Lumber costs in Texas typically range from $ 3.50 to $ 35 + per board, depending on the dimensions and treatment. For standard structural framing, a 2x4x8' stud averages around $ 3.55, while a treated 2x10x16' board costs roughly $ 20 to $ 35.
Significant drops in lumber prices are unlikely in 2026, with prices expected to fluctuate in the mid-$500s to low-$600s per thousand board feet. While short-term seasonal dips occur, underlying market fundamentals—such as supply constraints and increased demand from projected housing starts—are keeping costs firm.
Lumber prices are currently hovering between $560 and $580 per 1,000 board feet on the futures market. However, the retail cost for 1,000 board feet will range anywhere from $700 to $1,500+ depending on the wood grade, retailer markup, and whether you are buying basic framing softwood or premium hardwood.
Kiln‐dried framing lumber, for example—the 2x4's, 2x6's and 2x10's that become studs, joists and rafters—commanded a mill price of $113 for 1,000 board feet in January, 1972, according to Random Lengths, a lumber industry newsletter published in Eugene, Ore.
$500,000 in 1972 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $3,983,493 today.
Best Times to Buy Lumber
Historically, lumber prices tend to be lower during the winter months when construction activity slows.
A board foot is a wood measurement for a piece of lumber 12″ wide by 1′ long by 1″ thick for estimating purposes. Board foot, or board feet, is commonly abbreviated as FBM, BDFT, or BF.
A typical 2,000-square-foot home uses almost 16,000 board feet of lumber and 6,000 square feet of structural panels like plywood.
Most national forests allow users to harvest trees for personal use firewood and Christmas trees, but you must first have a Forest Service-issued permit and you must follow specific guidelines, which can vary from forest to forest.
The worst firewood to burn falls into two categories: toxic and highly inefficient. You should never burn wood that produces dangerous chemical fumes or excessive smoke, nor wood that burns too quickly or spits hazardous sparks.
It takes 2 full pickup loads to equal one standard cord of wood.
Yes they do, roughly 25% of all dimensional lumber consumed annually comes from Canada. In fact some building codes on the eastern seaboard requires Canadian studs to be used in construction. The Canadian fiber is lighter, better to work with, and doesn't bow or twist to the extent Yellow Pine does.
Choosing the best wood for framing means balancing cost, strength, and availability. Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF), Douglas Fir, and Southern Yellow Pine all provide dependable solutions that have earned their place in construction.
Plywood is expensive because it is an energy-intensive, multi-step manufactured product, not just raw timber. High demand for DIY projects and construction, combined with shortages of specialized adhesives, geopolitical sanctions (especially on Russian birch), and high shipping costs, have kept prices elevated.
In lumber, LF stands for linear foot (or lineal foot). It measures a straight, continuous length of a board regardless of its width or thickness.
Lumber futures trade at approximately $𝟓𝟖𝟓 to $𝟓𝟗𝟓 per 1,000 board feet. However, the actual retail cost for finished, treated, or specialized framing lumber runs higher, depending on your local region and the specific grade of the wood.
A 2x4x8 piece of lumber contains exactly 5.33 board feet.
Any board that you can see a full circle growth ring – don't buy it. If the boards don't feel dry – or any dampness – don't buy them. They are going to change substantially. Big knots throughout the board.
Yes, lumber is generally cheaper in the fall and winter. Because construction and home improvement projects slow down during the colder months, lower demand often results in reduced prices.
The national average gas price in 1953 may have been $0.28 a gallon, but for those looking for a bargain, Omaha, Nebraska, was the place to be.
In 1960, a gallon of milk cost about $1.05 on average, though prices commonly ranged between $0.95 and $1.05 depending on the region and store. By comparison, the average national minimum wage at the time was exactly $𝟏.𝟎𝟎 per hour.
In 1969, a loaf of bread cost an average of about $𝟎.𝟐𝟑 in the United States.