Lumber Cost Calculator

Price a single board or build a complete multi-species material list for your project — with live board foot calculation, waste factor, budget tracking, and a printable shopping list.

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Board feet, lumber cost, compound miter angles, and unit conversion — all four calculators in one hub. Once you have your lumber cost, use the woodworking pricing calculator to add labour, overhead, and profit margin for client quotes.

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On this page: Calculator · 2026 price guide · Waste factor explained · Buying tips · FAQs

Lumber cost calculator

Enter the dimensions of one board type and the price per board foot to get an instant cost estimate.

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Reference prices are estimates for 2026 — always confirm with your local supplier. Some links on this page are affiliate links — see our disclosure.

Hardwood and softwood lumber prices — 2026 reference guide

The prices below are indicative retail ranges for air-dried, surfaced lumber (S2S or S4S) at a hardwood specialty dealer in the United States as of early 2026. Building supply store prices for dimensional softwood are typically lower. Canadian prices in CAD are generally 30–40% higher than the USD figures shown, reflecting the exchange rate and import/transport costs.

Always get a current quote from your supplier before budgeting a project. Lumber prices fluctuate with housing starts, trade tariffs, and seasonal demand. The figures here are for planning and comparison, not for invoicing.

Softwoods

Species USD per bf (2026 est.) Notes
Pine — Eastern white $2.50 – $4.00 Most affordable. Soft, light, easy to work.
Pine — Southern yellow $2.75 – $4.50 Harder and denser than Eastern white.
Douglas fir $3.00 – $5.00 Strong, straight grain. Common for structural and furniture.
Cedar — Western red $4.50 – $7.00 Aromatic, rot-resistant. Outdoor furniture, chests.

Domestic hardwoods

Species USD per bf (2026 est.) Notes
Poplar $3.50 – $5.50 Paint-grade workhorse. Inexpensive, stable, easy to machine.
Alder $4.50 – $6.50 Fine furniture, cabinets. Takes stain well.
Ash $5.00 – $8.00 Tool handles, sports equipment, steam bending.
Hickory (FAS grade) $5.00 – $8.50 Hardest domestic species. FAS clear boards are priced at the higher end of this range due to limited wide, clear supply. Flooring, tool handles, cabinets.
Red oak $5.50 – $9.00 Most widely available hardwood. Furniture, flooring.
White oak $6.50 – $11.00 Moisture-resistant, used in boat building and whisky barrels.
Hard maple $6.00 – $10.00 Workbenches, cutting boards, fine furniture.
Cherry $8.00 – $14.00 Darkens beautifully with age. Heirloom furniture.
Walnut $10.00 – $18.00 The most popular premium domestic. Rich colour, works easily.

Premium and exotic hardwoods

Species USD per bf (2026 est.) Notes
Purpleheart $12.00 – $20.00 Striking violet colour. Turning, inlay, accent pieces.
Wenge $15.00 – $28.00 Dark, dramatic grain. Cabinets, flooring, sculpture.
Ipe / Brazilian walnut $18.00 – $35.00 Extremely dense. Outdoor decking and furniture.
Teak $22.00 – $40.00 Oily, extremely weather-resistant. Marine and outdoor.
Ebony $40.00 – $80.00+ Densest, darkest. Musical instruments, small accent pieces.

Prices are for FAS (Firsts and Seconds) or Select grade unless otherwise noted. Hickory FAS lumber typically runs $5.00–$8.50 per board foot in 2026 — one of the higher-priced domestic hardwoods due to its density and limited supply of wide, clear boards. #1 Common and #2 Common grades are 20–40% cheaper but require more waste allowance. Good quality hardwood tools reduce waste — a sharp, well-tuned saw wastes significantly less material per cut.

Why waste factor matters more than you expect

The waste factor is the percentage of lumber you buy that does not end up in the finished project. It includes: saw kerf (typically 1/8″ per cut), surface planing loss, end checks that must be trimmed, wane (missing wood on edges of a rough board), knots and defects in lower grades, and miscuts during layout. On a typical hardwood project using clear FAS-grade stock, 15% is a reasonable minimum. On rough-sawn or lower-grade lumber, 25–35% is realistic.

