Framing Material Prices

Last updated April 30, 2022
By Ian Story

Framing Material Prices

Data are based on online catalogs (last updated 4/29/22) and do not reflect trade discounts, shipping, fabrication, or differences in installation costs.

Sources:

• Steel: metalsdepot.com
• Wood: dunnlumber.com

Beams

Price = Cost per board foot (1 linear foot, 1 foot deep, 1 inch thick)

Unit strength = Fb (height being equal, twice the unit strength requires half the material)

Unit stiffness = E (height being equal, twice the unit stiffness results in half the deflection)

Material	Price	Unit Strength	Unit Stiffness ( x 106 in4)	Relative Cost (Strength)	Relative Cost (Stiffness)
Doug Fir	$3.83	1,000 psi	1.70	1.00	1.00
Flitch Beam, 3.5%	$8.25	1,562 psi	2.66	1.38	1.38
Flitch Beam, 5.4%	$10.64	1,867 psi	3.17	1.49	1.49
Flitch Beam, 7.1%	$12.79	2,140 psi	3.64	1.56	1.56
Flitch Beam, 8.9%	$15.06	2,429 psi	4.13	1.62	1.62
GLB	$6.98	2,400 psi	1.80	0.76	1.72
Flitch Beam, 14.3%	$21.87	3,297 psi	5.60	1.73	1.73
Flitch Beam, 21.4%	$30.83	4,437 psi	7.54	1.81	1.81
LVL	$15.94	2,750 psi	2.00	1.51	3.54
LSL	$13.18	2,325 psi	1.55	1.48	3.77
PSL	$15.52	2,500 psi	1.80	1.62	3.83

*Flitch plates consist of A36 steel plate and Doug Fir lumber. The percentage number is the ratio of steel by volume in the member. This combination of materials share load according to their relative stiffness ratio n (n = 29 x 10⁶ in⁴ / 1.7 x 10⁶ in⁴ = 17.06).