Calculated result
11boards
Stock boards to order
Formula
LUM-LINEAR-001Total run × (1 + waste) ÷ stock length → whole boards
120 ft
Net linear run
132 ft
Run including allowance
132 ft
Total stock supplied
Lumber & framing calculator
Linear lumber calculator
Whole stock-board count from total linear run, selected stock length and visible allowance.
By Feroz Sheikh · Formula LUM-LINEAR-001 v1.0.0 · Tested formula
Formula
LUM-LINEAR-001v1.0.0Project inputs
Enter your measurements. Switching units converts the same project, including coverage and unit rates. Package yields keep the unit printed beside each field.
Refine measurements and rates at any time. Your current values are included in the material-list PDF.
Planning estimate, not engineering advice. Confirm site measurements and product specifications. Calculation limits.
This calculator divides a measured total linear run plus allowance by the selected stock-board length and rounds up to whole boards.
- Sum all like linear runs that share one stock material.
- Enter the purchasable stock length rather than a theoretical cut length.
- Use a visible allowance for cuts, defects, pattern matching or splice layout.
Add your project costs
Enter supplier prices and any labour, equipment or delivery costs. Pick a currency — badges, inputs, and totals follow.
Costs use the stick or sheet rate you type. Construclytic does not fetch lumber-yard prices. Hangers, hardware and labour stay companion lines.
How this calculator works
A transparent linear lumber calculator takeoff.
Feroz SheikhWritten by Feroz Sheikh · founder
This calculator divides a measured total linear run plus allowance by the selected stock-board length and rounds up to whole boards.
LUM-LINEAR-001 turns a total linear run into whole stock boards of a selected length, then a cut allowance. Base, fascia and fence rail can all use it — the SKU is the stock length you will buy.
Worked example. Example: 120 ft of linear run at 10% allowance requires 132 ft. With 12 ft stock boards, the order rounds to 11 boards.
See the example inputs and calculated result
This separate example uses the calculator's starting values in imperial units. It stays unchanged when you edit the tool above. Example rates, yields and dimensions are assumptions, not recommendations for your project.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Total linear run | 120 ft |
| Stock board length | 12 ft |
| Waste factor | 10 % |
Example result: Stock boards to order — 11 boards.
Total run × (1 + waste) ÷ stock length → whole boards
Use the labelled units above when reproducing this example. To work in metric, switch the calculator to Metric; applicable measurements are converted, while product-specific units remain labelled.
- 1. Sum all like linear runs that share one stock material.
- 2. Enter the purchasable stock length rather than a theoretical cut length.
- 3. Use a visible allowance for cuts, defects, pattern matching or splice layout.
Field notes that change the number
- Enter the installed run, then the stick length in the yard.
- Inside corners and returns eat more than a straight corridor.
- Scarfs and copes are why waste is an input.
Common mistakes
- Using 8 ft sticks on a 16 ft run without waste.
- Mixing trim and framing on one line.
- Treating this as a species pick.
Need the broader workflow? Read the lumber & framing planning guide.
Questions
Questions about linear lumber calculator
Does this create a cut list?
No. A detailed cut list must account for each run, joint position, stock availability and field constraints.
Why round boards up?
Boards are purchased as whole stock lengths and cannot be ordered as fractions.
What is the formula ID?
This linear lumber calculator publishes formula LUM-LINEAR-001, version 1.0.0. The ID stays on the result and on the estimate line.