Lumber Prices: Estimating the Cost of Dimensional Lumber

(updated 8/25/2020)

 

2x Lumber

Sometimes called “sticks” or “studs” by contractors, 2x lumber (pronounced “two-by”) is cheap, strong, and perfect for simple wood projects. Most 2x lumber you’ll find at a home center comes from either spruce, pine, or fir trees, depending on which type of wood the supplier has at the time. Not that this makes any difference to us really, all three species are very similar. It does, however, explain the mysterious “SPF” label: S=Spruce, P=Pine, F=Fir.

Another label you might find confusing on 2x lumber is the board length. Some 2x boards are cut to 96” (8 ft.)—while others curiously measure a couple inches shorter. The difference means nothing to us building a workbench or a shelf, but for a carpenter putting up a wall in a house, the shorter length of a stud may be the exact size needed to fit a board between the bottom and top plates of an typical 8’ wall. Look to see if your store has a special discount on “studs”—which they often do.

EZ Match Bit Screw Guide

EZ Measure Stick

EZ Center Stick