How to Calculate How Much Wood You Need For Your Project

So you’ve decided to install log siding or paneling in your home. It’s time to source your wood, but how much do you need? It’ll save money to order the correct amount. Mills don’t typically offer free returns because wood is custom cut to order. Figuring out how much wood to order is easy once you know the square footage of the area you plan to cover.

Calculating Your Wood Needs for Log Siding

There are three main considerations when it comes time to calculate how much wood siding you need to order: your walls, your gables (roof), and your windows/doors. Walls and gables need to be properly covered, while windows and doors need to be considered so you can avoid ordering too much siding. (You won’t need to put siding over those windows and doors after all.)

First, you need to calculate the square footage of your walls. Typically modern homes have gabled roofs, so exterior walls look like a rectangle with a triangle (gable) resting on top.

To make measuring easier, only measure the rectangle portion of your wall first. Measure the entire length and go over windows and doors. Multiply the walls’ heights by widths.

Wall 1: H X W = Total wall sq.ft.

Wall 2: H X W = Total wall sq.ft.

Wall 3: H X W = Total wall sq.ft.

Wall 4: H X W = Total wall sq.ft.

Gabled roofs are triangles, so they need to be measured differently. Multiply their height by their width then divide by half to calculate a triangular square footage area.

Gable: (H X W) ÷ 2 = Total gable sq. ft

Add up your walls and your gables total square footage together. That is the total coverage area of your home’s exterior, but next you need to remove the square footage taken up by windows and doors. Calculating the square footage of a door or window is the same formula of height x width.

Once you have the square footage taken up by windows and doors, walls, and gables, you can use WoodHaven’s cost estimator tool to get an idea of how much wood you’ll need to order. Simply select “exterior siding,” enter in your measurements, and we will contact you with an estimate.

Calculating Your Wood Needs for Log Paneling

Typically home interiors have flat ceilings and don’t include gables, so calculate square footage of each wall with height x width. If you’re covering your ceiling, measure it like any other wall.

If your interior does include a gabled wall style, measure it just like your exterior walls.

Remember to measure past any doors or windows and get the entire width and height. Afterward, measure those doorways and windows and subtract the square footage of those from the total wall. 

Now you have your interior square footage to cover, and you can plug those numbers into WoodHaven’s cost estimator. Please select whether you’re looking for an estimate on Interior Walls or Ceiling, then provide us with the square feet. We will get back to you with an estimate which includes how much wood you’ll be ordering. Get started today!