Just found out a standard 2x4 isn't actually 2 inches by 4 inches, and I've been lying to customers for 9 years

Fiona Carr · 2026-10-09T22:05:04.063528+00:00

So I was at a lumber yard in Dayton last Tuesday picking up some studs and the guy behind the counter asked what size I needed. I said 2x4 and he laughed and handed me one that measured 1.5 by 3.5 with my tape. I've been framing for 9 years and apparently just never actually measured one, I always trusted the name. Turns out it's dried and planed down from the rough cut, which makes sense once you think about it for two seconds. Now I feel like an idiot because I told a homeowner last month her wall was exactly 2 inches thick and she wrote it down in a notebook. Has anyone else gone this long without knowing a basic size, or am I the only one who never checked?

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Just found out a standard 2x4 isn't actually 2 inches by 4 inches, and I've been lying to customers for 9 years | Carpenters - Vivisector