Framing, Lumber & Siding Calculators
Board feet, plywood sheets and siding squares - size the lumber and exterior materials for a build, with cost estimates.
CalcBooth’s framing and lumber calculators size the wood and exterior materials a build actually consumes. The board foot calculator converts any stack of lumber - pieces, thickness, width, length - into board feet, the volume unit hardwood is priced by, and puts a cost on it. The plywood calculator turns an area into 4×8 sheets with a waste allowance, whether it is a subfloor, wall sheathing or a shed roof. The siding calculator works from your house perimeter, wall height and gable ends to the squares of siding to order, minus window and door openings. Each tool shows its formula, states its assumptions and rounds up to whole units, because lumber yards sell sticks and sheets, not decimals. Figures are planning estimates - confirm grades, actual coverage and pricing with your lumberyard or supplier before you order.
Which calculator do I need?
| Calculator | What it works out |
|---|---|
| Board Foot Calculator | Convert any stack of lumber into board feet - enter the piece count, thickness, width and length to get total board feet, lineal feet and the cost at your price per board foot. |
| Plywood Calculator | Work out how many sheets of plywood you need - enter the area to cover and the sheet size to get the sheet count with a waste allowance, plus the cost at your price per sheet. |
| Siding Calculator | Estimate how much siding your house needs - enter the perimeter, wall height and gable ends to get the squares of siding after openings and waste, plus a material cost estimate. |
How these estimates are built
Every calculator in this category publishes the formula it runs, the constants it assumes, a worked example you can reproduce by hand, and the standard or manufacturer data sheet each constant comes from. Quantities include an adjustable waste allowance and round up to whole units, because you cannot buy part of a bag or box.
Cost figures are national US ranges and are material-only unless a calculator says "installed", so they exclude tax, permits and local labour rates. These are planning estimates, not quotes — read the full calculation methodology for what they cover, and the disclaimer for the structural and HVAC limits that apply.