How Do I Determine How Much Lumber I Need?
One of the most common problems homeowners face when planning their home is finding out how much lumber they need to cover a particular wall. Lumber prices are quoted by the linear (running) foot, but most people only know how many square feet they have. If you already know how many square feet you have to cover, you can easily convert that amount to linear feet.
Converting Square Feet to Linear Feet:
1. Start with the amount of square feet you have to cover and multiply it by 12.
2. Next, divide that figure by the actual face width of the board you plan to use. This will give you the linear footage. Note: the actual dimensions of the board will almost always be slightly smaller than the nominal dimensions. We note this width in the details of each product as the “Stack Height” or “Coverage” specification.
Example:
You have 1,000 square feet of wall space that you would like to cover with a 1×8 Tongue and Groove board. The 1×8 in this case has an actual face width of 7”. Convert your square feet amount to linear feet.
1. 1,000 square feet X 12 = 12,000
2. 12,000 ÷ 7 = 1,714 linear feet