Sawmill Recovery Calculator
Lumber recovery rate and log-rule overrun — benchmarked against FAO and EU data.
Enter the roundwood volume that went into the mill and the sawn lumber volume that came out to get the recovery rate, benchmarked against FAO, EU and SE-Asia reference ranges. Optionally add the log-rule board feet and the actual sawn board feet to compute Doyle/Scribner overrun or underrun.
FAQ
What is a good lumber recovery rate?
It depends on the region and the log quality: EU hardwood mills average around 38%, softwood mills 48%, and FAO's global survey reports 42–60% with a 50.8% mean. Tropical plantation mills in SE Asia reach about 52% with band saws but only 39% with chain saws.
What is log-rule overrun?
Log rules estimate the board feet a log should yield. Overrun is the percentage by which actual production exceeds the rule: (actual − rule) ÷ rule × 100. The Doyle rule underestimates small logs, so mills buying on Doyle often saw 10–30% overrun; large logs can show underrun. International 1/4" is the most accurate rule.
How can I improve recovery at a small sawmill?
Band saws waste less kerf than chain or circle saws (the SE-Asia data shows 52% vs 39%), sharp thin-kerf blades, careful log positioning and edging, and selling shorter lengths all lift recovery. Tracking recovery per log batch against the benchmarks above is the first step.