This is just me griping but it may help others. Went into my (used to be) favorite lumber establishment to pick up some 8/4 ( 2") white pine. Price $4.70 a Board foot. ( A board foot is 1" thick 12"x12") So I pick up 2 2x4s ; actual 2x4 dimensions. They were each a little over 7' long. I did the rough math in my head and roughly came up with a little over 9 BF. The guy hits it with the "tally stick" and comes up with 12 BF. I questioned him on it and he stated" If we went with" actual " measurements , that is what we would come up with. I went out to the truck and got my calculator and did the math. 2" x 4" x 7' 6"and came up with 10 BdFt. He got a little irked and said we use the "tally stick" . Said "we are talking rough cut lumber". The only problem with this is that dimensional lumber is counted in the rough too. A 2x4 is actually 1 1/2 " x 3 1/2" after it is dressed. Something doesn't add up. So what it all comes down to is that posted price of $4.70 a BdFt actually comes out to $5.65 a BdFt. I've been a carpenter for over 20 years and a tape measure doesn't lie.
