BUYER TIPS There are two common ways to count the amount of footage in a load of lumber: Net Tally and Gross Tally. Gross Tally is calculated when the lumber is green, before it is dried in the kiln. (Green lumber is always figured on Gross Tally.) Net Tally is based on the lumber after it is dried. Wood swells when wet, so Gross pricing is lower than Net Tally by about 7%. This wet lumber pricing adds a fudge factor that leaves you subject to the calculations of your supplier. when determining Gross price to your actual footage, some suppliers minus 7%, some divide by 93% and some even divide by 92%. Buying your dried lumber on a Gross scale is like buying a can of peas and paying extra for the water. Net Tally is based on the footage after the lumber is dried, so your price is much closer to the actual footage on the load. When buying Kiln Dried lumber, use Net Tally for a realistic cost. |
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