Types of forty boards and their number in a cube

Experienced craftsmen know that all lumber is measured in cubic meters.

The number of boards of various thicknesses and lengths per cubic meter varies greatly. What to do if you need a certain number of forty planks or you know the required amount only in square meters, how you can calculate the required volume of lumber - we will tell you in this article.

A 40 mm thick board, popularly called a forty, is a very popular lumber among builders. Mainly used for scaffolding and scaffolding, but also great for flooring. For these purposes, use a dry planed edged board.

The main difference between an edged board and an unedged board is the presence of an edge with bark at the latter. Edged lumber has clear edges and the same width along the entire length. Unedged board is most often used for the installation of wooden fences and barriers, roof lathing, construction of sheds and outbuildings.

The main material used for the fortieth is pine. Due to the fact that pine wood is quite strong and resilient, the boards can withstand a significant load. For the same purpose, spruce boards are used.

Larch is used less often, but because of the properties of wood, it is chosen when installing a floor in a bathhouse or other room with high humidity.

The thickness of the forty is always the same - 40 millimeters. The width of the board may vary. The standard width is considered to be boards with parameters 100 mm, 120 mm, 150 mm, 180 mm, 200 mm and 250 mm. The length is usually 4 or 6 meters.

To calculate the number of pieces per cubic meter, the following formula is used - 1 cubic meter is divided into width, length and height, the parameters of which are converted into meters. In this way, you can calculate both edged and unedged boards, for the latter, the width is taken from the middle of the board due to the difference in parameters.

For example, find out the number of cube of a six-meter board 40x100: to do this, divide 1 by 0.04, then divide the result by 0.1 and 6. The resulting number - 41.667, is rounded to the nearest whole, that is, to 41. The volume of a four-meter board is calculated in the same way.

For clarity, we present the data in tabular form. As you can see, you can find out the required amount of cubic meters, knowing, for example, the floor area. The length of the board is standard - four meters and six meters.

For forty, self-tapping screws will be optimal, the length of which is from 50 millimeters. The main trick used by experienced craftsmen is that for reliable fastening, the self-tapping screw must be screwed into the main surface by a third of the thickness of the board. Thus, we get a third of 40 millimeters approximately equal to 13 millimeters and, therefore, self-tapping screws with a length of 50-55 millimeters will be optimal for use.

For secret fastening, it must be borne in mind that the total thickness of the materials should be approximately 5-7 millimeters larger than the length of the self-tapping screw. Otherwise, a small tubercle will appear at the attachment point.

For to fasten the boards, you need self-tapping screws that are designed to work with wood. From universal and those used for working with metal, they are distinguished by a larger thread pitch and a sharp tip. Such products adhere better to wood and do not deform it so much when screwed in.

It is also necessary to consider where the finished product will be used in order to understand from which metal self-tapping screws are needed. With sufficient humidity, chrome-plated, oxidized or galvanized self-tapping screws are needed - they are resistant to corrosion and rust very slowly. For dry rooms, ordinary phosphated self-tapping screws are suitable.

The quality of the board depends on many parameters, but the main ones are the level of moisture, grade, condition and type of wood. Let's consider these factors in more detail.

• Humidity. Novice craftsmen and builders often forget about shrinkage and shrinkage when working with wood structures. Many beginners believe that they can safely work with a "winter" board, citing the fact that in winter the process of sap movement in the tree is slowed down, and the moisture content of the wood decreases. However, the moisture content of such sawn timber is higher than the 22% recommended by GOST, and during operation the material may deform. The safest thing to do is to buy a dry board. Drying takes place naturally or in special chambers. The dry board should be flat, without bends or twists.
• The condition of the wood. Often, not only a living tree, but also dead wood goes to the saw cut, and if the tree has died from pests, then such material must be purchased with caution. As a rule, such wood serves as a breeding ground for the barbel beetle or woodworm and is susceptible to dark rot. It is quite simple to find out which wood the material is from - a deadwood board is grayer in color and weighs noticeably lighter.
• Wood species. As we already wrote, boards are made from both coniferous and deciduous species. Conifers are the most accessible, while they are resistant to decay and have an antiseptic effect. Hardwoods are ideal for interior decoration.
• Grade. Coniferous sawn timber has 5 grades, deciduous - only 3. Grade affects the number of permissible defects, microcracks are especially dangerous. Deciduous material can be selected, where a small part of the flaws is allowed, which cannot be critical. The first grade differs in the requirements for coniferous and deciduous species. Brown or blue spots are normalized, cracks with allowable length may be available. In the second grade, minor flaws are permissible within the normal range. The third grade - small fungal inclusions and various spots are permissible for hardwoods, some of the defects exceed the norm. The fourth grade has a large number of defects, some of which are not standardized. The fifth grade is practically a low-quality product.

Knowing the dimensions of the board, it will not be difficult for you to calculate the cubic capacity of the required lumber, and the consumption of a high-quality board will be almost one hundred percent, especially if you buy the first grade and use self-tapping screws of the "correct" length.

Types of forty boards and their number in a cube in the video below.