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Buying Tips And Terms

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Lumber Buying Tips and Terms

Linear Footage
In the lumber industry, a linear foot (also called a lineal foot) is one foot along the length of a piece... any thickness or width. It may be abbreviated LF, lf or lin. ft. Carter Lumber sells pine board and moulding by the linear foot for DIY and Pro builders.

Board Footage
Board footage is the basic unit of measure for lumber. Like cubic footage, board footage is a volume measurement that takes into account all the dimensions: length, width and thickness. A board foot is one foot long and one foot wide, but only one inch thick. Carter Lumber sells lumber by the piece.

Lumber Grade
A higher grade of a given species has a higher strength rating (Fb) and often has a higher stiffness value (E) too.

Species Of Wood
All species are not created equal. Some species of wood are much stronger and stiffer than other species of wood.

What Exactly Are Building Codes?
Building codes are safety regulations pertaining to how a building (commercial or residential) must be built. They are intended to protect both builders and home buyers from building an unsafe structure. They deal with everything from nail spacing to wheelchair accessibility. Many restrictions, regulations and inspections are regionally required due to soil conditions, weather conditions, etc.

A quick lesson on how dimensions are written:

Lumber is written thickness in inches first, then width in inches, then length in feet: A two-by-four 8 feet long is written 2 x 4 - 8.
Panel products are written width first (feet), then length (feet), then thickness (inches); for example, 4 x 8 - 1/2.
Doors and windows are always specified width first, then height and then the jamb width (which matches the depth of the wall) in inches: 4-0 x 4-0 - 5-1/4.
The width and height are typically in inches and feet, but windows may be written in inches only. When you have feet-and-inches dimensions, they may be separated with a dash or a slash. A three-foot-wide door may be written 3-0 or 3/0.