If you know the material’s width in inches and its linear length in feet, you may get the material’s square footage by first converting the width to a fraction of a foot and then multiplying width by length. For instance, the formula W (.5 ft) x L (6 ft) = 3 sq ft can be used to calculate the square footage of a board that is 6 inches wide and 6 feet long.
Since square footage is calculated using square feet rather than linear feet, the breadth is a crucial piece of information. The width must be factored in since the timber business normally sells boards by linear feet without accounting for it. The important thing is to utilise consistent units throughout the calculation.
This can be challenging with lumber because the breadth is not always precise. Because a standard 24 really measures 1 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and not 2 inches by 4 inches, you must convert the 3 1/2-inch width into a percentage of 1 foot in order to calculate square feet (in this case, divide 3.5 by 12 for a result of .29 feet). Given the modest variances in timber sizes, rounding up is a good idea.
To calculate square footage, you can also make the calculations in inches and then divide the result by 144 (12 by 12). Use the 3.5 inches for the 24 example, then change the linear feet to inches. To calculate the total square footage, multiply width by length and divide the result by 144. This method might be helpful when estimating the amount of lumber needed for a wall or floor after surveying a space.
