8' dimensional lumber actually longer than 8'?

[Exterous]

So i was trying to figure out why some of my measurements and cuts werent lining up. Turns out all the 2x6 and 2x8 boards I got are 8' 3/8" long. I know and expect 2x4s arent actually 2x4 but I dont know if I've seen a longer length before.

 

[pcgeek11]

Really? I thought everybody knew this.
Here is a chart for reference in lumber sizes.
http://mistupid.com/homeimpr/lumber.htm

They are rough cut to size and the drying process etc they end up smaller for the width and thickness. I will assume that they are also generous in the length for the same reasons.

I always cut the ends off lumber I buy to ensure they are square.

 

[Exterous]

Your chart is only width and depth. I already know about those but am referring to the length. All the 'actual' dimensions on charts and websites for lumber (not the inaccurate compared to final dimension 'nominal' sizes) says they should be 8'. They go down to the 1/4" so should capture a 3/8" discrepancy if it was comon

Just measured some uncut 2x4s i have and they are all within a 1/16" of 8'

 

[pcgeek11]

Your chart is only width and depth. I already know about those but am referring to the length. All the 'actual' dimensions on charts and websites for lumber (not the inaccurate compared to final dimension 'nominal' sizes) says they should be 8'. They go down to the 1/4" so should capture a 3/8" discrepancy if it was common

Just measured some uncut 2x4s i have and they are all within a 1/16" of 8'

I realize that the chart is only width and thickness. I posted it due to your comment for accuracy. I have never seen an 8 foot board that was actually 8 feet exactly. There are always variances. 3/8 seems to be an outlier, maybe the guy on the saw that day was having a really crappy day. A quarter inch error longer is not unusual by any means. That is why I always measure twice and cut once.

 

[Greenman]

So i was trying to figure out why some of my measurements and cuts werent lining up. Turns out all the 2x6 and 2x8 boards I got are 8' 3/8" long. I know and expect 2x4s arent actually 2x4 but I dont know if I've seen a longer length before.

So you were measuring by deducting from 96" rather than just using the actual measurement you needed?

 

[paperfist]

From Lowes/Home Depot?

 

[Exterous]

So you were measuring by deducting from 96" rather than just using the actual measurement you needed?

I planned my cuts to leave as little waste as possible so with one cut I could use both sections of the original 8' boards. Measured from one end to the cut location for the length that needed to be exact. For the other piece a little short would be acceptable so I figured I didn't need to re-measure (My thinking being 'when do you get lumber that is larger than advertised?' I now know its a thing but not something I had run into or heard of before) as long as they were all the same length. To determine that I stacked the same size length pieces on top of eachother to make sure they were all actually the same length. All the cuts and pieces matched up but when I went to 'dry' assemble them and suddenly lots of things were 3/8" too long. The 2x8x8s were bought 3 days ago, the 2x6x8 were 3 months ago but all had the same extra 3/8"

From Lowes/Home Depot?

Yeah There is a HD 7 min away and 2 Lowes and 2 more HD within 15 minutes. Not a single real lumber yard within 30min.

 

[paperfist]

I planned my cuts to leave as little waste as possible so with one cut I could use both sections of the original 8' boards. Measured from one end to the cut location for the length that needed to be exact. For the other piece a little short would be acceptable so I figured I didn't need to re-measure (My thinking being 'when do you get lumber that is larger than advertised?' I now know its a thing but not something I had run into or heard of before) as long as they were all the same length. To determine that I stacked the same size length pieces on top of eachother to make sure they were all actually the same length. All the cuts and pieces matched up but when I went to 'dry' assemble them and suddenly lots of things were 3/8" too long. The 2x8x8s were bought 3 days ago, the 2x6x8 were 3 months ago but all had the same extra 3/8"



Yeah There is a HD 7 min away and 2 Lowes and 2 more HD within 15 minutes. Not a single real lumber yard within 30min.

Personally never seen any longer than spec unless someone messed with it and returned it.

On the other hand width wise from Home Depot I've had a whole bunch of 2x6s that I used to build a tray ceiling be way less then 5.5" wide and instead be 5.0" to 5.25" wide. Boy was that an adventure when it came time to hang the drywall.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I never noticed this myself but maybe I just got lucky that if they were not quite 8' they were all consistent.

 

[Exterous]

Went to lowes to get some more 2x6s. They were more inconsistent with the shortest being 8' 1/4" and the longest 8' 1/2"

Personally never seen any longer than spec unless someone messed with it and returned it.

On the other hand width wise from Home Depot I've had a whole bunch of 2x6s that I used to build a tray ceiling be way less then 5.5" wide and instead be 5.0" to 5.25" wide. Boy was that an adventure when it came time to hang the drywall.

Ugh that would suck

 

[Paperdoc]

If the new studs are made just slightly longer than specified, then you can ALWAYS get them exactly right by measuring and cutting. BUT if they made them "dead on" and they shrunk even a little, you'd be really sunk! In fact, those ones you got were over-long enough that even with loss by one saw cerf, the remaining piece still had spare length. You could afford to cut two pieces to exact lengths and get full value!