Find a hardwood lumber supplier for your species, grade and thickness
Tell us the species, NHLA grade, thickness, drying and board feet. We pass your RFQ to up to 3 mills or yards that carry it and reply within 24 business hours.
Why buyers send hardwood lumber requests here
It comes down to the match: suppliers that fit your spec, from the first quote.
Matched by specialization
Your RFQ goes to up to 3 mills or yards that carry your species, picked for the grade and thickness you ask for. Not a general directory.
Professional suppliers
Suppliers we match quote to your spec, communicate clearly and keep you updated while your order is filled.
You deal with the supplier
Quotes, terms and delivery are agreed between you and the supplier. Free for buyers.
Board foot calculator
Hardwood is sold by the board foot: one inch thick, twelve inches wide and one foot long, or 144 cubic inches. Enter your stock and get the tally a supplier will quote against. Nothing is sent, this runs in your browser.
Formula: thickness in inches x width in inches x length in feet / 12. Tallies use the rough thickness, so 4/4 surfaced to 13/16 in still counts as 1 in. Add 15 to 30 percent for yield loss when you work from a cut list.
Why buyers get different tallies
Two quotes for the same lumber can show different board feet. Mills tally each board at its rough size and round widths to the nearest inch, some yards tally surfaced stock at its finished size and others price per piece or per linear foot. Ask each supplier how the quote is tallied before you compare prices.
NHLA hardwood grades at a glance
North American hardwood is graded by the share of each board that can be cut into clear pieces of a minimum size. The grade tells you how much usable wood you buy, not how the board looks as a whole. Name the grade on every RFQ, it is the first thing a supplier checks.
| Grade | Minimum board | Minimum clear cutting | Clear yield required | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAS | 6 in+ wide, 8 to 16 ft | 4 in x 5 ft or 3 in x 7 ft | 83 1/3% both faces | Mouldings, long rails, fine furniture |
| FAS 1-Face | As FAS | As FAS on the better face | 83 1/3% better face, No.1 Common on the other | Parts seen from one side |
| Select | 4 in+ wide, 6 to 16 ft | As FAS on the better face | 83 1/3% better face, No.1 Common on the other | Narrower boards with one clear face |
| No.1 Common | 3 in+ wide, 4 to 16 ft | 4 in x 2 ft or 3 in x 3 ft | 66 2/3% | Cabinet doors, furniture parts, flooring |
| No.2A Common | 3 in+ wide, 4 to 16 ft | 3 in x 2 ft | 50% | Flooring, short parts, rustic work |
| No.3A Common | 3 in+ wide, 4 to 16 ft | 3 in x 2 ft | 33 1/3% | Pallets, crating, rustic flooring |
Typical summary. The full rules, including cutting counts and species exceptions, are in the National Hardwood Lumber Association rulebook. European and tropical species are often graded under other rules.
Thickness, surfacing and drying
Hardwood thickness is named in quarters of an inch. The rough size is what you pay for. The surfaced size is what you get after planing, and it is smaller. These are typical S2S sizes, each mill works to its own.
| Quarters | Rough thickness | Typical S2S | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4 | 1 in | 13/16 in | Face frames, doors, drawer fronts, most furniture |
| 5/4 | 1 1/4 in | 1 1/16 in | Tabletops, heavier doors, stair risers |
| 6/4 | 1 1/2 in | 1 5/16 in | Stair treads, thick tops, chair parts |
| 8/4 | 2 in | 1 3/4 in | Table legs, bench tops, heavy frames |
| 10/4 | 2 1/2 in | 2 1/4 in | Legs, thick rails, turning stock |
| 12/4 | 3 in | 2 3/4 in | Legs, newel posts, turning blanks |
| 16/4 | 4 in | 3 3/4 in | Posts, large turnings, bench legs |
Surfacing codes suppliers use
- RGHRough sawn, as it left the saw and the kiln.
- S2SSurfaced two sides, both faces planed to thickness.
- SLR1EStraight line ripped one edge, a clean edge to work from.
- S2S1EBoth faces planed plus one straight edge.
- S4SAll four sides surfaced to a fixed width and thickness.
- RWRLRandom widths and random lengths, the normal way lumber is sold.
Drying and moisture content
- Kiln dried (KD)Typically 6 to 8% MCInterior furniture, cabinets, millwork and flooring. The default for most RFQs.
- Air dried (AD)Typically 12 to 20% MC, depends on climateExterior work, timber framing, or stock you plan to kiln dry yourself.
- GreenFresh sawn, above about 30% MCTurning, heavy timbers, or buyers with their own kilns.
Typical targets for interior use in North America and Europe. Say the moisture content you need on the RFQ, and whether it should be checked on arrival.
Species buyers ask for
Name the species with the grade and thickness. "Walnut" alone could mean 4/4 FAS steamed or 8/4 No.1 Common with sapwood, and those are priced very differently.
- Red oakOpen grain, stains well. Cabinets, flooring, furniture.
- White oakClosed pores. Flooring and millwork, rift and quartersawn on request.
- Hard mapleHard and light. Flooring, butcher block, cabinets.
- Soft mapleEasier to machine. Paint and stain grade cabinets.
- Black walnutDark heartwood. Say if you accept sapwood or want steamed stock.
- CherryDarkens with light. Furniture and cabinets.
- AshStrong and open grained. Supply shifted after the emerald ash borer.
- Yellow poplarPaint grade mouldings, drawer boxes, secondary parts.
- HickoryVery hard. Flooring, handles, rustic cabinets.
