do I calculate a linear foot?

To measure linear footage, start by measuring the length in inches. Then divide the total inches by 12. The length is the linear footage, so no fancy linear foot calculator is required.

What is the linear feet of a 12x12 room?

Multiply the length times the width of the room to get the room square footage. 12 ft x 12 in/ft (width of the room) = 144 in. So the total linear footage of the 1 x 12 boards is found by multiplying 5 (boards) by 6 (feet) which equals 30 linear feet.