Logging Cost Calculator
Calculate logging cost per thousand board feet (MBF) from equipment, labor, fuel costs, and production rate.
About this calculator
Cost Per MBF comes from a single ratio: every hourly cost (equipment, labor, and fuel) added together, divided by how many thousand board feet the crew produces in that same hour. That structure makes Production Rate the most powerful lever on this calculator -- because it sits in the denominator, a given percentage change in production rate moves cost per MBF by a larger amount than the same percentage change in any single cost input, since slower production spreads the same fixed hourly costs over less output. Equipment Cost, Labor Cost, and Fuel Cost all move Cost Per MBF in the same direction (higher cost per hour always raises cost per MBF) but each on its own has a smaller effect than production rate does, because each is only one piece of the total hourly cost being divided.
Daily and Monthly Operating Cost simply scale the hourly total by a fixed number of hours and working days, so they track total hourly cost directly rather than the per-unit efficiency question that Cost Per MBF answers. Break-Even Stumpage mirrors Cost Per MBF exactly, since it represents the minimum price per MBF a logger needs to receive just to cover operating costs -- any stumpage offer below that number means a loss before profit is even considered. This calculator does not include hauling, permitting, or land access costs beyond the four hourly inputs provided.
Inputs
Results
Cost Per MBF
$176.67
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your Equipment Cost per hour, Labor Cost per hour, and Fuel Cost per hour.
- Enter your production rate in MBF per hour to reflect actual machine productivity.
- Review Cost Per MBF to compare against stumpage prices and assess profitability.
- Check Daily Production and Daily Operating Cost to plan logging schedules and cash flow.
- Use Break-Even Stumpage to set your minimum acceptable stumpage offer.
How the result changes with Production Rate
| Production Rate | Cost Per MBF |
|---|---|
| 0.75 | $353.33 |
| 1.13 | $234.51 |
| 2.25 | $117.78 |
| 3.75 | $70.67 |
What each input means
- Equipment Cost
- Hourly cost of logging equipment including depreciation, maintenance, and insurance.
- Production Rate
- Timber production rate in thousand board feet per hour. Varies with terrain and tree size.
- Labor Cost
- Total hourly labor cost for all crew members including benefits.
- Fuel Cost
- Hourly fuel consumption cost for all equipment combined.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersEquipment Cost = 150, Production Rate = 1.5, Labor Cost = 75, Fuel Cost = 40 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Cost Per MBF176.67 = $176.67
- Calculate Total Hourly CostTotal Hourly Cost265 = $265
- Calculate Equipment Cost/MBFEquipment Cost/MBF100 = $100
Engine last updated . Checked against 1 independently-derived test — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Production Rate move Cost Per MBF more than the cost inputs do?
Cost Per MBF is total hourly cost divided by production rate, so production rate sits in the denominator rather than being added like equipment, labor, and fuel costs are. A given percentage change in production rate reshapes that ratio more than the same percentage change in any single cost input, because slower production spreads the same fixed hourly costs across less board footage.
If I raise my equipment cost per hour, does Cost Per MBF always go up?
Yes -- Equipment Cost, Labor Cost, and Fuel Cost are all added together to form total hourly operating cost, so raising any one of them by itself always increases Cost Per MBF, holding production rate constant. None of these three cost inputs can offset or cancel out another's effect on the final ratio.
What is Break-Even Stumpage actually telling me?
Break-Even Stumpage equals Cost Per MBF -- it is the minimum price per thousand board feet you would need to receive from a timber sale just to cover your equipment, labor, and fuel costs, with zero profit margin. Any stumpage price offered below that number means the harvest operation loses money before overhead or profit are even factored in.
Does Monthly Operating Cost account for changes in production rate?
No -- Monthly Operating Cost is total hourly cost (equipment plus labor plus fuel) multiplied by 8 hours per day and 22 working days per month, so it reflects total spend regardless of how much timber that spend produces. Production rate only affects Cost Per MBF and Break-Even Stumpage, which measure cost per unit of output rather than total cost.
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