- European beechSteamed or unsteamed. Chairs and furniture parts.
- European oakGraded under European rules. Flooring and joinery.
- Tropical speciesSapele, iroko, teak. Ask for origin documents with the quote.
Who sends lumber RFQs
Most hardwood buyers turn boards into parts. Tell us what you make and how you buy, and we match suppliers that already sell that way, from a few hundred board feet of mixed stock to full containers of one item.
Cabinet shops
4/4 and 5/4 for doors, frames and drawer fronts.
Furniture makers
Mixed thicknesses in a few species.
Millwork and moulding
Long clear FAS for profiles and casings.
Flooring mills
Common grades by the truckload.
Stairs and railings
6/4 and 8/4 for treads, rails and newels.
Dimension plants
Lumber cut into blanks and components.
Boat and interior builders
Clear stock in short, exact lists.
Importers and yards
Container loads to resell or process.
How matching works
One spec from you. A short list of mills or yards that carry it. You buy from them directly.
Send your spec
Species, grade, thickness, surfacing, drying and quantity, plus a cut list if you have one. It takes about three minutes.
We check it and match
We read the spec, ask if something is missing and pass it to up to 3 suppliers that carry that species and grade, only with your consent.
Suppliers quote you directly
Each supplier contacts you with price, tally method, lead time and freight. You choose and order from them.
What drives the price of hardwood lumber
Hardwood is quoted per board foot, per thousand board feet (MBF) or per cubic meter. The same species can double in price between grades and thicknesses. These are the usual reasons.
- SpeciesWalnut and cherry cost more than poplar or red oak, and the gap moves with the market.
- GradeFAS costs more than No.1 Common because more of each board is clear.
- Thickness8/4 and thicker usually costs more per board foot than 4/4.
- Width and lengthSpecified widths or long lengths cost more than random widths and lengths.
- DryingKiln drying adds cost over air dried or green lumber.
- Surfacing and millingS2S, straight line ripping and S4S each add a step and some waste.
- Color and sortingSap-free walnut, white maple or color-sorted oak cost extra.
- Quantity and mixA full truckload of one item prices better than a mixed lot.
- PaperworkFSC stock or full origin documents can limit who can quote.
- FreightLumber is heavy. Distance, packaging and loading decide the landed cost.
Legal timber paperwork
Imports of lumber into the United States need a Lacey Act declaration that names the genus, species and country of harvest. Buyers in the EU need due diligence records on where the wood was harvested, under the EU timber rules that the deforestation regulation (EUDR) is replacing.
If your spec calls for FSC or PEFC certified lumber, the supplier needs a valid chain of custody certificate and must show the claim on the invoice. A few tropical species, including genuine mahogany, are listed under CITES and need permits to cross borders.
Tick what you need on the RFQ and we only match suppliers that say they can issue it. Confirm the documents in writing before you order. This is general information, not legal advice.
Have the spec ready?
Send the short version now and we will ask for anything missing. To give surfacing, drying, widths, lengths and paperwork up front, use the full lumber RFQ form.
Your spec goes only to the suppliers we match. Ask for an NDA and nothing with your name on it is shared until it is signed.
Do you saw, dry or stock hardwood?
Register once with the species, grades and thicknesses you sell. When a buyer sends a spec that fits, we pass it to you and you talk to the buyer directly.
Questions buyers ask
Something else? Email .
Are you a sawmill or a lumber yard?
No. We are a matching service, not a sawmill, and we hold no stock. We read your lumber spec and pass it to up to 3 mills or yards that carry that species, grade and thickness. You buy from them directly.
What does it cost me?
Nothing. Sending an RFQ and receiving quotes is free for buyers. Price, terms, delivery and payment are agreed between you and the supplier.
Which suppliers see my RFQ?
Only suppliers that fit on species, grade, thickness, drying and paperwork, 3 at most, and only after you tick the consent box. If you ask for an NDA we share the spec without your company name or files until it is signed.
Can I buy less than a truckload?
Yes. Put the real quantity on the RFQ. Mills usually sell by the truckload or container, while distribution yards sell mixed lots and smaller units. We match you with suppliers that sell in the size you need.
Are board feet counted on the rough or the surfaced size?
Hardwood is normally tallied on the nominal rough thickness, so 4/4 lumber surfaced to 13/16 in is still billed as 1 in thick. Some suppliers tally surfaced stock differently, so ask how the quote is tallied before you compare prices.
Can you find lumber with FSC or Lacey Act paperwork?
Tick the paperwork you need on the RFQ and we only match suppliers that say they can issue it. Declarations and permits stay the responsibility of the supplier and the importer, so confirm the documents in writing before you order.
Guides for hardwood buyers
- Grades and Specs
End Sealing Hardwood Lumber: What It Prevents, Which Coating and When It Pays
End sealing slows drying through the ends and cuts end checks. What a 2024 USDA test of wax, paint and roofing compound found, and when it pays on hardwood.
- Grades and Specs
Powderpost Beetles in Hardwood Lumber: Which Boards Are at Risk and What to Ask
Lyctid powderpost beetles attack sapwood of oak, ash and hickory. Signs on a lumber lot, how reinfestation happens after the kiln and what a buyer should ask.
- Grades and Specs
Iron Stain on Oak Lumber: Where the Blue-Black Comes From and How to Prevent It
Iron stain turns oak blue-black where iron, tannin and water meet. Common sources at the kiln and yard, the oxalic acid test and how to keep it off your order.