Question about object HP

[frogglesmash]

The SRD provides stats for a variety of materials in the form of hardness and HP/inch of thickness, but it does not mention the surface area of the materials, so as far as I can tell a 5' by 5' by 1" section of steel has the same amount of hitpoints as a 1" by 1" by 1" cube of steel. Of course the rules could be saying that HP in the table are for a 1" cube of steel which would mean that a 5' by 5' by 1" of steel 144 times the HP presented in the table. Basically I just need someone to set me straight here.

[Troacctid]

I think it's assumed that busting a hole through the middle of the steel panel makes it functionally just as broken as ripping it to shreds.

Damaging the objects in sections solves this, if it's something you're worried about.

[frogglesmash]

I think it's assumed that busting a hole through the middle of the steel panel makes it functionally just as broken as ripping it to shreds.

Damaging the objects in sections solves this, if it's something you're worried about.

My issue is that as far as I can tell they never specify how large a "section" is, and as such extrapolating HP for objects of different size is all the more difficult.