Situation Recommended waste % Why
CNC or laser with digital nesting 8–10% Nesting software minimises kerf loss; little hand-cutting error
Clear FAS hardwood, surfaced (S2S or S4S) 12–15% Minimal defects; main loss is saw kerf and planning errors
Standard hardwood (#1 Common), surfaced 18–22% Knots and colour variation require selective cut-outs
Rough-sawn hardwood 20–30% Needs face jointing, edge jointing, planing — significant material loss
Figured or live-edge slabs 25–40% Complex shapes and defects around the live edge require careful layout
Complex shapes (curves, cutouts) 25–35% Off-cuts from curved layouts are rarely recoverable for the same project

Waste is not a fixed percentage — it depends on how efficiently you lay out your parts. Using a cut list optimisation tool (or even a paper sketch) before buying lumber can reduce waste by 5–10 percentage points on complex projects. See the board feet calculator for a full cut-list approach.

Six things that change your lumber cost more than species choice

Experienced woodworkers know that the species price per board foot is only one input into what a project actually costs. These factors often matter more:

Grade matters more than species. A walnut board graded #1 Common might cost 30% less than FAS walnut but require 15% more waste allowance — and you end up with comparable net material cost while spending more time at the saw. For large projects, calculate the cost at both grades before deciding.

Buying wider boards usually saves money. A single 10-inch walnut board often costs less per board foot than two 5-inch boards, because the wider board comes from a larger, older, higher-value log. Fewer glue joints is a bonus. Ask your dealer what wide boards are available before finalising your cut list.

Surfacing charges add up. Most hardwood dealers charge for surfacing (S2S or S4S). Rough-sawn lumber is cheaper per board foot but requires your own jointer, planer, and time. Factor surfacing costs into your comparison if you're buying rough.

End-of-roll and short boards. Dealers often sell short boards (under 6 feet) at a discount of 10–20%. If your cut list has many short parts, ask specifically for short boards — you may pay less per board foot and waste less material.

Minimum orders and delivery. Some suppliers have minimum board feet requirements or add delivery fees. Consolidating lumber purchases for multiple projects into one order almost always reduces effective cost per board foot.

Your tooling determines your real waste. Dull blades, an out-of-tune jointer, or an imprecise table saw fence waste more material per cut than any grade difference. See the recommended woodworking tools guide for the tooling that has the biggest impact on material efficiency.

Once lumber cost is established, the next step for anyone selling their work is converting it into a client quote. The woodworking pricing calculator adds hourly labour, overhead, and margin on top of material cost. Thinking about turning woodworking into income? See how to make money woodworking for a practical breakdown of pricing strategies and sales channels.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, WoodworkingTraining.com earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. See the full disclaimer.

Lumber cost calculator FAQs

How do you calculate lumber cost by board foot?

Multiply board feet by the price per board foot. Board feet = (thickness × width in inches × length in feet) ÷ 12. A 1″×6″×8′ board is 4 bf. At $8/bf that is $32. The calculator computes board feet from dimensions automatically — just enter the dimensions and price.

How much does hardwood lumber cost per board foot in 2026?

Approximate retail ranges: Poplar $3.50–$5.50, Red oak $5.50–$9.00, Hard maple $6–$10, White oak $6.50–$11, Cherry $8–$14, Walnut $10–$18. Prices vary by region, grade, thickness, and supplier. See the full 2026 price guide above for all species.

How much waste should I add when buying lumber?

15% for clear FAS hardwood, 20–25% for standard grades with defects, 25–30% for rough-sawn lumber needing full surfacing. CNC projects with digital nesting can achieve 8–10% waste. See the waste factor table above for all situations.

What is the difference between board feet and linear feet?

Board feet measure volume (thickness × width × length), so the price per board foot reflects the actual amount of wood regardless of dimension. Linear feet measure length only — meaningful only for a fixed width and thickness. Hardwood dealers price by the board foot. Dimensional softwood is often priced by the linear foot or per piece at building supply stores.

How do I price a project with multiple species?

Switch to Project list mode, add one row per species or board type, enter dimensions and price per board foot. The calculator computes board feet and line cost per row, applies a shared waste factor, and shows combined totals. Use the budget field to check against your materials budget, and Copy shopping list to export the full breakdown.

Should I use USD or CAD prices?

Use the currency you pay in. Toggle between USD and CAD using the currency buttons in the calculator. Canadian hardwood prices in CAD are typically 30–40% higher than USD equivalents due to the exchange rate.