Lumber Cost Calculator
Pricing Lumber From Either Direction
Sometimes you already know how many board feet a project needs and just want the total cost; other times you're starting from raw dimensions and need the calculator to work out both the board feet and the price in one step. This calculator handles both directions, so you're not stuck manually converting dimensions to board feet before you can get a cost figure.
The Formulas
From board feet: Total Cost = Board Feet × Price per Board Foot
From dimensions: Board Feet = (Thickness × Width × Length ÷ 12) × Quantity
then Total Cost = Board Feet × Price per Board Foot
From dimensions: Board Feet = (Thickness × Width × Length ÷ 12) × Quantity
then Total Cost = Board Feet × Price per Board Foot
Worked Example
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total board feet | 80.0 bd ft |
| Price per board foot | $6.50 |
| Total cost | $520.00 |
Board-foot pricing typically applies to hardwoods; dimensional softwood lumber (2x4s, etc.) is more commonly priced per linear foot or per piece, so confirm which pricing convention your supplier uses before comparing quotes.
Where This Matters
- Comparing supplier quotes on equal footing — converting every quote to a total dollar figure for the same project dimensions removes any ambiguity from differing per-board-foot rates.
- Budgeting a project before buying — estimating the full material cost from planned dimensions, before a single board is purchased, keeps a project's total budget realistic from the start.
- Evaluating species substitutions — running the same project dimensions through different per-board-foot prices (say, walnut versus poplar) quickly shows the dollar impact of a species swap.
How to Use This Calculator
- Choose a mode: I Know My Board Feet, or Calculate From Dimensions.
- For the first mode: enter Total Board Feet and Price per Board Foot.
- For the second mode: enter Thickness, Width, Length, Quantity, and Price per Board Foot.
- Select Calculate to see the total cost.
Related Calculations
Work out board feet on its own with the Board Foot Calculator, or figure out how many pieces your lumber will yield with the Wood Cutting Calculator.