We’ve all been there. You’re hanging drywall and your partner asks you how much a 2×4 weighs. If you were like me, you looked up “2×4 weight” on Google.
After that, you looked up the square footage of your room and the length of your wall, and finally the height of your ceiling. You calculated the weight of each board to determine how many 2x4s it would take to finish the job.
While it seems like a simple question, most people don’t know exactly how much a 2×4 weighs or what it is made out of. To understand this better, let’s look at some general information about 2x4s:
What is a 2×4?
A 2×4 is a square piece of wood that has four long sides and two short sides with an overall length of 4 feet (120 inches).
The two short sides are commonly referred to as “short boards” or “ends” while the long sides are commonly referred to as “longboards” or “sides.” The abbreviation for these four pieces is 2×4.
A 2×4 is made of several different kinds of wood, but most 2×4s are made from pressure-treated lumber.
The specific type of wood that makes up a 2×4 depends on the species of tree it was cut from. Generally, 2×4s are made from hardwoods such as oak, ash, maple, walnut, and hickory.
How Much Does A 2×4 Weigh?
2×4 lumber will weigh around 9 lbs or 4 kg. However, the weight may vary slightly depending on the type of wood used to make the 2×4.
If you are buying lumber, it is important to know the weight of each piece so that you can buy the right amount of lumber for your project.
The more moisture content a piece of wood has, the heavier it will be. For this reason, kiln-dried lumber is often used for building and fence posts because it weighs less than dry lumber.
What Can You Use A 2×4 For?
A 2×4 is commonly used for framing walls, attaching cabinets, and making furniture. It is also used to build decks, fences, and stairs.
However, you can also use a 2×4 for other things such as building a raised garden bed or putting up a deck railing.
Framing Walls
Framing walls is one of the most common uses for 2×4s. They are used to attach the walls of a house to the main structure.
This can be done by nailing 2×4s across the studs that make up the walls or by using 2×4 rafters and cross-bracing in between each pair of studs.
Cabinets
Cabinets are often made from 2×4s. However, they can also be made from other materials such as plywood or particle board (also known as particleboard).
The purpose of cabinets is to hold items such as pots, pans, and kitchen utensils.
If you have ever bought a piece of furniture and found that it had no drawer or shelf space, then you have probably purchased a cabinet made from 2×4 lumber.
Furniture
Furniture is also commonly made from 2×4 lumber. It is typically used for making boxes and tables that are used for storing items such as books, clothes, and other household items.
You may have seen some people use an entire sheet of plywood to make a table for storing their woodworking tools!
Decking
A 2×4 is also commonly used to make a deck railing. Most decks in the United States are made from 2×4 lumber. It is typically used to attach the railing to the house or to the posts that hold up the deck.
You can also use 2×4s to attach a stair railing and handrail to a staircase.
Raised Garden Bed
You can also use 2×4s for making a raised garden bed, especially if you have a lot of space for your garden!
A raised garden bed allows you to grow more plants in less space than you would be able to if you were growing them in soil alone.
It is also useful for helping keep pests out of your garden by preventing weeds from growing underneath it!
Stairs and Handrails
Stairs and handrails are another common use for 2×4 lumber because they are inexpensive and easy to make!
The most common way of attaching stairs and handrails to your house is by using wood screws or nails, but many people prefer 2×4 lumber.
It is easier and less expensive than other materials such as steel or iron. You can even make decorative stair rails out of 2×4 lumber.
How To Measure 2x4s
If you’re buying lumber, it is important to know the weight of each piece so that you can buy the right amount of lumber for your project.
You should always purchase enough lumber to finish your project in one pass. For example, if you are planning on building a bookcase, you would need to purchase at least 2 sheets of plywood.
That way, you can build one side of the bookcase. If you are planning on making a table or a stool out of wood, then buy enough lumber to make at least two pieces! It’s always better to have too much than not enough!
You should also keep in mind that the price per sheet varies depending on the type of wood used to make the 2x4s. Generally speaking, 2×4s made from pressure-treated wood will cost less than dry-lumber 2×4s.
However, if you plan on using these 2×4s for decking, they will be heavier than dry-lumber 2×4s.
Conclusion
You’ve just learned what a 2×4 is and how much it weighs. Now you know how to use it in your home or business!
To recap, a 2×4 is a square piece of wood that has four long sides and two short sides with an overall length of 4 feet (120 inches).
The two short sides are commonly referred to as “short boards” or “ends” while the long sides are commonly referred to as “longboards” or “sides.” They usually weigh around 9 lbs or 4 kg.
