Lumber Cost Calculator
Estimate the total cost of a lumber order by multiplying board feet by the price per board foot. Useful for budgeting projects, comparing supplier quotes, and verifying invoices line by line.
Last updated: May 2026
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About this calculator
Lumber cost in North America is universally priced by the board foot (bf), so the total cost calculation is simply: Total Cost = Board Feet × Price per Board Foot. Variables: Board Feet is the total volume of lumber you need (computed separately from each board's length × width × thickness / 144 — see the board-feet calculator); Price per Board Foot is the per-unit price set by the supplier and varies by species, grade, thickness, geographic region, and current market conditions. Edge cases: hardwood prices are tiered by grade — FAS (Firsts and Seconds, highest grade with at least 83.33% clear face) is most expensive; Selects is one step down; Number 1 Common allows more defects and is 30–50% cheaper; Number 2 Common and below have substantial defects and may be 50–70% off FAS. Thicker stock (8/4 and above) carries a 20–40% premium per board foot over standard 4/4 because thicker lumber is harder to dry without defects. Wider boards (10″+ width) often carry a premium because they come from larger trees and are increasingly rare. Quantity discounts apply at most hardwood yards: above 100 bf, 5–15% off; above 500 bf, 10–25% off. Freight and delivery: small orders ($200 or less) pay full delivery fee ($25–$75), larger orders sometimes free with order minimums. Tax: most US states charge sales tax on lumber for retail customers; contractors may be exempt with resale certificates. The formula gives the base material cost; not included are surfacing/milling labor (typically $0.20–$0.50/bf), kerf loss in ripping/cutting (~5% volume), drying surcharges for partially-dry stock, and any small-order minimum fees.
How to use
Example 1 — bookcase order. Total board feet needed: 36 bf cherry (after 20% waste markup). Hardwood yard price: $9.50/bf for FAS 4/4 cherry. Step 1: subtotal = 36 × 9.50 = $342. Step 2: add 6.5% sales tax (varies by state): $342 × 0.065 = $22.23. Step 3: total = $342 + $22.23 = $364.23. Verify: per-board-foot cost is the published price; total scales linearly. Example 2 — supplier comparison. You need 60 bf of white oak. Supplier A: $5.80/bf with free delivery on orders over $300 (60 × 5.80 = $348, free delivery). Supplier B: $5.20/bf with $35 delivery fee (60 × 5.20 = $312, + $35 = $347). Step 1: Supplier A total = $348. Step 2: Supplier B total = $347. Practical difference: $1 in favor of Supplier B. Verify with quantity scaling: if you needed 100 bf, Supplier A would be 100 × 5.80 = $580 free delivery; Supplier B would be 100 × 5.20 + 35 = $555 — saving $25. The breakeven volume for Supplier B's delivery fee is: 35 / (5.80 − 5.20) = 35 / 0.60 = 58.3 bf — below 58 bf Supplier A wins, above 58 bf Supplier B wins. Always include delivery and tax in comparisons.
Frequently asked questions
How do hardwood lumber prices vary by species, grade, and region?
Domestic North American hardwoods at FAS grade in 2024–2026 range roughly: pine (Eastern White) $2–$4/bf; soft maple $5–$7/bf; red oak $5–$8/bf; white oak $6–$10/bf; cherry $7–$11/bf; hard maple $7–$10/bf; walnut $9–$15/bf; ash $5–$8/bf; poplar $3–$5/bf. Lower grades (No. 1 Common, No. 2 Common) typically cost 30–60% less. Imported and exotic hardwoods: mahogany $10–$25/bf, teak $25–$80/bf depending on origin and CITES status, ebony $80–$200/bf, bocote and other figured woods $15–$40/bf. Regional variation: prices are typically 10–20% higher in the Northeast and West Coast than in the Midwest or Southeast where many hardwood mills operate. Thicker stock surcharges: 5/4 adds 10–15% over 4/4; 6/4 adds 20–30%; 8/4 adds 30–50%; 12/4 adds 60–100%. Always confirm current pricing with your supplier — hardwood lumber has shown 20–40% annual price swings during supply disruptions (COVID, hurricane damage to forests, China trade policy).
What is the difference between FAS, Selects, and Common hardwood grades?
