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Lumber Cost Calculator

Price a lumber list the way your yard quotes it: per piece, per linear foot, per board foot or per thousand board feet. Add waste and tax and get the total, the board feet and the cost per board foot.

Lumber list

Lumber
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Pricing
Adds pieces, rounded up per line
Total—
Lumber subtotal—
Sales tax—
Pieces (with waste)—
Board feet—
Linear feet—
Cost per board foot—

The prices filled in are examples only: enter your yard's. Leave a line's quantity blank to skip it. Board feet use nominal sizes (a 2×4 counts as 2" × 4"), the way yards bill, and precut studs use their real length.

⚠ Check all math and verify with a licensed engineer and your local building department before cutting or building. Results are estimates.

Sources: Lumber Cost

  1. Board foot definitionStandard lumber measure1 board foot = 144 in³, figured on nominal thickness and width. 1 MBF = 1,000 board feet.
  2. Pricing arithmeticFormulaPer piece, per linear foot (pieces × length), per board foot and per MBF. Waste rounds pieces up on each line; tax applies to the subtotal.

Code tables are copied from the documents above and checked against a second copy where noted. Your local code, its edition and amendments govern. Check all math and verify with a licensed engineer and your building department. See the terms & disclaimer.

How to use the lumber cost calculator

  1. Enter each line of your list: quantity, size and length. Get the counts from the wall framing, floor joist or cut list calculators.
  2. Enter the prices the way your yard quotes them and pick the unit: per piece (most home centers), per linear foot, per board foot, or per thousand board feet (MBF, common for lumberyard and contractor quotes).
  3. Add waste and tax. Waste adds pieces, rounded up on each line, since you can't buy part of a board.

The math

Example (the numbers filled in above): 30 precut 2×4 studs plus 10% is 33 pieces × $4.25 = $140.25. Eight 2×4×16s become 9 × $8.50 = $76.50, and six 2×6×12s become 7 × $9.75 = $68.25. The subtotal is $285.00 for about 350 board feet, or about $0.81 per board foot.

Comparing quotes

Yards quote in different units, so convert to cost per board foot to compare. A $8.50 2×4×16 holds 10.67 board feet, which is $0.80 per board foot. A $9.75 2×6×12 holds 12 board feet, $0.81 per board foot. Longer and wider boards often cost more per board foot, and premium grades and treated lumber cost more still.

Lumber prices change week to week. Use this to compare quotes and set a budget, then confirm the price at the counter. Don't forget delivery fees, and the fasteners, sheathing and hardware that go with the lumber.

FAQ

How do I estimate the cost of framing lumber?

Count the pieces of each size and length from your plans or a materials calculator, add about 10% for waste, and multiply by your yard's price. Add sales tax and delivery. This calculator does the math line by line.

What does MBF mean in lumber pricing?

MBF means one thousand board feet. Lumberyards and mills often quote framing lumber per MBF. Divide by 1,000 to get the price per board foot: $680 per MBF is $0.68 per board foot.

How do I compare lumber prices quoted per piece and per board foot?

Divide the piece price by the board feet in the piece. A 2×4×8 has 5.33 board feet, so a $4.00 2×4×8 costs $0.75 per board foot.

How much extra lumber should I order for waste?

About 10% is typical for framing. Use less for simple, repetitive cuts like studs, and more for cut-up roofs or when you can't pick through the pile. Plan your cuts with the cut list optimizer to see your actual waste.

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Disclaimer: Results are estimates for planning and layout only. Check all math yourself and verify with a licensed engineer and your local building department before cutting or building. FramersMath is not a substitute for engineered plans, span tables or code review. See the full disclaimer.