This ultimate guide to hardwoods and specialty lumber walks you through everything from hardwood versus softwood basics to species profiles, milling terms, grading rules, pricing, and sustainability. Whether you are planning a cutting board, dining table, live edge slab, or full room of cabinetry, you will learn how to choose the right wood, calculate board feet, budget for a build, and shop confidently at any lumberyard.
Discover hardwood and softwood species with expert insights from The Knotty Lumber Co. Learn about appearance, hardness, workability, and uses for over 50 types of wood.
Board feet, linear feet, square feet—it’s easy to get lost in the lumber lingo. This guide breaks down the key differences between board feet (a measure of volume) and linear feet (a measure of length), showing you when to use each, how to calculate them, and why it matters for accurate pricing and project planning. Whether you’re buying trim, ordering live edge slabs, or stocking hardwood in bulk, understanding these units will save you time, money, and headaches.
