Part of Lesson Plan: Calculating Board Feet

Activity Overview / Details

Now that the students have three dimensions for all of the lumber samples, write the board foot equation on the board.

Wood is sold by the board foot at the unfinished stage in production. Most of the lumber we buy at the lumber yard is finished and therefore is sold by its nominal measurement ie, 2x4, and its linear dimension, commonly 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 foot sections. Unfinished lumber is sold by volume, called a BOARD FOOT. One board foot is equal to one cubic foot. To find the volume of anything we need to know three of its dimensions. We have just measured the samples around the room and now have Thickness, Length, and Width of all the samples. One Board Foot is the board that is 1" thick x 12" wide x 12" long divided by 144. To get from cubic inches which is what T" x W" x L" will give us, we divide by 144 and the finished units will be in board feet.