Species by Relative Cost
Where do species fall on the cost scale? Below is a general guide from typically lower-cost to higher-cost lumber. No prices—just relative position. Actual cost depends on size, grade, and market.
Order is a general guide only. Adjust for your project by browsing our catalog or requesting a quote.
What Is a Lineal Foot?
A Lineal Foot (LF) is simply one foot of board length, regardless of width or thickness. When you order 100 LF of 1×6, you're ordering 100 feet of that board laid end to end.
At Timberline, we price most finish lumber and decking per Lineal Foot. This makes ordering straightforward—measure the total length of material you need, add your waste factor, and you have your quantity.
Board Feet vs. Lineal Feet
You may also encounter Board Feet (BF), which is a volume measurement used widely in the lumber industry:
For example, one 1×6 board that is 8 feet long:
(1 × 6 × 8) ÷ 12 = 4 Board Feet
That same board is simply 8 Lineal Feet.
We quote in Lineal Feet because it's the most intuitive way for builders and homeowners to calculate how much material they need for a project.
Square Feet to Lineal Feet
If you know the square footage of your project (a deck, floor, or wall), you can convert to Lineal Feet using the exposed face width of the board:
Common face widths:
- 1×4 Flooring/Decking = 3.0″ face
- 1×6 Tongue & Groove / Pre-grooved = 5.0″ face
- 1×8 Tongue & Groove or Nickel Gap = 6.75″ face
- 5/4×6 Decking = 5.5″ face (standard) or 5.0″ (pre-grooved)
We recommend adding a 10% waste factor for flooring, siding, and decking projects.