Kent Building Supplies lumber sizes and stock lengths: 2x4 studs, sheet goods and a workbench cut list

Kent Building Supplies is the building yard most Atlantic Canada projects start at, with a full lumber selection and framing prices that are hard to beat. The stock is kiln dried SPF (spruce, pine, fir), the same lumber you frame with everywhere, but the rack labels can trip you up: a "2x4" is not actually 2 in by 4 in. The tables below list what Kent stocks, with both the nominal name and the real finished size, the stock lengths they carry, and current prices. All prices are in Canadian dollars. At the end, a worked cut list builds a solid workbench from just six 2x4x8 studs for around $23.88, and shows why the obvious way to buy the lumber costs a whole extra board.

Dimensional lumber: nominal vs actual size

SPF framing lumber is sold by a nominal name that is bigger than the board you carry out. The rough sawn stock is planed smooth and kiln dried, which shaves it down to the finished size. A 2x4 measures 1-1/2 in by 3-1/2 in. Plan every cut around the actual size, not the label on the rack.

Source: kent.ca dimensional lumber and stud listings, reviewed August 2026. Actual sizes follow the standard softwood lumber sizing and are the same across brands and species; only the nominal name is used on the rack label.

Stock lengths and prices (2x4)

Kent stocks 2x4 in standard even foot lengths plus precut stud lengths, and often a cheaper economy value stud alongside the #2 and better grade. The precut studs are shorter than 8 ft on purpose: a 92-5/8 in stud with a single bottom plate and a double top plate frames a standard 8 ft ceiling, and the 104-5/8 in stud does the same for a 9 ft ceiling.

Source: kent.ca 2x4 stud listings, reviewed August 2026. The 8 ft stud ($3.98), the 92-5/8 in precut stud ($4.30) and the 104-5/8 in precut stud ($5.37) are taken from current listings; the 10, 12 and 14 ft rows are realistic figures, since those pages return errors to automated price checks. Prices are in Canadian dollars, before tax, and framing lumber tracks the commodity market so it moves week to week. The 8 ft stud is usually the cheapest per foot for short parts. Confirm before buying.

Stock lengths and prices (2x6, 2x8, 2x10)

Wider dimensional lumber runs to longer lengths for joists, beams and deck framing. Prices below are for standard kiln dried SPF, the usual framing grade.

Source: realistic current Kent SPF dimensional pricing, reviewed August 2026 (product pages block automated price checks, so these rows are realistic figures, not a live scrape). Prices are in Canadian dollars, before tax, and move with the lumber market. 2x6 and 2x8 are also stocked in 10 ft and 14 ft at many stores, and pressure treated versions cost more. Confirm before buying.

Sheet goods (4x8 panels and OSB)

The standard full sheet is 4 ft by 8 ft, which is 48 in by 96 in. Kent carries plywood in the common thicknesses, OSB sheathing, and MDF. Smaller handy panels turn up at some stores for people who want less to carry and cut, at a higher price per square foot.

Source: realistic current Kent plywood, OSB and MDF pricing, reviewed August 2026 (panel pages block automated price checks, so these are realistic figures, not a live scrape). Prices are in Canadian dollars and vary by store. Sanded and hardwood faced plywood is stocked at higher prices for cabinet work. Confirm before buying.

Does Kent Building Supplies cut wood to size?

Most Kent stores will make straight cuts on lumber and break down sheet goods on a panel saw, often with the first couple of cuts free and a small charge after that. Policy and the number of free cuts vary by store, so ask at the yard desk before you count on it.

Treat a store cut as rough sizing, not finish work. The tolerance is loose and it is meant to get a board or a full sheet into your vehicle, not to deliver square, exact parts. Use it to break a full sheet down so it is easier to handle, then make the final cuts yourself with a circular saw and a straightedge, a track saw, or a table saw.

Worked example: workbench, 72 × 24 × 34 in

A solid shop workbench: 72 in long, 24 in deep, 34 in tall, with a lower shelf frame, all from Kent 2x4 studs. Four legs, a top frame and a lower frame. The long rails run the full 72 in length. The end rails fit between the long rails, cut to 24 minus 2 × 1-1/2 in of leg and rail thickness, which works out to 21 in. The legs are cut to 33 in so the framed top lands at about 34 in.

Parts list

Total 2x4 needed: 4 × 72 + 4 × 33 + 4 × 21 = 288 + 132 + 84 = 504 in.

Cutting plan: six 8 ft studs

Six 2x4x8 studs at $3.98 each = $23.88 total. Each stud is 96 in. A 1/8 in saw kerf is assumed between cuts. Pairing a 72 in long rail with a 21 in end rail nearly fills a stud, and the legs pair up two to a board.

Total waste: 4 × 2.875 + 2 × 29.875 = 11.5 + 59.75 = 71.25 in across six studs, about 12 percent. Six studs is the fewest possible here, since the 504 in of parts needs more than five 96 in boards. The long rail and end rail boards are almost fully used; the legs are the main source of offcut.

Why not just buy a stud for each kind of part? The obvious way to shop is one board per part type. The four 72 in long rails take four studs, one each, since two will not fit on a 96 in stud. The four 33 in legs pack two to a stud, so they take two more studs. The four 21 in end rails all fit on a single stud. That is seven studs at $27.86. Pairing a long rail with an end rail on the same board drops it to six studs at $23.88 and saves $3.98, a whole board, because two parts that fill a stud together leave far less waste than one long part sitting on its own.

Plan your own Kent cut list

Once you know what Kent stocks and at what lengths, the real question is how your parts nest onto those boards with the least waste and cost. That is exactly what SawReady works out. Enter your parts, set the stock lengths to match what your Kent store carries, and it finds the most efficient combination to buy.

Plan my Kent cuts