About ToolSite
Built by woodworkers and contractors who were tired of doing board-feet math by hand on job sites and in the shop.
Built for Real Projects
Every formula in this calculator comes from the same standards used by lumber suppliers and structural engineers — the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook. We use actual dimensions, not just nominal labels, so your estimates match real-world boards.
Free, Always
No account required, no paywalls, no ads interrupting your work. Lumber Calculator exists because reliable estimation tools shouldn't cost money. Contractors price jobs with it. DIYers plan decks with it. Students learn board-feet math with it.
Accuracy You Can Cite
Wood density values for the weight calculator are from the Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook — the authoritative USDA reference for wood properties. Pricing is updated to reflect current national retail averages. We cite our sources on every page so you can verify.
Who We Are
The Lumber Calculator Team is a small group of builders, woodworkers, and software developers. We've each spent time on job sites or in workshops where quick, accurate lumber math made the difference between a clean estimate and a costly mistake. We built this tool to solve that problem for ourselves — and then made it free for everyone.
Our team has experience in residential framing, finish carpentry, and fine furniture making. That range of backgrounds means we understand why a deck builder needs different calculations than a furniture maker, and why nominal vs actual dimensions matters in practice.
How We Research and Update
Every calculation in this tool is cross-referenced against published industry standards before going live. Wood density values are pulled from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook (Chapter 4, Table 4-3). Nominal-to-actual dimension conversions follow ALSC published standards. Pricing is reviewed quarterly against national retail surveys.
When we update pricing or add new species, we document what changed and when. The “Last Updated” date on the calculator page reflects the most recent data review. Blog articles go through a fact-check pass before publication to ensure all numbers and claims are accurate for the current year.
Primary Sources
- American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) — softwood dimension standards
- National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) — hardwood grading rules
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook — wood properties and density
- ICC International Residential Code (IRC) — framing and structural requirements
Get in Touch
Found an error in the calculation, have a suggestion for a new feature, or want to report outdated pricing? We check this inbox regularly.
contact@example.com