Standing Tree Volume Calculator
Estimate the board foot volume of a standing tree.
Estimating the amount of usable lumber in a standing tree is a fundamental skill in forestry and for anyone with a woodlot. This calculator uses established log scaling rules—Doyle, Scribner, and International 1/4"—to provide an estimate of the board foot volume you can expect to yield from a tree based on its diameter and usable height.
This information is invaluable for assessing the value of timber, planning a logging operation, or simply determining if a particular tree is worth the effort of milling. Each log rule has its own history and mathematical basis, often favoring either the buyer or the seller, which is why it's important to know which rule is being used in a transaction.
Log scaling rules are formulas or tables used to estimate the board foot volume of logs.
- Measure DBH: Measure the tree's Diameter at Breast Height (4.5 feet from the ground) in inches.
- Estimate Usable Height: Estimate the height of the main, straight trunk of the tree up to the point where it begins to branch heavily. This is typically measured in 16-foot log sections.
- Select a Log Rule: Choose the log scaling rule you wish to use.
- Doyle: Simple to use, but tends to underestimate small logs and overestimate large ones.
- Scribner: More accurate than Doyle, based on diagrams of how boards can be cut from different diameter logs.
- International 1/4" Rule: The most accurate and consistent rule, as it's based on a mathematical formula that accounts for taper and a 1/4" saw kerf.
- Calculate: The calculator applies the selected formula to your inputs to provide an estimated board foot yield.
- Board Foot (BF): A unit of lumber volume equal to 144 cubic inches (12" x 12" x 1").
- DBH (Diameter at Breast Height): The standard measurement of a tree's diameter, taken at 4.5 feet (1.4m) above the ground.
- Log Scaling: The process of measuring and estimating the volume of lumber in a log or standing tree.
- Log Rule: A formula or table used to perform log scaling.
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Always double-check your measurements before cutting.
Account for the kerf (the width of the saw blade) in your calculations.
Consider wood movement (expansion and contraction) in your final dimensions.
Buy 10-15% extra material to account for mistakes and waste.