Lumber Cost Estimator
Price a project from its board feet and your price per board foot, with a waste factor built in for the wood you buy but never use.
Budget for the wood you buy, not just the wood you keep
The gap between the board feet in your finished piece and the board feet you carry out of the yard is real money. Defects, snipe, and offcuts all come out of boards you paid for, so a quote built only on net footage always runs short. Adding a waste factor turns a cut list into an honest lumber budget.
Get your net board feet from the Board Feet Calculator, then estimate the finish for the same project with the Finish Coverage Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a waste factor and why do I need one?
A cut list tells you the net board feet that end up in the finished piece, but you always buy more than that. Boards have knots, checks, and bark edges you cut around; the planer snipes the ends; and breaking rough stock down to size leaves offcuts too small to use. The waste factor is the extra you buy to cover all of it, expressed as a percentage of the net board feet.
How big should the waste factor be?
For straightforward parts in clear, straight-grained stock, 15 percent is often enough. Step it up toward 30 percent — or more — for short parts, curved parts you nest into the board, figured or rough lumber with lots of defects, or when every part has to match for grain and color. It is cheaper to buy a little extra than to run out of a board you can no longer match.
Where do I get the net board feet?
From your cut list. Total the board feet of every part in the finished piece using the Board Feet Calculator on this site, then enter that figure here as the net amount. This estimator adds the waste factor on top and multiplies the result by your price per board foot to give the amount to actually buy and what it will cost.
Does this include hardware, glue, or finish?
No — this is the cost of the solid lumber only. Sheet goods, hardware, fasteners, glue, sandpaper, and finish are separate line items. For the finish specifically, the Finish Coverage Calculator on this site estimates how much oil, varnish, or lacquer the project needs so you can price that part too.
Estimates only, for solid lumber. Prices and grades vary by supplier; hardware, glue, and finish are separate. Confirm the current rate with your dealer before you buy.