fshenkin94
Member
When someone says that wood is 8/4 or 12/4 think what exactly does that mean?
wood measuring question
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THarvey
Member
That is the standard cut, pre-planed measure.
8/4 = 2 inches
12/4 = 3 inches
A board foot is 4/4 stock measuring 12" wide and 12" long.
8/4 lumber that is S2S (surface finished 2 sides) is just under 2 inches thick.
Here is an article I have used to help explain it:
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Lumber_measurement.html
8/4 = 2 inches
12/4 = 3 inches
A board foot is 4/4 stock measuring 12" wide and 12" long.
8/4 lumber that is S2S (surface finished 2 sides) is just under 2 inches thick.
Here is an article I have used to help explain it:
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Lumber_measurement.html
GaryMGg
Member
I'm nitpicking:
When buying hardwood from a sawyer, lumber yard, or hardwood retailer thickness is typically measured in N/4. Surfaced lumber is often listed in 16ths, e.g.: 13/16.
When I buy from most of my sawyers, 4/4 is nearly 1-3/64" as they cut thick to allow that the dry board will be as close to 1" as they can figure. That requires them to have experience knowing how much the lumber typically shrinks.
So, an 8/4 X 12" X 12" piece of hardwood is 2 BF; a 4/4 X 12" X 24" piece of hardwood is 2 BF; an 8/4 X 6" X 24" piece of stock is 2 BF.
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It is commonly understood that when we use an N/4 measure, we're talking thickness of rough stock. It's not used for width or length.
When buying hardwood from a sawyer, lumber yard, or hardwood retailer thickness is typically measured in N/4. Surfaced lumber is often listed in 16ths, e.g.: 13/16.
When I buy from most of my sawyers, 4/4 is nearly 1-3/64" as they cut thick to allow that the dry board will be as close to 1" as they can figure. That requires them to have experience knowing how much the lumber typically shrinks.
The above is AN example of a board foot. A board foot (BF) is 144 square inches. That is: L" (length) X W" (width) X T" (thickness) / 144 will tell you how many board feet in a piece of stock/timber.
So, an 8/4 X 12" X 12" piece of hardwood is 2 BF; a 4/4 X 12" X 24" piece of hardwood is 2 BF; an 8/4 X 6" X 24" piece of stock is 2 BF.
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tipusnr
Member
I'll take your word that a board foot is 144 square inches, however, length X width X thickness yields cubic inches. So something is amiss.
THarvey
Member
You are correct. It should be cubic inches. A board foot is 144 cubic inches.
I guess even a nitpicker can get picked. [
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leehljp
Member Liaison
Actually what you missed is that a "4/4 board foot" IS 1 inch thick. Then multiply that times 12 X 12. He stated it correctly.
"4/4" is a wood term for 1 inch thick.
The "vernacular" is often overlooked because of that which is already "understood" in real woodworking circles. Yes, "Square inches" are quoted when explaining " a board foot" but the understood aspect is that "well every one knows that it has depth.
This "aspect" so to speak is equivalent to the assumption that if you are going to drive a car, - well of course you have to have access to a car if you are going to drive one.
He was correct in the vernacular.
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