Wood Selection and Material Costs: Hardwoods vs. Softwoods and Exotic vs. Local

Walnut costs 3x more than pine. Teak costs 10x more than oak. Customers see "solid wood" and assume quality regardless. You can build the same piece from different woods and charge 200-300% more based on material alone. This guide teaches you to choose woods for profit.

Wood Pricing Matrix

Softwoods (Pine, Douglas Fir)

Cost: $2-$4 per board foot | Customer perception: Budget, serviceable

Best for: Utilitarian pieces, painted furniture, budget lines

Domestic Hardwoods (Oak, Maple, Cherry)

Cost: $6-$12 per board foot | Customer perception: Quality, reliable

Best for: Mid-range furniture, standard offerings, most makers

Premium Hardwoods (Walnut, Ash)

Cost: $12-$18 per board foot | Customer perception: Premium, luxury

Best for: High-end custom work, signature pieces, justified price premiums

Exotic Woods (Teak, Mahogany, Rosewood)

Cost: $20-$50+ per board foot | Customer perception: Bespoke, luxury, investment-grade

Best for: High-end commissioned work, minimal waste tolerance

Pro strategy: Build modular lines using different woods at different price points. Same design: Maple version at $400, Walnut at $800, Teak at $1,600.

Material Cost Impact on Pricing

Example: Hand-Built Box (40 board feet)

Pine: 40 bf × $3 = $120 material

Oak: 40 bf × $8 = $320 material (2.7x higher)

Walnut: 40 bf × $15 = $600 material (5x higher)

Labor and overhead: $300 (same regardless of wood)

Pine total cost: $420 | Oak total cost: $620 | Walnut total cost: $900

Retail Pricing (40% markup)

Pine: $420 × 1.40 = $588

Oak: $620 × 1.40 = $868

Walnut: $900 × 1.40 = $1,260

Walnut commands $672 more than pine (114% price increase)

Key insight: As material costs increase, your absolute profit (markup dollars) increases even more. A $900 cost with 40% markup = $360 profit. A $420 cost with same markup = $168 profit. Premium woods = premium margins.

Key Takeaways

✓ Softwoods ($2-$4/bf) for budget lines; hardwoods ($6-$18/bf) for standard offerings

✓ Premium and exotic woods justify 2-5x higher retail prices

✓ Build wood-tiered product lines (Pine/Oak/Walnut versions of same design)

✓ Use same labor/overhead for all tiers, but let material cost drive the retail price

✓ Premium woods generate higher absolute dollar margins ($360 vs. $168)

Choose Woods for Profit. Build Premium Lines.

TrueCraft tracks material costs and margins by wood type.

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