What is Lumber Price Calculator?
Use this Lumber Price Calculator to estimate the cost of lumber based on its thickness, width, length, and price per board foot. It is useful for woodworking, furniture making, cabinetry, construction, and buying hardwood lumber.
Enter the dimensions of the lumber piece and the supplier’s price per board foot to calculate the lumber volume and estimated material cost.
What Is a Board Foot?
A board foot is a unit of lumber volume commonly used to price hardwoods and specialty lumber in North America.
One board foot equals:
1inch thick×12inches wide×12inches long
This is equal to 144 cubic inches of lumber.
Board feet measure volume, not surface area. A thick board contains more board feet than a thin board of the same width and length.
How to Use the Lumber Price Calculator
Enter the following values:
- Thickness: Lumber thickness in inches
- Width: Lumber width in inches
- Length: Lumber length in feet
- Price per board foot: Your supplier’s lumber price
The calculator returns the total board feet and estimated price for the lumber piece.
Lumber Price Formula
First, calculate the board feet of the lumber.
Board feet=12Thickness in inches×Width in inches×Length in feet
Then calculate the total lumber cost.
Total cost=Board feet×Price per board foot
Example: Lumber Cost Calculation
Suppose you have:
- Thickness: 2 inches
- Width: 6 inches
- Length: 8 feet
- Price: $4.50 per board foot
Step 1: Calculate Board Feet
Board feet=122×6×8
Board feet=8
The lumber piece contains 8 board feet.
Step 2: Calculate Lumber Cost
Total cost=8×$4.50
Total cost=$36.00
The estimated price of this lumber piece is $36.00.
Board Foot vs. Square Foot
A board foot measures lumber volume. A square foot measures a flat surface area.
For example, a 1-inch-thick board that is 12 inches wide and 12 inches long equals one board foot. If the same board is 2 inches thick, it contains two board feet because it has twice the volume.
Important Measurement Tip
Use the lumber dimensions used by your supplier for pricing. Some boards are sold by nominal dimensions, while the actual finished dimensions may be slightly smaller.
For example, a board called “2 × 6” may not measure exactly 2 inches by 6 inches after surfacing. Check the supplier’s listing or measure the board when accuracy matters.
Why Use a Lumber Price Calculator?
A lumber price calculator helps you:
- Estimate material costs before purchasing
- Compare prices from different suppliers
- Budget woodworking and construction projects
- Calculate hardwood lumber priced by board foot
- Reduce manual calculation errors
- Plan material quantities more confidently
What Is Not Included in the Estimate?
This calculator estimates the lumber cost only. Your final project cost may also include:
- Sales tax
- Delivery charges
- Waste from cuts and defects
- Fasteners, glue, stain, or finish
- Milling, planing, or custom cutting
- Price differences by lumber grade, species, or moisture content
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the price of lumber by board foot?
Multiply the total board feet by the supplier’s price per board foot.
Lumber cost = Board feet × Price per board foot
How many board feet are in a 2 × 6 × 8 board?
Using the board-foot formula:
12(2×6×8)=8
A 2-inch × 6-inch × 8-foot board contains 8 board feet.
Is lumber always priced by board foot?
No. Hardwood and specialty lumber are often priced by board foot, while other lumber may be sold by the piece, linear foot, square foot, or bundle.
Should I use actual or nominal lumber dimensions?
Use the dimensions used by the supplier when the lumber is priced. For a precise estimate, confirm whether the listed dimensions are nominal or actual.
Does the calculator include waste?
No. Add extra material for cuts, defects, grain matching, mistakes, and future repairs when planning a project.
Why does the final lumber price differ from my estimate?
The final price may differ because of lumber grade, wood species, actual dimensions, sales tax, delivery, milling charges, or supplier pricing policies.
Check out 6 Similar Calculators: