How many board feet are in a board measuring 1 inch x 6 inches x 8 feet?
a. 8 BF
b. 12 BF
c. 4 BF
Answer: C, 4 BF
Board footage is calculated by multiplying (Length (feet) x Width (inches) x Thickness (inches)) and dividing by 12.
In this case: (8 feet x 6 inches x 1 inch) /12 = 4
*Note: Width and Thickness are nominal, so in this case 6" width and 1" thickness. In the lumber industry, "nominal" and "finished" dimensions are different. Nominal dimensions are the original measurements of the board in its rough state. Finishing the board (making it smooth and/or adding a profile) removes small amounts of wood material therefore diminishing the nominal dimension. A nominal 1x6 board will have "finished" dimensions of 13/16" x 5 1/4" (or somewhere in this range, depending on the manufacturer and their equipment).
