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Aplank istimber that is flat, elongated, and rectangular with parallel faces that are higher and longer than wide.[1] Used primarily incarpentry, planks are critical in the construction ofships,houses,bridges, and many other structures.[2] Planks also serve as supports to formshelves andtables.
Usually made from timber, sawed so that thegrain runs along the length, planks are usually more than1+1⁄2 in (38 mm) thick, and are generally wider than2+1⁄2 in (64 mm). In the United States, planks can be any length and are generally a minimum of 2×8 (1+1⁄2 in × 7+1⁄4 in or 38 mm × 184 mm), but planks that are 2×10 (1+1⁄2 in × 9+1⁄4 in or 38 mm × 235 mm) and 2×12 (1+1⁄2 in × 11+1⁄4 in or 38 mm × 286 mm) are more commonly stocked by lumber retailers. Planks are often used as a work surface on elevatedscaffolding, and need to be thick enough to provide strength without breaking when walked on. The wood is categorized as aboard if its width is less than2+1⁄2 in (64 mm), and its thickness is less than1+1⁄2 in (38 mm).
A plank used in a building as a horizontal supporting member that runs between foundations, walls, or beams to support a ceiling or floor is called ajoist.
The plank was the basis ofmaritime transport: wood (except some densehardwoods) floats onwater, and abundant forests meant wooden logs could be easily obtained and processed, making planks the primary material inship building. However, since the 20th century, wood has largely been supplanted in ship construction byiron andsteel, to decrease cost and improve durability.[3]
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