Wood Cost Calculator
Build a cut list and calculate timber costs for your woodworking project. Supports pine, oak, walnut, plywood and MDF with waste factor.
Waste Factor
Typical: 10-15% for rough timber, 5% for prepared stock
Cut List
Cost Breakdown
| Piece | Wood | Qty | Linear M | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leg | Pine | 4 | 4.00m | £12.00 |
Building a Cut List That Maps to Real Timber Yards
Timber yards sell pine and oak by the linear metre, plywood and MDF by the sheet. The calculator handles both: enter each piece by length, width, thickness, wood type and quantity, and it converts to the right pricing unit. Pine sits around £3 per linear metre, oak around £12, walnut around £18, an 8x4ft (1220x2440mm) plywood sheet around £15, and equivalent MDF around £8. Prices vary by yard and grade, so the defaults are starting points - update them with your local merchant's quote.
A simple project like a four-legged stool with 1000mm pine legs at 50x50mm comes to roughly 4 x 1m = 4 linear metres, costing about £12 in raw timber. Add a 600mm x 300mm seat in 18mm pine at the same rate (using a separate piece entry), plus four 400mm rails, and you're at around £20 to £25 in pine before waste. The same project in oak runs to £80 to £100 - oak's cost is the single biggest decision in any furniture build.
Why You Add a Waste Factor
Cuts are never 100% efficient. A standard waste factor of 10 to 15% covers saw kerf (the 3mm or so the blade removes per cut), tear-out at board ends, knots that need cutting around in pine, and the inevitable mismeasure on at least one piece. Hardwoods like oak and walnut warrant 15 to 20% waste because rough-sawn boards arrive with sap-wood edges and warps that need machining off before you reach usable dimensions.
Sheet goods (plywood, MDF) typically need only 5 to 10% because you can plan cuts on a single sheet to nest pieces efficiently. The tool defaults to 15%; drop to 5% for prepared S4S (surfaced four sides) timber, raise to 25% if you're working with reclaimed boards or rough-sawn green oak. For board-foot pricing of US hardwoods, see the [Board Foot Calculator](/board-foot-calculator).
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use pine or oak for my first project?
Pine for almost any first project. It's cheap (about £3 per linear metre vs £12 for oak), tools easily, and any mistake is a £4 lesson rather than a £20 one. Oak is unforgiving: it tears out badly with dull tools, splits when nailed without pilot holes, and dulls blades faster. Build the same piece twice in pine before committing to oak.
Is plywood cheaper than MDF?
Generally no. Standard 18mm hardwood-faced plywood runs around £40 to £50 per 8x4 sheet, while MDF of equivalent thickness is around £25 to £35. The defaults in this tool reflect a basic structural plywood and standard MDF; specialty plywood (birch, marine grade) costs significantly more. MDF is denser, paints well and machines cleanly but is heavier, weaker in tension, and creates fine dust requiring respiratory protection.
How do I price reclaimed timber?
Reclaimed boards from yards typically cost 60 to 80% of new equivalent prices, but factor higher waste (25 to 35%) because of nail holes, splits, and unusable sections. The price-per-linear-metre advantage often disappears once you've discarded the unusable portions. The character can be worth it; the savings often aren't.
What's a sensible waste factor for kitchen carpentry?
10 to 12% on prepared softwood, 5 to 8% on sheet goods, 15 to 18% on hardwoods. Built-in furniture is usually scribed to fit out-of-square walls, which adds offcuts. Always add at least one extra plank or sheet to the order; the cost of an unplanned trip back to the yard is far higher than carrying spare material.
Related Tools
Board Foot Calculator
Calculate board feet from thickness, width and length for hardwood pricing. Add multiple boards for a full cut list with total cost.
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Wood Finishing Calculator
Calculate how much varnish, oil, wax, paint or stain you need for your project. Shows coats needed, drying time, tins to buy and total cost.