Ormond Beach, FL —
Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie, the man who once took on Subway for selling “footlong” sandwiches that were shorter than a foot, has found a new crusade — this time against the lumber industry. Leslie announced he’s preparing a class-action lawsuit against Lowe’s, Home Depot, and “every lumber supplier in America” for what he calls “the longest-running consumer fraud in U.S. history.”

At issue: the fact that a standard “2x4” board doesn’t actually measure two inches by four inches. Instead, after planing and smoothing, the wood’s true dimensions are closer to 1.5 by 3.5 inches. A detail builders have known for decades — but which Leslie claims most consumers have never been clearly told.

“For generations, Americans have been paying for two-by-fours that aren’t two-by-four,” the Mayor said at a press conference Thursday morning, holding a piece of lumber in one hand and a tape measure in the other. “If a sandwich is sold as a footlong, it should be twelve inches. And if a board is sold as a two-by-four, it should be two-by-four. Period.”

“A Nationwide Scheme Hiding in Plain Sight”

Leslie’s proposed lawsuit argues that lumber manufacturers and retailers have been knowingly misleading consumers for nearly a century by maintaining the outdated “nominal” sizing system — a relic from when boards were rough-cut before being smoothed and shrunk.

“This isn’t some innocent misunderstanding,” Leslie said. “This is institutionalized shrinkage. They’ve been shaving off half an inch for decades and pretending it doesn’t matter. Well, it matters to me, and it matters to every honest American who’s ever picked up a ruler.”

According to sources close to the Mayor, the idea for the lawsuit came after he began a home renovation project and noticed that none of his lumber matched the advertised size. “He thought the boards were warped,” said a city staffer. “Then he realized — no, this is how they’re sold. That’s when he said, ‘This is another Subway situation.’”

Industry Response: “Everyone Knows This”

Representatives from both Lowe’s and Home Depot dismissed the claims as “misguided,” noting that lumber dimensions have followed the same standards for nearly a century, and that every piece is clearly labeled with both nominal and actual measurements.

A spokesperson for the National Lumber Association added,

“Anyone who’s ever worked on a home knows a 2x4 isn’t literally two by four. It’s a convention — like how a baker’s dozen is 13. No one’s trying to defraud anyone.”

But Leslie isn’t backing down. “That’s exactly what they said about Subway’s bread,” he shot back. “They called it a ‘baking convention.’ Well, conventions don’t make it right. It’s still false advertising.”

A Measured Man on a Mission

Leslie, a former plaintiff in the Subway class action that earned national attention, says his motivation is simple: honesty in labeling. “If you’re going to sell something to the public, say what it is,” he said. “Not what it used to be before sanding and corporate excuses.”

Critics have accused the Mayor of chasing headlines, but supporters say he’s raising legitimate consumer questions that have gone ignored for too long. One local resident, construction worker Bill Harkins, said,

“Look, I’ve been swinging a hammer for 30 years, and yeah, we all know a 2x4 ain’t a real 2x4. But it’s kind of wild to think nobody’s ever challenged that. Maybe he’s got a point.”

The Bigger Picture

Leslie hinted this may be the beginning of a broader push for “dimensional integrity” in American commerce. “Next, we’re looking into paint gallons that aren’t full gallons, and ‘one-pound’ coffee cans that mysteriously weigh 13 ounces,” he said. “It’s time to measure up, literally and figuratively.”

As the press conference wrapped up, the Mayor rolled up his measuring tape and smiled for the cameras.

“I’m not anti-lumber,” he clarified. “I’m just pro-math.”