Why is 4x2 no longer 4x2?

[tradepro123]

I recently bought 12 15ft lengths of regularized 4x2 timber.
some will be used to build a new stud wall and some will be used to baton a ceiling, it has a curve at one end so I am going to baton it with 4x2 and then plasterboard and skim the ceiling. I picked the 4x2 for a reason, because that thickness of timber would bring the level of the plasterboard below the unsightly curve.

I cut the timber to length, fixed it to the ceiling joists and checked with an off cut of plasterboard to see if the plasterboard would cover the curve in the ceiling, only to find that the timber wasn't thick enough. 4x2 timber would have been enough but the timber I had wasn't 4x2, it was about half an inch short on both sides. I have built quite a lot of stud walls with the same timber bought from the same place and have never had a problem. I also never noticed that 4 inch by 2 inch timber is no longer 4x2.

I was told that if you needed timber to be an exact size then you have to ask for regularized timber. I asked for regularized 4x2 and what I got was not 4x2.
how long has this been going on for?

 

[RickyLee53]

I recently bought 12 15ft lengths of regularized 4x2 timber.
some will be used to build a new stud wall and some will be used to baton a ceiling, it has a curve at one end so I am going to baton it with 4x2 and then plasterboard and skim the ceiling. I picked the 4x2 for a reason, because that thickness of timber would bring the level of the plasterboard below the unsightly curve.

I cut the timber to length, fixed it to the ceiling joists and checked with an off cut of plasterboard to see if the plasterboard would cover the curve in the ceiling, only to find that the timber wasn't thick enough. 4x2 timber would have been enough but the timber I had wasn't 4x2, it was about half an inch short on both sides. I have built quite a lot of stud walls with the same timber bought from the same place and have never had a problem. I also never noticed that 4 inch by 2 inch timber is no longer 4x2.

I was told that if you needed timber to be an exact size then you have to ask for regularized timber. I asked for regularized 4x2 and what I got was not 4x2.
how long has this been going on for?

A while I guess.

I'm not all that fussed about it being in inches as I work in metric. What annoys me is the metric equivalent of 4 x 2 would be 100mm x 50mm. And its not that! Somehow in the swap they made it an awkard metric size which doesn't match the inch equivalent anyway, its something like 47mm x 96 from memory!

 

[Dave54]

Unless you actually specify a finished size (and pay for it) from someone who has the stock and facilities to do it, then you will always get standard sizes of timber.
Planed timber is always "undersize" from sawn. That is your 4 X 2" will probably be at least a quarter of an inch down from that on each dimension. "regularised" means that it's all the same size, not what the size is.

 

[AronSearle]

how long has this been going on for?

I have a letter in one of my files where somebody complained about this exact same issue.

The letter was written in the 60s.

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

I recently bought 12 15ft lengths of regularized 4x2 timber.
some will be used to build a new stud wall and some will be used to baton a ceiling, it has a curve at one end so I am going to baton it with 4x2 and then plasterboard and skim the ceiling. I picked the 4x2 for a reason, because that thickness of timber would bring the level of the plasterboard below the unsightly curve.

I cut the timber to length, fixed it to the ceiling joists and checked with an off cut of plasterboard to see if the plasterboard would cover the curve in the ceiling, only to find that the timber wasn't thick enough. 4x2 timber would have been enough but the timber I had wasn't 4x2, it was about half an inch short on both sides. I have built quite a lot of stud walls with the same timber bought from the same place and have never had a problem. I also never noticed that 4 inch by 2 inch timber is no longer 4x2.

I was told that if you needed timber to be an exact size then you have to ask for regularized timber. I asked for regularized 4x2 and what I got was not 4x2.
how long has this been going on for?

