[villagetinker]

Originally Posted by BK001

Here is the gist of a totally true, personal story I posted a while ago in the Nothing Thread:

Many, many years ago (in between husbands) I decided to build a closet in my bachelorette apartment bedroom. It was a simple design that basically involved constructing 4 sliding doors across the room - just frames with rice paper -- basically Japanese style.

I thought I did a great job. However there was a gap when the doors were closed. I could not figure out why. For months it bothered me and I would measure, re-measure and check my math. Always worked out perfectly -- yet still a gap! So frustrating.

Finally, in a fit one evening, (and aided and abetted by a bottle of Merlot) I decided this was not going to get the better of me and I measured every last portion of this closet -- INCLUDING each piece of wood.

It was then I learned this sorry, testosterone-laden fact. A 1" x 2" piece of wood does not measure 1 inch x 2 inches. Same for a 2 x 4, etc. etc. I was shocked. The next time I was at the lumberyard/hardware store I complained to the clerk. His answer was "Look lady, everyone knows those are the measurements at the mill before the wood is cut down."

Conclusion #1: I should have built the closet at the mill.

Conclusion #2: Make sure you always check measurements even when you buy a 12" ruler - since you never know.

Conclusion #3: If you ask a man "what color was George Washington's white horse" don't be surprised if you get a different answer.

So I am totally unsurprised about the ladder!

I loved that story, and can see it happening, I learned early on the about 'dimensional' lumber, but got caught recently when I bought some shelving lumber at Lowe's only ONE of the 3 listed dimensions was actually true.....the LENGTH, both the thicknees and the width were NOT the listed size.