Dimension Lumber: Sold by the Lineal Inch

Common Methods for Pricing Lumber

"Random-width lumber" is lumber that's not cut to a specific width before it is sold. As the name implies, the width of boards sold as random-width lumber varies. Woodworkers who buy random-width lumber cut the lumber to width themselves, and understand that some amount of waste will be generated in the process.

A pricing system for random-width lumber has to take the varying widths of the boards being sold into account. The most common method of pricing random-width lumber is by the "board foot." Board feet are calculated by multiplying the surface area of the lumber (measured in square feet) by the thickness of the lumber (measured in inches).

Examples:

» To learn more about how lumber is sold, read How Lumber Prices are Calculated