sawn tanalised 4 by 2? (just out of curiosity)

[StephenStephen]

Looking at my local timber supplier's list, and a couple of websites, it looks like it's unusual these days to supply sawn tanalised 4 by 2 - it's all CLS or 4RC or PSE or regularised or otherwise processed.
I'm looking for some for a stud wall - I can obviously can, and likely will, use one of the above, but it's slightly annoying to pay for 100mm x 50mm and get something smaller, which I don't want, and smoother, which I don't care about.

So when did we get all fancy about needing smoothy smooth wood for studding and suchlike?

 

[big-all]

if its metric its should be actual size
if its imperial its the pre-worked size so you get exactly what you have asked for ----

--the timber the size you asked for put through the planer or machined

if you need an actual size ask for "actual size" they will tell you the nearest and if its not big enough they may say we have 8x2" sawn that we can rip down to give you nearly 4" with the saw blade thickness missing
the other way is they will take a larger size and trim it down but you will pay the origional price for the larger timber

 

[Mr. Clueless]

We deal with a local timber supplier & they can do 4x2 rough sawn tanalised no problem.

However it's actually 100-x-50 but even then it really isn't when you measure it. Depending on how anal you are about your measurements (and i can be quite anal) it's more like 97-x-47.

The regularised stuff that we stock, for a 4-x-2 is labelled up as 100-x-47 but even then it isn't actually 100, again it's more like 97-x-45 or something.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

it's slightly annoying to pay for 100mm x 50mm and get something smaller, which I don't want, and smoother, which I don't care about.

So when did we get all fancy about needing smoothy smooth wood for studding and suchlike?

Firstly the move to regularised timber was partly because it makes the job of framing a lot faster because all the timber you are dealing with has the same cross section - sawn timber has always varied from batch to batch and mill to mill whilst CLS is pretty consistent. Secondly regularised timber doesn't have splinters and generally seems to have less flaws such as cracks and shakes. Maybe not issues to you but very important when you are on an 18 month build which is consuming 2 to 3 tonnes of framing and joisting every week.

Secondly timber in my lifetime has generally been sold as something like "ex 4 x 2" or the like unless you specify "exact size" on your order. We regularly order exact size when doing repair work to existing and often non-standard framed walls. As to tantalised timber, that tends to be all over the shop because the yard has deliberately put it into a pressure vessel, immersed it in water and put it under pressure - this does tend to cause even the best kiln dried regularised stock to swell a tad....