Hardwood Yield Calculator — Log to Lumber
Buying a log by the ton means buying yield you cannot see. Enter the diameter, length and grade you are buying, and this estimates what comes out of the saw after sawing, drying and shrinkage.
Furniture grade 40–55
Results
Enter your measurements above and press Calculate.
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Questions people ask
What is a good yield percentage for hardwood?
Forty to fifty-five percent for furniture grade stock with clear faces. Sixty to seventy-five percent is achievable for dimension or cabinet lumber where knots and color variation are acceptable. Above 75 percent you are unlikely to find a log.
How much does hardwood shrink when drying?
Green to air dry, roughly 4 to 6 percent across the grain and 1 to 2 percent along the grain. Kiln drying removes that plus the free water, so green weight overstates dry weight by about half.
How many board feet are in a 24 inch log?
A 24 inch by 8 foot log holds about 24 board feet by the Doyle scale. At a 50 percent yield for furniture grade, expect roughly 10 to 12 board feet of dry sawn lumber.
Does the kerf loss matter?
Yes — a bandsaw removes 1/8 inch and a circular saw 1/4 inch, and that loss is already reflected in the yield percentages above. Narrow boards and thin resaw stock lose a higher proportion.
How should I store a log before milling?
Off the ground, out of the sun, with the ends sealed in paint or plastic to stop end-grain checking. Expect to lose a few percent of weight to drying before you even start sawing.
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