Wood Technology & Processes

Figuring Lineal Feet

Woodworkers often measure materials by the lineal foot (lf or l.f.). A lineal foot is a straight line measurement one foot long. Unlike a board foot, it does not take into account the width or thickness of a material. Lineal foot measurements are most often used in estimating quantities of materials. For example, a cabinetmaker might wish to determine how many lineal feet of ¾" thick stock will be required to edge the shelves in a book case. The resulting measurement can then be used in several ways. It might become part of the cutting list of the project. It might also appear on the cost estimate. Lineal foot measurements are often approximations that are rounded up to the nearest whole number.

Practice Exercise

1.		Determine how much veneer edging tape will be needed to cover the edges of a plywood bookcase that is 7' tall and 4' wide.
			A)	16 lf
			B)	23 lf
			C)	22 lf
			D)	7 lf
2.		Calculate the lineal feet of baseboard required for a room that is 18' long and 14' wide. The room has one door opening that is 3' wide. Need a Hint?
			A)	64 lf
			B)	36 lf
			C)	61 lf
			D)	32 lf
3.		You have been asked to build five bookcases. Each bookcase must contain six adjustable shelves that are exactly 2' long. How many lineal feet of shelving stock will be required?
			A)	60 lf
			B)	12 lf
			C)	10 lf
			D)	5 lf
4.		You have been hired to build new cabinet doors for a kitchen. Each door requires 76" of decorative molding. Nine doors are required. How many lineal feet of molding will be required for this project? Need a Hint?
			A)	31 lf
			B)	684 lf
			C)	55 lf
			D)	57 lf
5.		Determine the exact lineal footage of shelf edge stock needed for a bookcase with three shelves. Each shelf is 18" long. The stock will be applied to the front edge of each shelf.
			A)	7 lf
			B)	4.5 lf
			C)	54 lf
			D)	6.5 lf