Always check boards for imperfections before buying.
Building a closet only requires a few types of lumber, all of which are available at home centers and lumber yards. It is important to know that the sizes listed on dimensional lumber are almost never true. A 2-by-4 is smaller than 2 inches thick and 4 inches wide, and by varying degrees from board to board. Check boards for bends and twists before you buy; select only the straightest boards. Does this Spark an idea?
2-by-4s
Of all the lumber used in construction projects, untreated 2-by-4 pine boards are the most common. They are strong, versatile and inexpensive and come in different lengths from 6 to 12 feet long. Use 2-by-4s horizontally to anchor the closet walls along the ceiling and floor, and vertically to frame the walls. Cut horizontal sections to fit between the vertical boards halfway down the walls for support. If your closet will have a door, use 2-by-4s to frame the doorway to accept a pre-hung door. Pre-hung doors make framing the doorway easier. Instead of building and leveling the door frame in sections, the complete unit slides in and fastens to the rough 2-by-4 opening, needing only minor adjustments with wood shims to make it level an plumb. Two 2-by-4 sections can also hold a telescoping closet hanging rod. Cut a hole through each board with a hole saw that is slightly larger than the diameter of the closet rod. Fasten one board to each side of the closet, extend the rod and slip the ends into the board openings.
2-by-2s
Smaller than 2-by-4s by half, 2-by-2 pine boards are useful as shelving supports or cleats. Cut a board to fit horizontally across the back wall of the closet and fasten it to the studs. Cut two more boards to fasten horizontally along the side walls at the same level as the back support, and set a shelf board on top. These smaller boards are most often stocked in 6- or 8-foot lengths, and they are prone to twists. You may need to sort through a full pallet to find a few straight 2-by-2s.
1-by-12s
Although home centers carry many prefinished or laminated shelves, 1-by-12 pine or poplar boards are solid wood; you can stain or seal them and show off the wood grain. If a 12-inch shelf is too deep, you can find similar boards in 6-, 8- or 10- inch widths. They are usually flat and smooth, and require very little sanding. Like many other wood products, 1-by-12s are often sold in 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-foot lengths.
Millwork
Your closet is complete once you hang drywall inside and install the shelves and hanging rod, but you can dress it up with trim molding, found in the millwork aisle, to give it a more polished look. Solid wood molding comes in numerous sizes, patterns and profiles for an array of uses. Choose plain or fancy door molding to surround the doorway. Add baseboards and crown molding across the front of the closet to match or complement the rest of the room. Molding is sold in lengths that are sometimes referred to as sticks, ranging from 6 to 8 feet long.
Tags: boards most, feet long, from feet, from feet long, home centers, pine boards
