What's up with 2x4's not measuring out to 2 inches by 4 inches?

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Tankard

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I have to re-make my collar for several reasons, but the biggest reason is the improper sizing of the wood I bought. My "2x4" is actually less than 3.5 inches wide (or tall, depending on if it's standing up or on the ground). This causes problems for me because my hinges hang down below the wood, past the point where I could attach the lower set of screws. I would need the wood to be exactly 4 inches wide for the hinges to fit into place.

Should I just get a bigger piece of wood to guarantee that I have enough room to install the hinges?
 
2x4s are 1.5" x 3.5"
2x6s are 1.5" x 5.5"
2x8s are 1.5" x 7.25"
2x10 are 1.5" x 9.25"
2x12 are 1.5" x 11.25"

Some of the really old lumber was actually 2" x 4" but that's not the case anymore.
 
All lumber store 2 X 4's are undersized. The actual dimension came from their size before drying, at one time. Now, a "standard" 2x4 measures 3 1/2 x 1 1/2.

So, to answer your question, buy bigger and cut to size.
 
Archimutect here at yer service!

2X4 is the 'nominal' dimension, a reference back to the rough size of the lumber before it is dried and finish-sawn, or "dressed", to 1.5"X3.5".

Also, FYI, 2x4 steel studs are actually 1.5"X3.625", and 2x6 steel studs are 1.5"X6". With dimensional wood lumber past 2x4 it's 1.5 wide, always, by 5.5" for 2x6, then 7.25" for 2x8, then 9.25" for 2x10, then 11.25" for 2x12.
 
Yeah, it's a bit of a pain in the ass.....I never really understood why.

Do you have the means of cutting your lumber down to what you need??
 
I guess I'm a little lost on the problem with the 2x4. Are you attaching the collar to the base or the top? If to the base, attached the hinge to the wood, don't worry about where it overlaps. If attaching the wood to the top, reattach your hinges to the base then attached the top of the hinge to the wood collar.
 
Ahhhh I get it now. Please excuse my ignorance, I'm new to woodworking projects.

2x6 it is then. Thanks Evan

I guess I'm a little lost on the problem with the 2x4. Are you attaching the collar to the base or the top? If to the base, attached the hinge to the wood, don't worry about where it overlaps. If attaching the wood to the top, reattach your hinges to the base then attached the top of the hinge to the wood collar.

Well the problem is that there are two sets of holes on the hinges, one set of two at the top and one set at the bottom. If I install the hinges on the collar, as is, I will only be able to attach one set of screws. The other set is hanging off the wood and I would need to drill into the freezer.... exactly what I don't want to do. I suppose I could drill through the hinge to make new holes, but I'd prefer not to.
 
1x6 would be alright, but it might be a little too thin. I'd probably have to add some insulation.
 
Yeah, Nominal size is sawn timber. Studs now are planed size, meaning ex 2X4 ie 1/4 inch less all round

It seems to me though that timber merchants have taken advantage of tradition and simply make up their own rules these days.
 
Meh, there's nobody in the industry who doesn't understand that it's just a naming convention. The entire construction trade is based around this; things like how thick insulation is to properly fit into a wall cavity. Nobody's "taking advantage" of anything, it's just how things are and have been and will be.
 
Meh, there's nobody in the industry who doesn't understand that it's just a naming convention. The entire construction trade is based around this; things like how thick insulation is to properly fit into a wall cavity. Nobody's "taking advantage" of anything, it's just how things are and have been and will be.

Not really. I am a carpenter, 51 years old. I have noticed over time that planed sizes are shrinking from what they used to be. They are reducing the nominal size and gaining that tiny bit extra. I have noticed that 2X4 sawn is now 1/4 smaller compared to the timber in my 1912 house, which is all exactly 2X4.

PS I'm pissed now, because my new firefox spellchecker is trying to tell me that "sawn" is not a word!! I'm turning that crap off!!:mad:
 
If the problem is that the wood isn't big enough for the hinges and you need a full 4" for them to fit, it leads me to believe you have 4x4 hinges. It may be cheaper and easier to swap those out for 3.5x3.5 hinges. Or even 3x3. These are very common sizes and can be found at any hardware store or Home Depot.
 
You're not alone, I took Technical Theatre I & II here at college and one of our tests was this:

Write the actual dimensions of the following lumber:
2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10, 2x12, 1x4, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10, 1x12

The class average was 51%....(And we had covered the measurements in class!)
 
