batter board

batter board

[′bad·ər ‚bȯrd]

(civil engineering)

Horizontal boards nailed to corner posts located just outside the corners of a proposed building to assist in the accurate layout of foundation and excavation lines.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

batter board

batter boards

1. One of a pair of horizontal boards which are nailed (at right angles to each other) to three posts set beyond the corners of a building excavation; used to indicate a desired location; strings, fastened to these boards, are used to indicate the exact corner of a building.

2. One of the boards set across a pipe trench to carry a cord or wire grade line.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.