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If you’ve ever bought a cut of wood from the store and measured it at home, you might have noticed that the lumber’s actual size isn’t the same as the size it’s marketed as. In this guide, we discuss why this happens and what some common measurements are.
The most well-known piece of lumber is the 2x4, pronounced two-by-four. It’s mostly used in the framing of houses but you’ll also see it in just about any other construction or DIY project. But there is a caveat will calling a 2x4 a 2x4: It’s not really two inches by four inches as its name implies.
The Actual Size of a 2×4. For example, a 2×4 board is actually 1 1/2″ x 3 1/2″. The board is advertised and sold using nominal dimensions, which are a bit larger than the actual dimensions. Actual Lumber Size Table. The table below shows the actual size versus the nominal size of various dimensional lumber products.
2x4 and 2x6 boards lose 1/2 inch in thickness and 1/2 inch in width before leaving the mill. That means a 2 x 4 board is actually 1-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches. The larger 2x boards (2x8, 2x10, etc.) lose 3/4 inch in width.
When buying lumber, the nominal measurements differ from the actual measurements (so your 2x4 doesn't actually measure 2x4). Learn more.
What are the actual dimensions of a 2x4, the best saw to cut 2 by 4 wood, what screws to use in a 2x4 and project ideas to get you started! 2x4 studs are one of the cheapest and easiest sources of lumber for beginning woodworkers.
You might be buying lumber with a nominal size of 2″ x 4″, which is precisely the dimensions of lumber you need for your project. But when you got home and measured the actual dimensions of the lumber, you discovered that its precise measurement was 1.5″ x 3.5.”