2x4 actual size

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, 2x4 actual size, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years. Dimensional lumber is the structural element responsible for nearly 2x4 actual size type of residential home being built today. There are two types of sizes for dimensional lumber: nominal and actual. A board measured before it has been dried and planed on all four sides has a nominal size.

The most well-known piece of lumber is the 2x4, pronounced two-by-four. Many of you know this, but why is this a thing? But there is a reason. Put simply, the discrepancy in sizing comes from the need for the lumber industry to stay competitive with other market alternatives during times of scarcity. Before mass production of lumber and wood started around , trees were cut and made to order for carpenters.

2x4 actual size

Chris Baylor is a woodworking expert and writer with over a decade of hands-on commercial carpentry experience. He has studied under master carpenters and also designs wooden tools and furniture, sharing tutorials on websites including Woodworkers Workshop and Homemade Tools. Many beginning woodworkers and DIYers are understandably confused by the way lumber products are sized. It can lead to considerable confusion if you are expecting a 2 x 4 stud to actually measure 2 inches by 4 inches, or if you expect your 1 x 6 board to actually have those measurements. You've just run into the reality of actual lumber sizes as compared to the nominal sizes—the sizes by which they are identified in the store. The measurements by which lumber is sold is virtually never the same as the actual dimensions of the boards when you measure them. So what exactly is going on here? Believe it or not, there actually is some rhyme and reason for why the actual measurements of dimensional lumber don't match their names. Lumber manufacturers typically cut a tree into the various standard types of dimensional lumber very shortly after the tree is felled. At this point, the 2 x 4 is actually 2 inches x 4 inches, a 2 x 10 is actually 2 inches x 10 inches, etc. But then the newly-sawn but soaking wet lumber is then kiln-dried until it reaches the desired moisture level.

A typical dimensional lumber designation might read as such: "2 in. Surfaced refers to a finishing process that smooths the lumber to remove all saw marks.

Dimensional lumber is cut to a specific length, width, and depth. However, there is a difference between the nominal size what the lumber is referred to and the actual size. The tables below provide both the nominal and actual lumber dimensions for many common North American lumber sizes. Softwood lumber is generally used for framing walls and floors. Softwood lumber comes in a number of standard lengths as listed in the table below. According to NIST Publication P20 , actual lengths must be at least equal to the nominal length, but can be up to 3" longer than the nominal length. Hardwood lumber is sized based on how many sides are surfaced.

Or have they intentionally sold a smaller board? It is neither the lumber manufacturers nor the hardware store that came up with lumber that has an actual size smaller than its nominal size. Quite simply, the resulting true dimension is a result of milling and planing. In planing, we flatten, reduce the thickness of, and impart a smooth surface to a rough piece of lumber or timber. These give wood a smooth finish and have it conform to the standard size. Lumber mills also round rough edges to reduce injury. This is true for the dimensions of other boards, whether or not they come from pine or cedar. Moreover, planed surfaces make for stronger, neater joints. Plus, you save on the time and effort of doing the planing yourself.

2x4 actual size

Before industrialized wood production, which began around , trees were felled, skidded, sized, and made to order for carpenters. Sizing tolerances varied, thus leaving final measurements to site construction. Trees were grown and used locally. North American forests seemed an unlimited resource for almost everything. As trees were harvested, however, human ecology transformed forestland into farmland with landscapes deforested for many generations to come. Available forestland, therefore, moved toward the hinterlands as nearby areas were cut over. Supply and demand concentrated around the major port cities of New York, Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia. Prime forestland—determined by tree size, species type originally and exclusively white pine , and access to transportation—was changing. Trees were floated out of their watershed, breaking the link between lumberman and carpenter.

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Best Architecture Books Our list of the top reference books for architects. Before mass production of lumber and wood started around , trees were cut and made to order for carpenters. Trees were grown and used locally and many people in the industry viewed lumber and forests as an unlimited resource in the U. The most familiar type of dimensional lumber is the 2x4. Use profiles to select personalised content. By Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years. Then came World War II. Competition occurred among regions, or more specifically, among species. Fact checked by Jillian Dara. Once the drying is complete, the boards are then planed to a standard size.

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These dimensions do not apply to laminated veneer lumber boards, hardwoods, or floorboards. The demand for pallets and crates for the war caused a shortage in wood for the lumber industry. Nominal vs. A typical dimensional lumber designation might read as such: "2 in. Hardwood board widths vary. During this process, it shrinks as the moisture in the wood is removed and the wood cells shrink. Reviewed by Deane Biermeier. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Hardwood lumber is sized based on how many sides are surfaced. Once the drying is complete, the boards are then planed to a standard size. A board measured after it's been dried and surfaced has an actual, or final size.