Spatial definition of a 2x4 (in case you wanted to know)

     Rugged individualism has existed in the American psyche long before the days of President Hoover – the United States was, after all, established to differentiate it from other nations. It would take more than a war and a few lofty documents to cleanly cut the cord between America and the rest of the world, though. Our culture and art mimicked European styles for decades, not directly replicating construction and building types, but copied with adaptations that were far from innovative. Without the skilled craftsmen to cut stone and fit joints for heavy timbers, Americans were at a loss in the architectural field. What they did have plenty of, though, was wood. At first, wood was only a replacement material. Augustine Taylor changed the nation’s perception of this abundant natural resource in 1833 with a very light, and very cheap, church in the relatively new city of Chicago.

     With the help of a lot of nails, Taylor eliminated joints, mortised beams and fittings, using lighter timber, introducing the concept of 2x4s and 2x6s in stud framing to the general public. St. Mary’s Church held its own against the Windy City, despite master carpenters’ nickname for the style of building: “balloon construction.” As the idea caught on in other cities across the expanding nation, benefits of its minimal cost and time of construction were quickly realized. The logging and lumber industry soon began to regulate the production of 2x4s and other dimensional lumber, for economical purposes involving the transportation and sale of the wood. The impression this form of construction has had on the United States is enormous: most American homes today are still built with this method, and its use in commercial architecture continues to increase.
     The process of creating a 2x4 begins with the felling of trees, removing limbs and cutting down with chain saws. After being transported to the mill, logs are stripped of their bark and cut down to a more manageable length with bucking saws, predetermined by the manufacturer. Bandsawing and resawing are necessary to cut pieces down to size before drying, or seasoning, the wood as a preventative measure against decay and shrinkage. Planers are used to cut the wood to its final dimension, and then are stamped according to grade and branded. Final trimming is often done after purchasing the 2x4, and the standard size becomes 7/4x15/4.
     With growing attention towards energy conservation in the operation of households and other buildings, the energy it takes to actually build the structures also must be considered. The measurement of the energy it takes to create, assemble, install, and move materials – collectively referred to as embodied energy – allows architects, engineers, etc. to compare building materials. The total embodied energy for a standard 8’-long 2x4 is about 30,000 BTU’s (British Thermal Units) per pound. This is significantly higher than steel (19,200 BTU’s per pound) and concrete (10,300 BTU’s per pound), but much lower than the general classification for wood (91,618 BTU’s per pound).
     Although there are many alternatives being developed in today’s modern age, wood remains a prominent element of our standard construction process. The 2x4 is an American tradition, withstanding technological advancements and environmental critics for nearly two centuries.