Profile board
A profile board is a horizontal board on stakes positioned outside a building footprint, used to run string lines for footing widths, wall lines, and excavation depth dur
Ask Chalkline about this →A profile board (also called a batter board) is a horizontal timber board nailed between two stakes and positioned outside the building footprint during set-out. String lines stretched between profile boards re-establish wall lines, footing centrelines, and footing widths at any point during construction, even after the ground has been excavated.
The surveyor sets the profile board height and aligns the board with the building lines established during set-out. Footing widths are marked on the top edge of the board so the builder can quickly position the correct footing trench width. The boards must be set in stable ground outside the zone of excavation disturbance and at an elevation that remains useful for string-line control throughout the footing and slab stage.
Also known as: batter board (used interchangeably in some Australian states and in US construction practice).
Category: Surveying and set-out.
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Last updated: 2026-05-10. Verified: 2026-05-10. Quarterly review for currency.