Dear John, In Australia, all timber is sawn, dressed, and sold in millimetres. For example, you might buy a 2400�mm piece of 90�mm by 45�mm to use as a wall stud.
Notice that the length (2400�mm in this case) is part of a system of dimensional coordination based on a 600�mm module. Other lengths that are available are 1200�mm, 1800�mm, 3000�mm, 3600�mm and so on. Na�ve people with little experience in building still try to refer to a 90�mm by 45�mm timber as a 4 by 2 � they are quite unaware that the 4 by 2 never actually existed in that size as that always was just a nominal size. All houses her are designed and built using millimetres. The area of the house is then calculated using square metres, and then many sales staff dumb this down to 'squares' of 100 square feet � but square feet are never mentioned. The nett result is that the public is profoundly confused. Cheers, Pat Naughtin LCAMS Geelong, Australia Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- on 26/10/03 1:16 PM, john mercer at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I can't remember if I've asked this question before if I have please forgive > me. When you buy lumber in the U K is the length and width metric or > imperial? Are most house plans still in square feet? In Canada as far as I > know all house plans are in square feet. When the tunnel under the English > Channel was designed was it done half imperial and half metric since there > were 2 countrys working on the design? Thanks for all your help again. > metric >
