5 4 Lumber Dimensions. When the board is first rough sawn from the log, it is a true 2x4, but the drying process and planing of the board reduce it to the finished 1.5x3.5 size. When you purchase lumber, you may be surprised to find that a 2 x 4 board is not actually 2 inches thick by 4. Standard dimensions of hardwood lumber.
Why a 2 × 4 is not always a 2 × 4.
Lumber is cut to a standard length, width, and depth. Timbers, whose smallest dimension is 5 inches or more. In fact, the entire first trip to the lumber yard can be intimidating to a new woodworker. Lumber is cut to a standard length, width, and depth. The thickness and width are nominal dimensions. The size increases in 1/4″ increments. Lumber sizes can be confusing at first. Nominal refers to the dimension the lumber was sawn.