A board foot is equal to a piece of wood 12 inches long x 12 inches wide and 1 inch thick, or 144 cubic inches. Board Foot Sizingīoard Foot: Rough sawn lumber is usually sold by the 'board foot' (bd. So, a '4/4' board is four quarters, or 1 inch thick, an '8/4' board is eight quarters, or 2 inches thick, a '10/4' board is ten quarters, or 2.5 inches thick, etc. The second number (4) means 'quarters of an inch', or 'quarters'. To figure the thickness of a board referenced in 'quarters' sizes, simply divide the second number (4) into the first number. Lumber sized according to 'Quarters' reflects the number of quarters of an inch thick the lumber is. Rough sawn lumber comes in 'true' thicknesses as reflected by the 'quarters' size. Generally, a woodworker will plane the boards to the desired thickness and most likely rip the boards and glue them up into joined panels to get the desired width. The 'Quarters' method refers only to the thickness of the wood as widths and lengths vary depending on the log the wood is cut from. In the case of rough sawn lumber, the 'Quarters' sizing method is usually used by mills that sell rough lumber for woodworking purposes. Use the calculator below to convert the square footage of your project into linear feet: Your Square Footage Linear Footage for 圆 Standard or Pregrooved Boards Linear Footage for x4 Standard or Pregrooved Boards Linear Footage for 圆 T&G Boards Linear Footage for x4 T&G Boards “Quarters” Sizing It is also much easier to refer to a board as a “2x4”, rather than a “1.5 x 3.5”.īelow you can see the most common decking and siding sizes we offer: Nominal Sizeĭecking and siding is sold in linear feet. The lumber is then sold as a “2x4” because the cost of the drying and machining are figured in. When the board is first rough sawn from the log, it is a true 2x4, but the drying process and planning of the board reduce it to the finished 1.5″ x 3.5″ size. The true measurement of a 2x4 is actually about 1.5″ x 3.5″. In reality, these measurements are not a true measurement of the lumber thickness or width. This measurement refers to the thickness and width of the lumber, with the length varying. We recognize such “sizes” as 2x4, 2圆, 4x4, 1x2, etc. It is used in almost all 'Do-It-Yourself' type stores that sell lumber, or any place selling lumber for construction purposes. This measuring method is probably the most recognized by the average person. Here we will define each to help you better understand the sizing methods used when referring to lumber 'size'. Lumber is generally sized according to thickness, as in the case of rough sawn lumber, or in specific widths, thicknesses and/or lengths as in the case of dimensional lumber.

1x6 actual size