What if you went to the store and bought a gallon of milk only to find out it wasn't a gallon? Or bought tires of a certain size only to find out they weren't that size? Or business shirts.

Just rambling... pay no attention to me.
 
What if you went to the store and bought a gallon of milk only to find out it wasn't a gallon? Or bought tires of a certain size only to find out they weren't that size? Or business shirts.

Just rambling... pay no attention to me.


How many times do you find a large shirt that is way too big or way too small?
 
Lowe's hardware.... I built some bookshelves with 3/4 inch oak plywood. Very nice, cut some 1/8" strips of solid oak to cover the front of the ply. Used dado cuts for the shelves, and cut the sides for a second unit to be built in a few weeks.

I went back to get a sheet of the plywood, they only have 18mm. The guy is like that's 3/4 inch plywood, it's the same thing. I show him by measuring it that it is not. WTF. Now I will be driving around trying to find 3/4 oak plywood for something close to reasonable pricing, or scrap the side pieces that I already cut the dados in.

I like the metric system, but they have 2x4s, 1/2 inch ply, 1" hardwood boards, etc. and 18mm oak plywood. The maple was still 3/4"

end of rant. sorry.
 
I'm not sure how one could be alive for the last 40 yers and not know that a 2x4 is actually not a 2x4. Wood is sold by rough cut dimension even if it is planed and smooth. Most places other than Home Depot will sell wood by the board foot which is the same as a 1" thick by 12" by 12" piece of wood. When you buy planed lumber you will get wood that is 3/4" but they will charge you the 1" thick price.
 
What if you went to the store and bought a gallon of milk only to find out it wasn't a gallon? Or bought tires of a certain size only to find out they weren't that size? Or business shirts.

Just rambling... pay no attention to me.

Go measure your tires. They probably aren't the size on the sidewall. In oversized offroad tires, they can be up to about 2 inches off bigger or smaller.

Mike
 
My house is over 100 years old. It pisses off inexperienced contractors when they realize that our 2x4s are really 2x4 and that our flooring is actually 1" thick, not 3/4".. Good times... It took me a few minutes to put my finger on what was different when I first got up in the attic and looked around...
 
This thread illustrates graphically why I will brew, do electrical work, plumbing, and a number of other things, but won't touch carpentry with a ten foot hammer.
 
Lowe's hardware.... I built some bookshelves with 3/4 inch oak plywood. Very nice, cut some 1/8" strips of solid oak to cover the front of the ply. Used dado cuts for the shelves, and cut the sides for a second unit to be built in a few weeks.

I went back to get a sheet of the plywood, they only have 18mm. The guy is like that's 3/4 inch plywood, it's the same thing. I show him by measuring it that it is not. WTF. Now I will be driving around trying to find 3/4 oak plywood for something close to reasonable pricing, or scrap the side pieces that I already cut the dados in.

I like the metric system, but they have 2x4s, 1/2 inch ply, 1" hardwood boards, etc. and 18mm oak plywood. The maple was still 3/4"

end of rant. sorry.


But isn't the nominal 3/4" plywood actually 23/32" which is 18.3 mm, IOW, isn't it close enough? Maybe cabinet grade oak plywood is actually a full 3/4", I don't know. I guess it would also depend on the ambient relative humidity. The wood might shrink or expand a couple of 32nds under varying conditions.
 
But isn't the nominal 3/4" plywood actually 23/32" which is 18.3 mm, IOW, isn't it close enough? Maybe cabinet grade oak plywood is actually a full 3/4", I don't know. I guess it would also depend on the ambient relative humidity. The wood might shrink or expand a couple of 32nds under varying conditions.

Why are you responding to a 9 month old post?:confused: :)
 
I don't know. I am not all that accomplished a woodworker, but I'm pretty handy. I priced bookshelves, and decided I could buy the tools, and waste a lot of wood, and still come out on top. So I spent $1K on a nice table saw, and other tools, and now have a 16th or 17th hobby.

It is fun, the table saw is an incredible tool - dead on to a 32nd. I read a test of table saws, and the gent stated his test for a table saw was he should be able to balance a nickle on edge on the table, start it up, cut a 2x4, and shut it down without the nickle falling over. I thought it was BS, but my saw will do it. Powermatic 64A.
 
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