Green lumber is any lumber whose moisture content is greater than 19%.When purchased, rough lumber can’t less than 1/8″ thicker or wider than the actual size specified, except that 20% of a shipment can be up to 2/32″ thicker or wider. Lumber can be purchased as dry or green, where dry lumber has been seasoned or dried to a moisture content of 19% or less. The sizes presented are based on commercially available lumber within the USA, so the data shown is in Imperial (Inches) units. The Actual Size is the actual measured size of the lumber.
The Nominal Size is how we refer to the lumber, for example, a “2 X 4”. Knowing the actual lumber dimensions is obviously very helpful! Terminology, Grades, and Tolerancesīefore we dive into the data, a quick word about lumber size terminology, grades, and tolerances. Instead its actually 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. For example, a “2 x 4” isn’t 2 inches by 4 inches. This page is all about knowing the actual dimensions of commercial lumber sizes versus the nominal size used to refer to them. (Scroll Down if You Need the Chart Right Away)
