Scantling

Scantling is a measurement of prescribed size, dimensions, or cross sectional areas.

When used in regard to timber, the scantling is (also "the scantlings are") the thickness and breadth, the sectional dimensions; in the case of stone it refers to the dimensions of thickness, breadth and length.

The word is a variation of ''scantillon'', a carpenter's or stonemason's measuring tool, also used of the measurements taken by it, and of a piece of timber of small size cut as a sample. Sometimes synonymous with story pole. The Old French ''escantillon'', mod. '''', is usually taken to be related to Italian ''scandaglio'', sounding-line (Latin ''scandere'', to climb; cf. ''scansio'', the metrical scansion). It was probably influenced by cantel, cantle, a small piece, a corner piece. Provided by Wikipedia