5/4 stock??

[Mark Kelly]

Is a regular 2x4 stud considered 5/4 stock? Or is it 6/4? Or neither??

[Dick Parr]

Mark, 4/4 stock is 1". A 2x4 is an 1-1/2" so that would make it 6/4. 2" is 8/4 and so on. Just think of the /4 as a 1/4".

Hope this helps.

[Mark Kelly]

Yes, that's what I have always read, except when finishing up trim for my shed, it said to use 5/4 stock, but the width needed was 1 1/2", not 1 1/4". So, I just wanted to check. I guess the plans are wrong.

[Jim Becker]

Dick is partially correct. The designations in "quarters" refers to the rough, unmilled dimensions. 4/4 means 1" in the rough (although it's often more like 1 1/8", depending on the sawyer). 4/4 material is usually sold as either 3/4" finished dimension or something like 13/16" to 15/16" thick if just skim planed. 5/4 material is 1 1/4" thick rough and typically is milled to a true 1" thick by many woodworkers.

"2x4" studs would be considered 8/4 before milling...there is a lot more "loss" with dimensional lumber for some reason. That said, many, many years ago, "2x4" studs actually were 2" thick!

[Greg Heppeard]

I have actually seen and used real 2X4's in oak no less. It was reclaimed lumber from houses built in the late 1800's, but that was long ago, when I was a youngster growing up in rural Ohio.

[Andy London]

Mark, Your plans could be correct as 5/4 is the thickness, not the width.

A 2 X 4 would be considered 8/4.

Andy

[Jim Becker]

Yes, that's what I have always read, except when finishing up trim for my shed, it said to use 5/4 stock, but the width needed was 1 1/2", not 1 1/4". So, I just wanted to check. I guess the plans are wrong.
I didn't see this prior to my other post. Most "real" lumber yards stock 5/4 trim boards (pre-primed, even!) for this kind of work. I used this material when I trimed out the new window for my kitchen renovation last year.