Changing Building Materials to Metric

maradcliff · 2006-03-12T03:25:32+00:00

With the thread about metric conversion I got to thinking aboutconstruction. Having dealt with cars that have both sae and metricbolts is a pain in the butt, but I see a much bigger problem. All standard construction in the US has studs spaced at 16 or 24inches. A sheet of plywood, sheetrock, etc is usually 8 by 4 feet.Roofing shingles, carpetting, linoleum, are all sold in yards, feet orinches. Plumbing pipe is one half, three quarters one inch and so on.We cant just change these things, and it would be totally rediculousto have separate building materials for both inches and centimeters.How can we ever change this? I surely dont want to buy a sheet ofplywood or sheetrock that wont fit across my 16" walls or floorstuds/joists. And if we keep the size the same, but change to metricmeasurements, instead of saying a 4 by 8 foot sheet of plywood wewould have to say a long decimal equivalant with POINT something atthe end. Something like carpeting or linoleum probably could be changed to thenearest whole metric number because it does not rely on spaced studsor joists, but then if a room was built to be 12 feet, and theflooring ends up being a half inch less because of the conversion,many people would be quite angry. So, they darn well better make itlarger, not smaller.....Then comes the plumbing pipe. It MUST fit the old pipe. We can notjust change to the nearest metric number. And I'd sure hate to haveto go to the store and ask for a 3.856 by 5.891 CM electrical box,when I can not ask for a 3x5 box.Then comes dimentional lumber. It's bad enough we now have 2X4's inbuildings that are 2" X 4" 1 5/8" X 3 5/8" 1 1/2" X 3 1/2".Lets not make this worse by adding yet another mismatched size,because the number has to be metric.I think building materials should just be left as they are. Even ifthey were to leave the size as it is now, but change to metricnumbers, do you really thing many people would ask for that "3.856 by5.891 CM electrical box"? I'd probably...

Mar 12, 2006 102 Replies

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krw 12 years ago

Umm, why else would you bring up one vs. the other and that was sorta the discussion.

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The Daring Dufas 12 years ago

Google Groups seems to be purposely trying to screw up Usenet in some way. Old posts are popping up all over. Done to the tune of "June Is Bustin' Out All Over". ^_^

TDD

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krw 12 years ago

Yes and many, including some long-time posters here, are perfectly happy to help them.

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