Lumber Cost Calculator

1. Enter the board feet your project needs.
2. Enter the price per board foot from the lumberyard.
3. Set a waste allowance for offcuts and defects.
4. Read the total cost, split into material and waste.

Lumber cost is what a project of solid wood will cost to buy. Because hardwood is sold by the board foot, the cost is the board feet you need multiplied by the yard price, plus an allowance for the wood you lose to offcuts, defects and mistakes.

Estimating it before you shop stops nasty surprises at the till and helps you compare species, since a premium timber can cost several times more per board foot than a common one for the same project. It also reframes an expensive-looking board: a striking piece of figured hardwood might only add a few board feet, so the eye-catching price per board foot translates into a surprisingly small addition to the whole job.

1. Multiply the board feet by the price per board foot for the material cost.
2. Multiply that by your waste percentage for the waste allowance.
3. Add the two for the total cost.
4. Divide the total by the board feet for the real cost per board foot.

The waste allowance matters because you never use every inch of a board; a 10 to 20 percent margin covers the reality of working with natural wood, where knots, splits and end checks all eat into the usable length.

A project needs 40 board feet of oak priced at 5 per board foot. The material is 40 times 5, which is 200. Adding a 10 percent waste allowance of 20 brings the total to 220, or an effective 5.50 per board foot. Switch to walnut at 12 per board foot and the same project jumps to 480 plus waste, showing how much the species drives the bill.

Board Feet Needed

The volume of wood is the base of the cost, so an accurate board foot figure comes first.

Price per Board Foot

Species, grade and thickness all move the yard price, from cheap softwood to costly exotics.

Waste Allowance

Rough, defect-prone or short boards need a bigger allowance than clear, long stock.

Grade and Yield

A lower grade is cheaper per board foot but yields less usable wood, so the real cost can be similar.

Rough price bands per board foot, and the cost of a 40 board foot project.

Prices vary widely by region and supplier; use your own yard price for an accurate figure.

Budgeting a Build

Know the wood cost before you commit to a project or a species.

Comparing Timbers

See how much more a premium wood adds for the same board feet.

Quoting a Job

Add the lumber cost to your other costs when pricing work for a client.

1. No Waste Allowance

Buying the exact board feet leaves nothing for offcuts and defects; always add a margin.

2. Ignoring Grade Yield

A cheaper grade with more defects can cost as much in usable wood as a better one.

3. Forgetting Thickness

Thicker stock is more board feet and often a higher price per board foot too.

4. Leaving Out Other Costs

Lumber is only part of a build; add hardware, finish and your time.

The cost maths is exact for the board feet, price and waste you enter. It is the timber cost only, not the whole project.

Multiply the board feet by the price per board foot, then add a waste allowance. Forty board feet at 5 per board foot with 10 percent waste is 220.

It is the price of one board foot of lumber, the unit hardwood is sold by. It varies by species, grade and thickness.

Usually 10 to 20 percent for offcuts, defects and mistakes. Rough or short boards need more; clear, long stock needs less.

It is a fair volume measure for boards of varying width and length, so buyer and seller agree on the amount of wood.

Multiply thickness by width by length in inches and divide by 144. Our board foot calculator does this for you.

Not always. A lower grade costs less per board foot but yields less usable wood, so the real cost can be similar.

No. Add hardware, glue, finish and your time. This tool covers the timber cost only.

Exotic species often cost 15 per board foot or more, several times common hardwoods, so they raise a project cost sharply.

No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.

• Lumber (Wikipedia).
• Board foot (Wikipedia).
• Lumber grading (Wikipedia).