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Lumber Sizes

Boards
Nominal Actual Actual - Metric
1" x 2" 3/4" x 1-1/2" 19 x 38 mm
1" x 3" 3/4" x 2-1/2" 19 x 64 mm
1" x 4" 3/4" x 3-1/2" 19 x 89 mm
1" x 5" 3/4" x 4-1/2" 19 x 114 mm
1" x 6" 3/4" x 5-1/2" 19 x 140 mm
1" x 7" 3/4" x 6-1/4" 19 x 159 mm
1" x 8" 3/4" x 7-1/4" 19 x 184 mm
1" x 10" 3/4" x 9-1/4" 19 x 235 mm
1" x 12" 3/4" x 11-1/4" 19 x 286 mm
1-1/4" x 4" 1" x 3-1/2" 25 x 89 mm
1-1/4" x 6" 1" x 5-1/2" 25 x 140 mm
1-1/4" x 8" 1" x 7-1/4" 25 x 184 mm
1-1/4" x 10" 1" x 9-1/4" 25 x 235 mm
1-1/4" x 12" 1" x 11-1/4" 25 x 286 mm
1-1/2" x 4" 1-1/4" x 3-1/2" 32 x 89 mm
1-1/2" x 6" 1-1/4" x 5-1/2" 32 x 140 mm
1-1/2" x 8" 1-1/4" x 7-1/4" 32 x 184 mm
1-1/2" x 10" 1-1/4" x 9-1/4" 32 x 235 mm
1-1/2" x 12" 1-1/4" x 11-1/4" 32 x 286 mm
2" x 4" 1-1/2" x 3-1/2" 38 x 89 mm
2" x 6" 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" 38 x 140 mm
2" x 8" 1-1/2" x 7-1/4" 38 x 184 mm
2" x 10" 1-1/2" x 9-1/4" 38 x 235 mm
2" x 12" 1-1/2" x 11-1/4" 38 x 286 mm
3" x 6" 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" 64 x 140 mm
4" x 4" 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" 89 x 89 mm
4" x 6" 3-1/2" x 5-1/2" 89 x 140 mm
Nominal Size:  This is the size that a piece of lumber is before it is seasoned and treated; these are the sizes we all commonly know and use as reference...exactly like a quarter pound burger is only a quarter pound before it's cooked.
Actual Size:  This refers to the minimum acceptable size after the lumber has been seasoned and treated.  However, we still use the nominal sizes; you don't typically hear someone ordering a one-and-a-half by a three-and-a-half when they want a two-by-four.

Framing Lumber

Nominal Size Actual Size
2  x  2 1 ½  x  1 ½
2  x  3 1 ½  x  2 ½
2  x  4 1 ½  x  3 ½
2  x  6 1 ½  x  5 ½
2  x  8 1 ½  x  7 ¼
2  x  10 1 ½  x  9 ¼
2  x  12 1 ½  x  11 ¼
4  x  4 3 ½  x  3 ½
4  x  6 3 ½  x  5 ½
4  x  10 3 ½  x  9 ¼
6  x  6 5 ½  x  5 ½

Courtesy of www.my-plan-b.com

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