Can just drop your false ceiling down a bit,I will make it easier to do

Most timber sizes apply to sawn timber,most timber in regular timber yards is planed, your wood that is missing is chippings on the floor or probably at the bottom of a hamster cage

 

[big-all]

yes its the pre worked stock size that is always quoted the approximate reductions are

1"=21mm 2" 43mm 3" 75mm 4" 95mm 5" 119mm 6" 144mm
you will notice the wider the timber the greater the loss starting off at about 4mm and finishing up at around 9mm by the time you reach 10" its about 12mm

the timber you have is cls [rounded corners ??] that comes out as 38mm-63mm -89mm or 1 1/2" 2 1/2" 3 1/2" ect

if you quote "actual finished size" you will get there attention and correct size

altough this can work out expensive if its not a stock size

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Question: Why is 4 x 2 not 4 x 2 any more?
Answer: Because it NEVER was

All planed timner sizes used to be quoted "ex-", so "ex-4 x 2" wold normally run out at 3-3/4 x 1-3/4in. Going metric hasn't altered that, although some merchants quote actual sizes at least on European-sourced softwoods.

 

[tradepro123]

I recently bought 12 15ft lengths of regularized 4x2 timber.
some will be used to build a new stud wall and some will be used to baton a ceiling, it has a curve at one end so I am going to baton it with 4x2 and then plasterboard and skim the ceiling. I picked the 4x2 for a reason, because that thickness of timber would bring the level of the plasterboard below the unsightly curve.

I cut the timber to length, fixed it to the ceiling joists and checked with an off cut of plasterboard to see if the plasterboard would cover the curve in the ceiling, only to find that the timber wasn't thick enough. 4x2 timber would have been enough but the timber I had wasn't 4x2, it was about half an inch short on both sides. I have built quite a lot of stud walls with the same timber bought from the same place and have never had a problem. I also never noticed that 4 inch by 2 inch timber is no longer 4x2.

I was told that if you needed timber to be an exact size then you have to ask for regularized timber. I asked for regularized 4x2 and what I got was not 4x2.
how long has this been going on for?

Can just drop your false ceiling down a bit,I will make it easier to do

Most timber sizes apply to sawn timber,most timber in regular timber yards is planed, your wood that is missing is chippings on the floor or probably at the bottom of a hamster cage

I'm not putting in a false ceiling, as in one ceiling constructed under the existing ceiling. I am simply fixing the 4x2 timber to the existing ceiling joists and then fixing the plasterboard.
If this is also a false ceiling then I apologize for the mix up, but I always thought that a false ceiling was one that is fixed below an existing ceiling, not one that is actually fixed to the existing ceiling.

Thanks for the help anyway guys. I had no idea you had to specify a finished thickness of timber. I always thought that if you asked for 4x2 you would get 4x2.

 

[big-all]

if its quoted in inches its usually the stock size
if its quoted in millimeters its usually the actual size

 

[chirpychippy]

I beg to differ Bigall, CLS does indeed have rounded corners but so does 4x2 regularised, maybe not as pronounced as cls but still rounded, whereas 4x2 sawn has square edges and loads of splinters.

 

[big-all]

I beg to differ Bigall, CLS does indeed have rounded corners but so does 4x2 regularised, maybe not as pronounced as cls but still rounded, whereas 4x2 sawn has square edges and loads of splinters.

to be honest i don't disagree with any off your comments

it was more he was saying it 1/2 inch smaller so more than likely cls
yes sawn is actual size usually and 4x2 can actually 100x 47

the comments where more for planed and molded timber are from sawn stock sizes and the machining removes 3 to 12mm dependent on size and operation

and to be honest although there are standards there are many variations through the supply chain
the price off wood from my local supplier has hardly changed in over 10 years
but i have noted 2x1 has gone from 22x44 to 21x43
1/2" ply is now 11.5 and 6mm is 5.5 with wafer thin outer layers
and worst off all 9mm txg is now nearly 7mm with the back tongue suffering

 

[Metric v imperial]

The actual size of 4 X 2 in metric would be 101.6mm X 50.8mm

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Good luck getting that off the shelf!

 

[Metric v imperial]

I'd take 102 X 52