“If they sell actual 2”x4” lumber nobody will be able to use it—
Can you explain that to me. I know nothing about this stuff.
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I can’t remember why it got called a 2x4 in the first place, maybe that was the rough dimension before milling, but in actuality, a 2x4 is usually about 1-9/16” x 3-1/2”. At 8” nominal and above, the actual dimension is about 3/4” less than the nominal. 1-by’s are about 3/4” thick. The stuff that’s actually 1” thick, like they make wood screen doors out of is called “four square”. It’s been this way as long as I’ve been alive and that’s quite a while.
A piece of wood 2 X 4 would be too big. It wouldn’t fit and the walls would end up too thick.
Only so-called “dimensional” lumber really has the stated dimensions when finished. Answer in #13 is good.
I'm just a hobbyist with carpentry. But 2" x 4" refers to nomimal size, when it's cut and milled. What you end up with after it dries, at the store is called the actual size which can be 1-1/2 to 1-5/8 inches by 3-1/2 to 3-5/8 inches. Actual size varies depending on shrinkage and other factors. It's common knowledge to 99 percent of people buying wood stock that when you buy a 2x4 (two-by-four), the actual size is smaller. The store is not trying to cheat or trick anyone.
The part I don't get is why single out Lowe's since it's a universal standard; they need to sue every lumberyard in creation since everyone's guilty of the same crime.
They used to be 2”x4” until early 20th century? My dad tore down an old house in the 1960’s that had real 2x4s, 2x6s, 2x10s, etc. They were straight as an arrow and very heavy. Very difficult to cut and VERY hard to drive a nail through.
The standard changed, but the naming stayed the same for convenience. Everyone who has worked with lumber since the 1950s knows that a 2x4 is 1 1/2” x 3 1/2”
It is because the wood is milled smooth. If you buy rough lumber it is 2X4. If fact if you want to make a house a bit stronger specify that they use rough, un-milled, hardwood 2X4’s and have them screwed rather than nailed together. It will make the rooms a little smaller but you’ll add a great deal of strength to the walls for a couple of 1000 dollars cost. I know people that do this help make a house tornado proof
2 x 4 are the approximate dimensions of the rough cut lumber, directly from the sawmill. Finished lumber, like what you buy at Lowes or Home Depot, is smaller because it’s sent through milling machines to give it a smooth surface.
You can find rough cut in old houses. I bought some from a local sawmill to build a sunroom. The lumber all looked like what you’d expect to see in a old western movie barn building. You’d get some serious splinters handling it without gloves.
in the old days 2x4s were actually a finished piece of wood, 2 inches by 4 inches.
now 2x4 is the rough cut dimensions, the finished wood board is something like 1.75 x 3.5 inches. but they still refer to it as a 2x4 and everyone who uses them knows they arent exactly 2x4.
There are still old homes and buildings around that were built with full dimension wood.
One of my great grandfathers was a carpenter who spent a career building bridges for railroads. From what I got from my grandpa the main reason for the reduction was because you just get more boards per railcar load of trees. By 1900 or so the American forests had been greatly reduced because wood was used for so many things.
There were many many small farms under cultivation that now are being reclaimed by forestation. Wooden ships are almost gone. Use of wood for heat and cooking is minimal now. We have tree plantations now where they are grown like crops.
Just my two cents worth anyway.
Oh and this got me remembering———— my grandpa was one of two girls and six boys. Their mother handled the girls but he said the most spine chilling word she said was-——”Just wait ‘til your father gets home”. I gather he was pretty mild-mannered but if she said they had gone over the line in mis-behaving he got out the razor strop and since he had arms like Popeye from the years on his job. Owww.
When lumber is sawed from tree trunks it is usually done to as stated dimension ( that is a 2"x4" is cut to stated size), it is considered "green" and needs to be dried to lower its moisture content. As the drying process continues the "green" lumber is subject to warping (twisting) and shrinkage. To bring the lumber back to shape it is then sent through a planer to remove an 1/8" from top bottom and sides. This process renders the lumber square and straight and the finished size is reduced by 1/4" in height and thickness. This is customary for whatever finished lumber size you buy.
My former FIL was a farmer and had his own sawmill and planer. He produced a batch of finished 2x4s at the actual 2"x4" which he used to build his house. It was not a problem until he wanted to add an addition and he bought finished lumber from a building supply house. The original house had walls thicker then the addition which required a lot of shimming when doing the finished carpentry.
Regards,
GtG