Definition
Dressed lumber
Lumber that has been planed and squared on all four faces, usually sold as S4S. Dressing removes material, so a dressed board is smaller than its nominal size and its faces are flat and parallel.
Rough sawn lumber is larger for the same nominal size and cheaper, but it has to be jointed and planed before use, which removes material anyway and needs machinery.
Tools that use this term
Lumber Calculator
Work out board feet, cubic volume and linear length for sawn lumber in inches, feet, centimetres or metres.
Board Feet Calculator
Board feet from nominal dimensions, with a running total, and the dressed size the board actually measures.
Plywood Calculator
How many sheets of plywood or sheet goods you need for an area, with sheet size and waste allowance.