The board foot is a unit of volume derived from the imperial system of units with the symbol FBM.
1 board foot is equal to the volume of an object one foot in length, one foot wide and one inch thick. It is therefore equal to 1/12 ft³.
The board foot is the unit used to measure rough or planed lumber. For example 2 x 4 timber when planed actually only measures 1.5 in x 3.5 in. This takes into account the wastage when planing. The board feet measurement in this case would represent the wholesale amount. Where the loss in board feet (and planing) only applies to width and thickness, the actual length is used - as there is no loss when cutting lengths.
The stere is a unit of volume and is a non-SI unit but accepted for use as a metric unit with the symbol st.
1 stere is equal to 1 cubic metre (1 m³) which is equivalent to the volume contained in a cube with edges all at 1 m. The stere is used to measure large quantities of cut wood or firewood. It is used to distinguish between cut and uncut wood - its equivalent, the cubic meter is used to measure uncut wood.
The word 'stere' hails from the Greek 'στερεός' or 'stereos' which translates to 'solid'. It represents the wood used to produce the cut wood - and therefore often the dimensions of the cut wood is less than its uncut equivalent.