Story: Building materials

Four-by-two

Four-by-two

Traditional timber dimensions were generally exact multiples of inches. With metrification and a desire to maximise timber production, dimensions are typically smaller than they were. In the 2000s a piece of framing which used to be a ‘four-by-two’ – four inches by two inches (roughly 100 by 50 millimetres) – has become a 90 by 45 millimetres.

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Photograph by Carl Walrond

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How to cite this page:

Jeremy Salmond, 'Building materials - Timber', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/25094/four-by-two (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Jeremy Salmond, published 11 Mar 2010