A new dimension of red tape

A string of stories about dimensional lumber rules in California, and a related $1.6 million settlement to be paid by Lowe’s, struck readers like a 2x4 smack on an exposed nerve.



The story broke the record for reader interest — and it wasn’t because the size of the payment (less than one-tenth of 1% of Lowe’s 2013 profits.) As part of its settlement, Mooresville, North Carolina-based Lowe’s has taken steps to adjust its descriptions of its dimensional lumber in about 100 of its California stores. The company’s website already lists the nominal and actual measurements of dimensional lumber.



The thought of a forced rebranding of 2x4s, 2x8s and 2x10s riled the industry, which is already on red-tape overload.



However, it turns out that California rules allow for softwood lumber to be described nominally (“2x4,” for instance), but non-wood alternatives such as PVC planks require the actual measurement (“1.5 x 3.5”).



The West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association spelled out ways for members to avoid running afoul of California rules:

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  “... Make certain that any dimensional lumber received by your business from suppliers has the quantity of items in the shipment, and that the supplier has also listed the material’s nominal and actual sizes on that invoice;” and


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  “If the product is a non-standard item, it must be clearly labeled with the actual size information and may not be referred to in the common nominal terms... .”