Footage (Lumber)
Footage in the lumber industry refers to the total volume of lumber measured in board feet. When someone asks about the footage of a shipment, pile, or order, they want to know the total board feet. The term is used informally as shorthand for board footage in daily trade conversations and documentation.
In-Depth Explanation
Footage is the everyday shorthand that lumber professionals use when discussing quantities of wood measured in board feet. A lumber salesperson might say they have 5,000 footage of 4/4 cherry in stock, meaning 5,000 board feet. The term appears on invoices, inventory reports, and in casual conversation throughout the hardwood lumber trade. While board foot and FBM are the formal terms, footage is the conversational equivalent. It should not be confused with lineal footage, which measures length only, or square footage, which measures area. In context, lumber industry professionals always understand footage to mean board footage unless otherwise specified. The plural and singular forms are used interchangeably — one might say both the footage is or the footage are when referring to a collection of boards. Related terms include net footage (after grade deductions), gross footage (before deductions), and available footage (inventory currently in stock and ready to ship).
Usage Example
The sales rep confirmed they had enough footage in stock to fill the 3,000 board foot order of 8/4 hard maple without back-ordering.