How Much Lumber Do I Need for a Dining Table?
The easiest way to estimate lumber for any furniture project is to list every part, map each part to a rough board, and add up the board feet. Here’s the full process for a classic dining table.
The table
- Top: 72” long × 36” wide × about 1¼” thick
- Legs: four, 3” × 3” × 29”
- Aprons: two long (about 60” × 4”), two short (about 28” × 4”), ¾” thick
Step 1: Choose stock for each part
| Part | Finished size | Buy | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top | 72” × 36” × 1¼” | 6/4 | Planes down to about 1¼” |
| Legs | 3” × 3” × 29” | 12/4 | Finishes near 2¾”–3” square |
| Aprons | ¾” thick | 4/4 | Planes to ¾” |
See what 4/4, 5/4 and 8/4 mean for finished thicknesses.
Step 2: Map parts to rough boards
Add about 1” to width for jointing and ripping, and 6”–12” to length for checked ends and squaring cuts.
| Part | Rough boards | Board feet |
|---|---|---|
| Top | 7 boards, 6/4 × 6” × 7 ft (42” of rough width for a 36” top) | 1.5 × 6 × 7 ÷ 12 × 7 = 36.75 |
| Legs | 1 board, 12/4 × 7” × 5 ft (two legs side by side, two end to end) | 3 × 7 × 5 ÷ 12 = 8.75 |
| Long aprons | 1 board, 4/4 × 9” × 6 ft (rip into two 4” strips) | 1 × 9 × 6 ÷ 12 = 4.5 |
| Short aprons | 1 board, 4/4 × 9” × 5 ft (rip into two, each 28” long) | 1 × 9 × 5 ÷ 12 = 3.75 |
| Total | 53.75 BF |
Step 3: Add waste
Even with generous rough sizes, plan for defects you’ll find after planing. Add 15% for FAS lumber or 25% for #1 Common:
- FAS: 53.75 × 1.15 ≈ 62 BF
- #1 Common: 53.75 × 1.25 ≈ 67 BF
Step 4: Price it
At typical retail prices, including the per-board-foot premium for 6/4 and 12/4 stock:
| Species | Approximate cost for ~62 BF |
|---|---|
| Red oak | $380–$610 |
| Hard maple | $460–$760 |
| Black cherry | $610–$1,070 |
| Black walnut | $920–$1,530 |
Prices vary 20–40% by region and change often. Check current prices on the species pages (walnut, cherry, red oak) or enter your yard’s price in the calculator.
Tips that save lumber and money
- Buy legs as 12/4 or glue them up from two pieces of 6/4. Glued-up legs are cheaper and often more stable.
- Use #1 Common for aprons and legs. Their parts are short, so knots are easy to cut around.
- Lay out the top boards at the yard to match color and grain before you pay.
- Buy one extra board if you’re far from the yard. A return trip costs more than the board.
Run your own project
Enter each rough board in the board foot calculator. It totals the board feet, adds waste, prices it by species and prints a list for the yard. New to the formula? Start with how to calculate board feet.