Lumber Measurements

Lumber Measurements

I went to a lumber dealer here, and he said he had maple in both 4/4 and 8/4 sizes. I had no idea what he was talking about. What is meant by 4/4 and 8/4?

Michael Dresdner: Those numbers represent simple fractions. When you say it aloud, 4/4 is pronounced “four quarter,” meaning the wood is four quarters of an inch thick, which is another way of saying one inch thick. Eight quarter wood (8/4) is two inches thick, and six quarter (6/4) is one and a half inches thick.

John Swanson: Boards are sized by quarters prior to being planed to final thickness. A 4/4 (four quarter) board normally yields a 13/16 finished thickness, while an 8/4 (eight quarter) board yields 1 3/4 finished thickness.

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