Ever wondered why 2x4 timber is always undersized? Nice historical video explains it.

[Nomad]

Mainly for the benefit of the wood botherers and general knowledge
I saw this video today, I've known for a long time that 2x4 timber is always sold undersized - this explains why.

Every day is a school day

 

[8ob]

A bit more to it than that as well, sawmills knock out timber as say 4x2, there will be a tolerance which means no two pieces are likely to be the same. Then you get regularized which means it’s poked back through a resaw so it’s possibly undersized but all the same.

Bob

 

[MattF]

Then you get regularized

Then there's planed, which knocks a bit more off.

 

[8ob]

‘Sawn’ should be at size. PAR will be size before planing.

Things have changed a bit from 1960! For a start, the money in your pocket will buy a lot less now than then.

Sawn should be but it isn’t, moisture content plays havoc with it and can be + or- a couple of mm.

Bob

 

[zzr1200]

Things have changed a bit from 1960! For a start, the money in your pocket will buy a lot less now than then.

Yep, LSD (PSD?) in the 60's then someone changed to the metric coinage which was the real start of devaluing the pound...

 

[MattF]

This ought be in codgers corner, you grumpy old ....

 

[zzr1200]

This ought be in codgers corner, you grumpy old ....

 

[Beanwood]

Anybody else watch that video and immediately think of 'The Waltons'

 

[Beanwood]

Yep, LSD (PSD?) in the 60's then someone changed to the metric coinage which was the real start of devaluing the pound...

Kid's today won't even know what LSD was.... well not the currency kind anyway!!
(Sorry - back to Codger's Corner)

 

[gaz1]

i disagree

most wood is just sawed to the desired size so in this case 4x2 sawn timber wasnt actually bigger in 1914 it had a reference to being planned timber as they was 2 sizes of timber then

one to be planned and one that was 4x2 sawn timber

the planned timber is the same its just being planned down so therefore under size

if anything compare to those years its the wetness of the wood todays wood is wet through and even freezes in winter its that bad compared to dried out and air dried

 

[dobbslc]

I'm off to a reclamation yard tomorrow to see if they have any real 4x2" joists for my ensuite floor.
I'll be taking me trusty tape measure.

 

[gaz1]

since i deal with alot of ceilings/ roofs and many are the old style

these are rough sawn timber

i can say the 3x2s are not 3x2s but smaller are about 2 3/4s - 2 7/8s x 1 7/8s we still have them up in the house many are installed as rafters and also for ceilings in old propertys

heres the view of new style 4x2s and the old style 3x2s old ceiling ( plaster latts ) and roof combined that used to have a stone roof on them older than the 1900s



3x3 floor beams between 2, 12x4 main beams here is a good example

 

[gaz1]

I'm off to a reclamation yard tomorrow to see if they have any real 4x2" joists for my ensuite floor.
I'll be taking me trusty tape measure.

better off buying new 5x2s and nog them out to what your needing

 

[dobbslc]

That sounds like hard work and expensive Gaz.
If this place has the right size joists it's cheap (£5 for a 9' length) and just a matter of bunging them in.

 

[Smallfry]

If you buy at B&Q it will be smaller by the time you get home

20 years ago Wickes used to do really good sawn timber, but as Gaz has said, moisture content is higher now. in 1914, trees were felled and not touched for a couple of years to season something like properly.

Also, the carp you get from warmer climates like Scotland has only a few annual rings on a piece of 4x2, stuff from Scandinavia if far better.