BUYING BY THE BOARD FOOT

 

 

Buying By The Board Foot

Until the late 1800's, lumber was sold by the pound. Under that system, dry boards were less expensive than green wood. So obviously something had to be done. The system of measurement that evolved centers around the board foot, a measurement that covers all the dimensional variables of cabinet-grade lumber, thickness, width, and length. Today when you purchase this type of lumber, you buy it by the board foot. To help you estimate your lumber needs, we have provided you with the formula to figure board footage below:

A board foot simply is equal to 144 cubic inches of wood. Think of it as a piece 1 inch thick and 12 inches square. Board footage is always calculated in quarters of an inch thickness (starting at no less than 1 inch). A 5/4 board 6 inches wide and 72 inches long would be figured like this: 1.25 (thickness) x6 (width) x72 (length) = 540. Divide 540 by 144 to determine the number of board feet in the stock. If the board length is stated in feet rather than inches, use the same method but divide your total by 12 instead of 144.

 

 

Northern Michigan Hardwoods, Inc.