A live-edge slab is priced by the board foot. At Pop’s Barn that runs from about $10 per board foot for poplar to $22 for black walnut, with a multiplier for slabs 30″ and wider. A typical 8-foot walnut dining slab lands in the low thousands; a narrow cherry bench top is a few hundred.
Run your numbers See real prices in stock
The formula
Price = board feet × species rate × width multiplier
Board feet = length × average width × thickness (all in inches) ÷ 144. One board foot is a piece 12″ × 12″ × 1″.
Rates by species
| Species | Price per board foot |
|---|---|
| Black Walnut | $22 |
| Ambrosia Maple | $20 |
| Cherry | $18 |
| White Oak | $18 |
| Hard Maple | $15 |
| Red Oak | $13 |
| Hickory | $13 |
| Eastern Red Cedar | $13 |
| Black Locust | $13 |
| Elm | $13 |
| Soft Maple | $12 |
| Poplar | $10 |
Width multipliers
Wide logs are rare, heavy, and slow to dry. Most mills can’t open them at all. So wide slabs cost more per board foot:
| Slab width | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Under 30″ | ×1 |
| 30–39″ | ×1.15 |
| 40–49″ | ×1.3 |
| 50″ and wider | ×1.5 |
Worked examples
Bench top: cherry, 6 ft × 16″ × 2″
- Board feet: 72 × 16 × 2 ÷ 144 = 16.0 BF
- Species rate: Cherry at $18/BF = $288
- Width multiplier: under 30″ → none
≈ $288
Dining table: black walnut, 8 ft × 36″ × 2.5″
- Board feet: 96 × 36 × 2.5 ÷ 144 = 60.0 BF
- Species rate: Black Walnut at $22/BF = $1,320
- Width multiplier: 36″ wide → ×1.15
≈ $1,518
Big table: white oak, 10 ft × 44″ × 2.5″
- Board feet: 120 × 44 × 2.5 ÷ 144 = 91.7 BF
- Species rate: White Oak at $18/BF = $1,650
- Width multiplier: 44″ wide → ×1.3
≈ $2,145
What moves the price besides size and species
- Figure. Crotch, burl, spalting and heavy ambrosia streaking are why two slabs of the same size can be priced differently.
- Drying status. Air-drying slabs are priced lower because you’re taking on the wait. Kiln-dried stock is ready to work.
- Defects. Big voids, bark inclusions and checks get priced in. Some people pay extra for exactly those. We don’t judge.
- Book-matched pairs. Two consecutive slabs from the same log, sold together so the grain mirrors. Priced as a set.
Every slab is one of one. The calculator gives you a ballpark; the price on the listing is the price.
What’s not in the slab price
- Kiln drying (if you buy it air-drying and want it dried here)
- Flattening and sanding
- Finishing, legs or a base
- Delivery — slabs are local pickup, and we load
Call for those. They depend on the slab.
Why slabs cost more than lumber
A slab is the whole width of the log in one piece. Nothing gets ripped into boards, the log has to be big to begin with, and wide slabs take years to air-dry and a lot of room while they do. Dimensional lumber from the same tree is a fraction of the price per board foot. If you don’t need the live edge or the one-piece width, buy lumber.
Questions we get
How much does a live-edge walnut slab cost?
Black walnut runs $22 per board foot at Pop’s Barn before the width multiplier. An 8-foot × 36″ × 2.5″ walnut slab is about 60 board feet, which works out to roughly $1,500. Narrower walnut bench and shelf slabs run a few hundred dollars.
How do you calculate board feet on a live-edge slab?
Multiply length × average width × thickness in inches and divide by 144. For width, measure in three or more places and average them, since live edges wander.
Why are wider slabs more expensive per board foot?
Big-diameter logs are rare, most sawmills can’t open them, and wide slabs are harder to move and dry without cracking. Slabs 30″ and up carry a multiplier from ×1.15 to ×1.5.
What’s the cheapest wood for a live-edge table?
Poplar, soft maple and red oak are the budget end. Eastern red cedar and black locust are also affordable and hold up well outdoors.
Is a kiln-dried slab worth paying more for?
If you want to build now, yes. An air-drying slab needs roughly a year per inch of thickness before it’s stable enough to work. If you can wait, buying green saves money.
Questions on a specific slab? Call 973-524-4282 or send a message.
What customers say
Came across Pops Barn on Marketplace and decided to stop by for some Hickory. Quite the place! Great selection of dimensional and live edge wood for all kinds of projects at very fair prices!
Pops is where I go to source material. I know everything will be high quality and priced fairly.