Common Lumber Equivalents
Sizes: Metric cross sections are so close to their U.S. sizes, as noted below, that for most purposes they may be considered equivalents.
| Dimensional | 1 x 2 | 19 x 38 mm |
| lumber | 1 x 4 | 19 x 89 mm |
| 2 x 2 | 38 x 38 mm | |
| 2 x 4 | 38 x 89 mm | |
| 2 x 6 | 38 x 140 mm | |
| 2 x 8 | 38 x 184 mm | |
| 2 x 10 | 38 x 235 mm | |
| 2 x 12 | 38 x 286 mm | |
| Sheet | 4 x 8 ft. | 1200 x 2400 mm |
| sizes | 4 x 10 ft. | 1200 x 3000 mm |
| Sheet | ¼ in. | 6 mm |
| thicknesses | ⅜ in. | 9 mm |
| ½ in. | 12 mm | |
| ¾ in. | 19 mm | |
| Stud/joist | 16 in. o.c. | 400 mm o.c. |
| spacing | 24 in. o.c. | 600 mm o.c. |
| Capacity | ||
| 1 fluid ounce | 29.57 mL | |
| 1 pint | 473.18 mL | |
| 1 quart | 1.14 L | |
| 1 gallon | 3.79 L | |
| Weight | ||
| 1 ounce | 28.35g | |
| 1 pound | 0.45kg |
Temperature
Celsius = Fahrenheit − 32 x 5/9
Fahrenheit = Celsius x 1.8 + 32
Safety First
All projects and procedures in this book have been reviewed for safety; still it is not possible to overstate the importance of working carefully. What follows are reminders for plant care and project safety. Always use common sense.
■ Always use caution, care, and good judgment when following the procedures in this book.
■ Always determine locations of underground utility lines before you dig, and then avoid them by a safe distance. Buried lines may be for gas, electricity, communications, or water. Contact local utility companies who will help you map their lines.
■ Always read and heed tool manufacturer instructions.
■ Always ensure that the electrical setup is safe; be sure that no circuit is overloaded and that all power tools and electrical outlets are properly grounded and protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GCFI). Do not use power tools in wet locations.
■ Always wear eye protection when using chemicals, sawing wood, pruning trees and shrubs, using power tools, and striking metal onto metal or concrete.
■ Always consider nontoxic and least toxic methods of addressing unwanted plants, plant pests, and plant diseases before resorting to toxic methods. Follow package application and safety instructions carefully.
■ Always read labels on chemicals, solvents, and other products; provide ventilation; heed warnings.
■ Always wear a hard hat when working in situations with potential for injury from falling tree limbs.
■ Always wear appropriate gloves in situations in which your hands could be injured by rough surfaces, sharp edges, thorns, or poisonous plants.
■ Always protect yourself against ticks, which can carry Lyme disease. Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants. Inspect yourself for ticks after every session in the garden.
■ Always wear a disposable face mask or a special filtering respirator when creating sawdust or working with toxic gardening substances.
■ Always keep your hands and other body parts away from the business end of blades, cutters, and bits.
■ Always obtain approval from local building officials before undertaking construction of permanent structures.
■ Never employ herbicides, pesticides, or toxic chemicals unless you have determined with certainty that they were developed for the specific problem you hope to remedy.
■ Never allow bystanders to approach work areas where they might by injured by workers or work-site hazards. Make sure all work sites are well marked.
■ Never work with power tools when you are tired, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
■ Never carry sharp or pointed tools, such as knives or saws, in your pocket.