Hardwood grading is standardized by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). FAS (Firsts and Seconds) is the top grade: minimum board size 6 inches wide × 8 feet long, with at least 83.33% (10/12ths) of the face clear of defects in clear cuttings of specified minimum sizes — used for fine furniture, panels, and millwork. Selects allows slightly smaller boards (4 inches × 6 feet) with the same clear-yield requirement on one face — used for the same applications but in smaller cuttings. No. 1 Common: 66.67% (8/12ths) clear yield with smaller minimum cutting sizes (3 inches × 3 feet, more cuttings allowed per board) — the workhorse grade for shorter parts like cabinet rails, drawer fronts, and chair parts. No. 2A Common: 50% (6/12ths) clear yield — used for parts that can be made from short clear sections such as flooring strips. No. 3A Common: 33.33% clear yield — for industrial blanks and pallets. Choosing grade: for a furniture project, FAS or Selects gives the most usable yield with the least waste; for smaller parts or rustic looks, No. 1 Common saves 30–50% and still delivers usable material if you're willing to cut around defects. Always inspect actual boards before buying — grade is just a starting point, and individual board variation matters.
How can I reduce total lumber cost for a large woodworking project?
Several strategies compound to substantial savings on larger orders. Buy in volume: most hardwood yards give 5–15% discount above 100 bf and 10–25% above 500 bf — combine orders with friends or other projects if necessary to reach tiers. Choose appropriate grade: No. 1 Common at 30–50% off FAS price is the right choice if your project has many small parts; FAS premium is wasted on a project that cuts everything to 24-inch shorts. Buy rough-sawn rather than surfaced lumber: rough lumber is typically 15–25% cheaper than S4S (surfaced four sides), but requires you to mill it yourself with a planer and jointer; for a 200-bf project that's $200–$400 saved if you have the tools. Buy thicker stock and rip to thinner sizes if the thicker stock is on sale; sometimes 8/4 maple is cheaper per bf than 4/4 due to market dynamics. Choose a less-trendy species: cherry has gone in and out of fashion, sometimes 30% cheaper than maple for the same quality. Source directly from sawmills (if you have transportation): mill-direct pricing can be 30–50% off retail hardwood-yard pricing for the same wood, often with longer lead time. Reclaim or use sustainably-managed alternatives: salvaged lumber, urban-removed trees from a local arborist, or lesser-known native species can dramatically reduce cost while supporting local economies.
What are common mistakes when budgeting lumber cost?
The most common mistake is forgetting waste markup — calculating just the net finished BF and ordering that amount, then running short by 15–30% mid-project. Always add 15–25% waste for typical projects. Mixing nominal and actual dimensions in the BF calculation underestimates needed quantity. Comparing supplier prices on different grades or thicknesses without converting to like-for-like (FAS 4/4 vs. No. 1 Common 8/4) produces misleading comparisons. Forgetting sales tax (5–10% in most US states) and delivery fees ($25–$75 for small orders) understates total cost. Buying retail at home-improvement-store prices when a specialty hardwood dealer's price is 30–50% lower — convenience has a cost. Failing to inspect grade on actual delivered boards leads to mismatch between paid grade and delivered quality; most dealers allow returns within 30 days but only if you check at delivery. Underestimating the cost of milling and surfacing labor for rough stock — if you buy rough, you need a planer/jointer plus 4–8 hours of milling time on a typical 100-bf project. Not factoring drying time for partially-dry stock: kiln-dried hardwood costs more than air-dried, but air-dried stock may need 6–12 months of further drying before being usable, which is a hidden cost in project schedule. Finally, treating lumber cost as the dominant project cost when finish materials, hardware, fasteners, glue, and finish/topcoat often add 30–50% on top of base lumber.
When should I NOT use this calculator?
Skip simple board-feet × price math for projects where multiple species, grades, and thicknesses are involved — those need a line-by-line takeoff with each item priced separately, then summed. Do not use it for plywood, MDF, particleboard, and other sheet goods that aren't priced in board feet (use square footage or per-sheet pricing). Avoid using a single price-per-bf when individual board widths or species vary substantially in the order; specialty boards (wide, figured, quartersawn) often carry a 20–50% premium over the base species price. The formula does not capture the cost of cuts, surfacing, dimensioning, or any custom-milling services from the supplier — those are separate fees of $5–$50 per board for standard services, more for custom work. For international purchases, currency exchange and import duties can add 10–30% to the listed price — calculate landed cost, not list price. For salvaged or reclaimed wood, pricing is often per-piece or per-square-foot of recovered material rather than per BF, and the formula doesn't apply. For commercial mill-direct purchases of large volumes, prices may be quoted per thousand board feet (MBF) or per cubic meter rather than per BF; ensure unit consistency. Finally, for delivered lumber that may have shrinkage, defect-loss, or grade variation from the order spec, your true cost per usable bf can be 20–40% higher than the paid bf — verify yield at delivery.