Stumbled on the fact that a single 2x4 can shrink up to 1/8 inch as it dries...

I was reading through an old Fine Homebuilding article and they mentioned that kiln dried lumber still moves that much, and it hit me... how many times have I blamed my own cuts being off when the wood was just settling? Has anyone else noticed their measurements shifting after the lumber sits in the shop for a week?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_joseph1mo ago

That seasonal movement is why a lot of old timer framers used to cut their studs a little long and then check them again after a week. I started marking a small pencil line on the end of every board I cut for a stair stringer project, then remeasured them three days later. Three out of twelve had shifted by a 16th. Now I always leave my lumber in the shop for at least a week before any trim work. It cuts down on the drywall cracks and gaps around door casings that show up in winter.

rose_cooper22d ago

Three out of twelve shifting is pretty convincing evidence though.

paigep201mo ago

Gotta disagree with you here. Leaving lumber for a week is solid for trim work, but for framing it's mostly overkill unless you're building in a swamp. Studs are gonna move anyway once they're loaded with drywall and insulation, so cutting them dead nuts off the bat just wastes time.