Speaking of Lumber...

Jeremy in DE · Jun 26, 2017

The comments about the lumber lawsuit, and then the comments about why we use 1.5 in by 3.5 in, raised a question I am sure some of you can answer.

What is the standard dimension of lumber used in home construction in other places in the world? Canada? Europe? Asia? Etc.

I am guessing the dimensions might be different? 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches works out to 3.81 cm by 8.89 cm if my conversion is right. I assume metric places have a standard size that is convenient in metric measurements?

Just curious. It doesn't really impact me at all as far as I know.

Thanks.

Crazy Horse · Jun 26, 2017

Up here in Canada, a lot of industrial and commercial blueprints are in metric ....... I think ...... not
totally sure ...... someone might be able to shed some light on that. If not for wood construction, then
for pipe fitting, etc maybe. I believe at one time during the early times of our conversion to metric up
here, there might have been some plywood sheets that were some kind of metric size (close to 4' x 8') but
that didn't stick around. Plywood thickness did go metric, for example of 3/4" sheet of finishing grade
plywood still today is only 19mm thick which is slightly thinner than 3/4". I found that out the hard way
25 years ago when building some kitchen cabinets and I had used 3/4" oak plywood for the project. After
routering 3/4" slots in my cabinets, I found out when assembling some cabinet boxes that the adjoining
pieces of wood had a very sloppy fit. I then found out that I needed a 19mm router bit which I still have
and use occasionally for plywood if it is metric thickness. Strange thing though that up here, products
like MDF board are a full 3/4" thick.

Russ from MN · Jun 26, 2017

Since I love Google so much, I googled it! Canada pretty much uses the same system as the US, because so much of the lumber
and plywood they produce is sold in the US anyhow. In Europe it's a different story, they use a lot of metric measurements,
because they have been metric for much longer. One reason is when repairing or adding onto 100 year old buildings it's nice
to be able to buy the same size material. I can remember when a 2x4 was 1 5/8 x 3 5/8, when I started working construction
in 69 there were some of each in the lumber piles, and most form hardware was for the bigger lumber.

Stephen Newell · Jun 26, 2017

Standard is a pretty illusive term. It's just what people are using for the moment and what is implemented into building codes and is always changing. When I got started in construction a 2x4 was 1 5/8"x 3 5/8. This was the standard framing for the time. The house I grew up in was built in the 19th century and the 2x4 walls were 2"x4" rough sawn poplar. Now you see more and more areas where standard wall framing especially on exterior walls is 1 1/2"x 5 1/2". More insulation is needed for homes in some areas and the 2x6 framing reflects that.

Michael Soldan · Jun 26, 2017

The Canadian industry that supplies building products and the trades that use the material all use standard measure when it comes to size.
we still use 2x4's.2x6's , 2x8's 2x10's and 2x12's with lengths in feet. Some products such as plywood have tags that give the dimensions in
both metric and standard..still 4'x8'x 1/2" or 4'x8'x3/8. AND those 2x4's are 1 1/2"x3 1/2" etc. for all standard wood. Carpenters and
tradesman stuck to standard measure regardless of the metric system.

Steve@Advance · Jun 26, 2017

Down here MDF is still on size, typical 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, etc, and is 49x97. I guess the extra inch is to clean up damaged edges and still have a full sheet.

Plywood has shrunk by 1/32".

kcm.MN · Jun 26, 2017

In Finland, boards still went by the names used here, while sheet goods were in mm's. Don't know if this was all construction lumber or not, but this is what they called them. I'm sure they weren't milled to USA standards though, even if milled here and exported.

The sizes 2x4, 2x6, 4x4, etc are all simply names.

Moonlite37 · Jun 26, 2017

I remember reading something in trade journals several years ago when the standard changed. It was something about some of the lumber was shipped from the west coast green and partially seasoned in transit. The Southern Pine Inspection bureau (SPIB) encouraged the change which also specified the moisture content at the time of sale or time of measure, I think southern yellow pine is all kiln dried.

Glen SW Wi · Jun 26, 2017

With the millions of logs that are cut into lumber they can probably get and extra board by reducing the size down by one eighth or one half inch. More mola in the pocket.

Crazy Horse · Jun 26, 2017

Now that's interesting about the 49x97 inch panel sizes. Next time I'm at a lumber yard, I am going to check the MDF sheets.

rustyfarmall · Jun 26, 2017

(quoted from post at 11:20:24 06/26/17) Now that's interesting about the 49x97 inch panel sizes. Next time I'm at a lumber yard, I am going to check the MDF sheets.

I used some MDF a couple of years ago. A 4x8 sheet is 8 feet long, but it is wider than 4 feet. In my situation, the extra width didn't matter.

Vito · Jun 26, 2017

They give you the extra to allow for saw cuts. You lose approximately 1/8" per pass.

Vito

db4600 · Jun 26, 2017

Good god let's hope they don't start measuring pipe! That would take longer to explain than lumber. I wonder if they could go after a service shop for underinflated tires? And while we're at it let's keep an eye on that wily weatherman! He must be responsible for a couple fields of hay.

wilson ind · Jun 26, 2017

what is MDF?

wilson ind · Jun 26, 2017

iS IT FLOORING?

K Effective · Jun 26, 2017

MDF is Medium Density Fiberboard. It is the darker brown (usually) very smooth sheet goods, manufactured from wood and resin and wax. It cuts and machines quite well and paints extremely well. Great alternative for painted trim and furniture, as it rarely warps or shrinks. Quite heavy due to the density. Superb for shelving,etc. where a wood grain is not needed.

ben70b · Jun 26, 2017

I worked on a new power plant in north east Wyoming about 10 years ago, the drawings were in foot-tenths, our
lumber and tape measures were in foot-inches, the form system the company used was metric. I took a while to get
used to!

JBDyer · Jun 26, 2017

A sheet of particle board is also 49 x 97

fixerupper · Jun 26, 2017

Today I was helping close in a 18 foot door opening in the side of a Morton building built sometime n the mid 70's. The door wasn't needed so we were closing in the wall where the door had been. When I butted the first 2x6 nailer up to an existing 1970's nailer I found the new 2x6 was close to 1/8" thinner than the old 2x6. The old 2x6 must have been an older thickness. The 70's doesn't seem that far back but it was 40+ years ago.

TominKy · Jun 26, 2017

medium density fiberboard

Stephen Newell · Jun 27, 2017

MDF is a sheet of paper in various thicknesses. It's the same kind of paper grocery sacks are made out of, just thicker. Like paper the product is very bad to use in locations involving water. A sheet of MDF can fairly quickly swell up to twice it's thickness when wet. I wonder if anyone complains about a 4x8 sheet coming 49"x97"?

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