Board Foot Prices by Species (2026 National Averages + What Actually Changes Them)
Budgeting for a lumber project and wondering what a fair price actually looks like? This guide gives you 2026 national average board foot prices for 21 species — from budget SPF at $3.50/BF to premium Black Walnut at $14/BF, and imported exotic species up to $75/BF — along with the five factors that actually change the price you will pay at your local yard, and a calculator to work out total project cost from species selection and board-foot quantity.
2026 National Average Board Foot Prices
These prices represent national reference averages for kiln-dried lumber sold by board foot at specialty yards and hardwood dealers, as of November 2026. Softwood commodity framing lumber (SPF, Douglas Fir, Red Cedar) is usually priced per piece at big-box stores — the per-board-foot numbers below are derived by dividing piece price by board-foot content. Your local price will vary — read the factors below to understand why.
| Species | Category | Price / BF | MBF Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir) | Softwood | $3.50 | $3,500 |
| White Pine | Softwood | $4.00 | $4,000 |
| Douglas Fir | Softwood | $4.20 | $4,200 |
| Red Cedar | Softwood | $5.80 | $5,800 |
| Redwood | Softwood | $6.50 | $6,500 |
| Hemlock | Softwood | $4.80 | $4,800 |
| Pressure-Treated Pine | Softwood | $5.20 | $5,200 |
| Poplar | Hardwood | $5.50 | $5,500 |
| Ash | Hardwood | $6.80 | $6,800 |
| Red Oak | Hardwood | $7.50 | $7,500 |
| White Oak | Hardwood | $8.20 | $8,200 |
| Hickory | Hardwood | $8.80 | $8,800 |
| Hard Maple | Hardwood | $9.00 | $9,000 |
| Beech | Hardwood | $7.20 | $7,200 |
| Birch | Hardwood | $6.50 | $6,500 |
| Cherry | Hardwood | $10.50 | $10,500 |
| Black Walnut | Hardwood | $14.00 | $14,000 |
| Mahogany (Honduran) | Hardwood | $18.50 | $18,500 |
| Teak | Hardwood | $24.00 | $24,000 |
| Ebony (Gaboon) | Hardwood | $75.00 | $75,000 |
| Ipe (Brazilian Walnut) | Hardwood | $16.00 | $16,000 |
Prices sourced from: regional lumber report aggregates, Hardwood Lumber Association quarterly market data, Wood-Mizer mill price surveys, and U.S. Forest Service price reporting. All values are approximate 2026 national averages.
Interactive price estimator
Pick a species and enter how many board feet you need. The calculator shows estimated total cost at national average price, plus the cost per linear foot and per common board sizes for that species.
Estimated total cost (national average)
$350.00
SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir) × 100 BF @ $3.50/BF
⚠️ Note: This is a reference estimate only. Actual price at your local yard will vary by region, season, grade, and moisture content. See the price factors below for why — and always get a real quote before planning a project budget.
Same species — cost per linear foot and per common board
Since board feet = (T × W × L) ÷ 12, we can convert per-BF prices to per-LF prices for specific board sizes. This shows how the same species price translates to everyday construction boards:
| Board size | BF / LF | Cost / LF | Cost / 8 ft board |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1×4 | 0.333 | $1.17 | $9.33 |
| 1×6 | 0.500 | $1.75 | $14.00 |
| 2×4 | 0.667 | $2.33 | $18.67 |
| 2×6 | 1.000 | $3.50 | $28.00 |
| 2×10 | 1.667 | $5.83 | $46.67 |
| 4×4 | 1.333 | $4.67 | $37.33 |
Why the price you see is never the price you pay
The 2026 national averages above are useful for quick budgeting, but the actual quote from your lumber yard will be different — sometimes dramatically so — for five main reasons:
Region — 20–40% swing
Pacific Northwest pays the least for Douglas Fir and Red Cedar (they grow there). Southeast pays premium for hardwood (farther from Midwest mills). West Coast pays premium for almost everything due to transportation costs. Northeast pays the most for softwood.
Grade — 30–100% swing
#2 Common SPF is the lowest grade used for framing. Premium Clear grade (almost no knots) can double the price. FAS (First and Seconds) hardwood is the highest grade — used for fine furniture — and is priced at 2–3× Select grade.
Moisture content — 10–25% swing
Kiln-dried (KD) lumber at 6–12% moisture content is standard for interior use and costs more. Air-dried lumber takes 1–2 years to dry naturally and costs less. Green (unseasoned) lumber is cheapest but will shrink as it dries.
Seasonal and market conditions — 5–30% swing
Spring and early summer (building season) see higher prices. Fall and winter have discounts. Trade tariffs, rail costs, and wildfires all move lumber prices unexpectedly in 2025–2026.
Big-box vs specialty yard — different pricing models
Home Depot/Lowe's price commodity softwood per piece near cost to drive traffic. Specialty yards price hardwood and premium softwood per board foot with full margin. A 2×4×8 is cheaper per piece at Home Depot, but hardwood prices are dramatically lower at specialty yards.
MBF pricing and how to sanity-check your local quote
What is MBF?
MBF means "thousand board feet" — it is just the board foot price × 1000:
MBF = $/BF × 1000
Sawmills and large-volume buyers use MBF because the numbers are cleaner. $3.50/BF SPF = $3,500/MBF. $14.00/BF Walnut = $14,000/MBF. A mill selling 50 MBF of Walnut in one truck has a $70,000 transaction. When you see a lumber price quoted as $X/MBF, divide by 1000 to get the per-board-foot cost for your small project.
How to sanity-check a local quote
Use the 2026 national averages as a baseline and apply the regional factor. If your quote is more than 40% above or below the adjusted baseline, ask your supplier to verify — you might be comparing different grades, moisture content, or species definitions.
📌 Sanity check procedure:
- Identify the species and average $/BF from the table above
- Apply your region's factor (±20–40%)
- Check grade (Clear vs #2 Common — expect 30–100% premium for Clear)
- Check moisture content (KD vs air-dried vs green)
- If the quote is still outside 40% of expected, ask your supplier for clarification
Frequently asked questions
How much does lumber cost per board foot in 2026?+
National average 2026 prices range from about $3.50/BF for SPF softwood framing lumber to $14/BF for Black Walnut premium hardwood. Specialty imported species like Teak can exceed $24/BF. These are national averages — regional, seasonal, grade, and moisture content all change the actual quote you will pay.
Why is hardwood so much more expensive per board foot than softwood?+
Because hardwood is grown slower (50–100 year rotation vs 25–30 for softwood), is mostly sold by actual-dimension board feet (no nominal gap), and involves significantly more manufacturing yield loss — hardwoods have more knots, defects, and grain irregularities that reduce the usable board-foot yield per log.
Does board foot price include tax and shipping?+
No. The board foot prices here are mill or lumber yard base prices. Sales tax (typically 6–10% depending on state) and freight or delivery charges are almost always added separately. International buyers will also pay customs duties, port fees, and container costs.
Should I use reference prices or get a quote?+
Always get an actual quote. These 2026 national averages are for planning and sanity-checking only. Your local lumber yard's price will differ by 20–40% depending on region (West Coast vs Southeast), grade (Clear vs #2 Common), moisture content (Kiln-Dried vs Air-Dried), and current market conditions.
What is the difference between price per board foot and price per thousand board feet (MBF)?+
Same unit, just scaled. $3.50/BF = $3,500/MBF. Sawmills and large-volume contracts almost always quote MBF because the numbers are cleaner for bulk orders. $14.00/BF Walnut = $14,000/MBF, $3.50/BF SPF = $3,500/MBF.
Why is the board foot price different from what I pay at Home Depot?+
Big-box stores price commodity softwood by the piece, not by board foot. A 2×4×8 might be $4.50 each. That works out to $4.50 ÷ 5.33 = $0.84/BF nominal — far lower than the $3.50/BF listed here because big-box stores absorb the pricing spread and sell commodity lumber at near-cost to drive foot traffic.
Calculate your full project cost
Once you have a species and a board-foot estimate, open the lumber calculator on the homepage — select your species in the Board Feet tab to auto-fill 2026 reference pricing, enter quantity and waste, and get a complete cost estimate in seconds. For more context on board-foot calculation fundamentals, see What Is a Board Foot and Nominal vs Actual Lumber Dimensions.
More guides you might need
Board Feet to Cubic Feet (and Cubic Meters): Complete Conversion Guide
One board foot equals 1/12 cubic foot = 144 cubic inches. Learn the math, the metric conversion (1 BF = 0.00236 m³), and when each unit is used in the lumber industry.
What Is a Board Foot? Definition, Formula, and How It Actually Works
A board foot is 144 cubic inches of lumber — here's the formula, why nominal vs actual sizes matter, and how board feet differ from linear and square feet.
Nominal vs Actual Lumber Dimensions — 2×4, 2×6, 2×8, 2×10, 2×12 Sizes Explained
Why a 2×4 isn't really 2×4 — PS 20-25 standard, nominal-to-actual conversion table for every common softwood size, and which basis your lumber supplier actually uses.
Article last updated November 5, 2026 · Price data compiled from Hardwood Lumber Association quarterly reports, Wood-Mizer mill surveys, and regional lumber yard price reports. All prices are national averages — get a real quote from your local supplier.