Answers.Body: <p>This image shows the dimensions in LEGO Units. <strong>1 Lego Unit is 1.6mm</strong> (the thickness of the plastic wall).  In those units the stud's diameter is 3 (= 4.8mm).</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/npW0j.gif" alt="enter image description here"></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-28T06:03:20.330Z
Answers.Text: +1 for **Lego Unit is 1.6mm** - thats the important part, everything else is based on this.
Answers.UserDisplayName: oezi
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-11-25T12:15:29.917Z
Answers.Text: Here I clearly see what I've found by try-and-error - to connect vertical wall of bricks with vertically oriented long brick (with rails - https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/6316/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-plate-with-door-rail/6317) I had to have studs on the side of wall once in 5 bricks. 5 * height = 6 * width.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alex Martian
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-06-13T01:09:36.303Z
Answers.Text: How much is the gap between bricks? Does this graphic take the gaps into account?
Answers.UserDisplayName: posfan12
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-10-30T14:56:28.763Z
Answers.Text: @posfan12 they are designed to have a flush fit
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-11-04T00:54:18.107Z
Answers.Text: There has to be some play, otherwise it would be hard to wiggle the parts apart from each other.
Answers.UserDisplayName: posfan12
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-01-21T23:16:23.783Z
Answers.Text: @Joubarc's answer points to [Robert Munafo's measurements showing an actual stud pitch of 7.985 mm](https://www.lugnet.com/~330/FAQ/Build/dimensions) or 0.015 mm (0.0006 in.).
Answers.UserDisplayName: M.W.
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-02-22T19:35:08.800Z
Answers.Text: One important note.  The wall thickness varies!   For plates and 1xn bricks, the wall thickness is 1.6 mm, as shown in pcantin's answer.  For mxn bricks (where m>1) the thickness is closer to 1.2 mm with little nubs aligned with the studs, as shown in bartneck's answer.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Carlos N
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-03-11T18:53:39.703Z
Answers.Text: @pcantin - Upon further analysis I believe there is definitely a allowance for play.  None of my bricks are exactly integer width and length.  Unfortunately I don't have enough reputation to answer this question.  I measured 24 different bricks and plates.   I believe the linear dimensions for width and height are exactly 8.00 mm * number of studs - 0.2 mm.  When I apply this formula across my 48 measurements (24*2) I get a standard distribution of 0.016 mm.  It also explains the 5.8*31.8 mm measurement from bartneck's answer
Answers.UserDisplayName: Carlos N
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-27T23:54:17.480Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-07-21T02:25:02.803Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2015-07-21T02:25:02.803Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Answers.Body: <p>This image from <a href="http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Brick#Sizes" rel="noreferrer">Brickipedia</a> should sum it up nicely:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080715180602/lego/images/thumb/2/25/Brick-in-mm.svg/320px-Brick-in-mm.svg.png" alt=""></p>
  
  <p>A plate is exactly one third of a brick in height (3.2 mm as in the diagram). In other words, 3 plates stack to match the height of a brick. This is useful to know if you're short on a certain size of brick, but have enough plates of the same shape and color to cover it in height.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-27T22:27:59.703Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2011-10-27T22:27:59.703Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-03-10T09:42:48.683Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: LegoSonicBoy
Answers.Body: <p>The precise measurements with an easy to understand <a href="http://www.bartneck.de/2019/04/21/lego-brick-dimensions-and-measurements/" rel="noreferrer">technical drawing</a> is available here. A PDF with the all the dimension is available for download.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OjziU.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OjziU.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-12-07T08:51:44.537Z
Answers.Text: Why is its size 15.8 x 31.8 and not 16 x 32?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tien Do
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-12-08T18:32:22.267Z
Answers.Text: There needs to be a 0.2mm gap between bricks so that they can be stacked. Yes, in a virtual/ideal world, bricks could be exactly 16 x 32, but in the physical world, there are tolerances in production and friction when put together.
Answers.UserDisplayName: bartneck
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-12-10T14:16:46.263Z
Answers.Text: Got it after reading your blog post above, thanks for your wonderful work.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tien Do
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-04-03T06:00:23.340Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-04-21T21:23:13.247Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-04-21T21:23:13.247Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: bartneck
Answers.Body: <p>Robert Cailliau <a href="https://www.robertcailliau.eu/en/Alphabetical/L/Lego/Dimensions/General%20Considerations/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">has summarized</a> how dimensions of LEGO bricks derive from:</p>
  <ul>
  <li>The <strong>base</strong> measure 0.8mm (that's where the 1.6mm already mentioned derives from)</li>
  <li>The <strong>play</strong> measures 0.1mm (for additional space between pieces)</li>
  <li>The <strong>height</strong> of studs 1.8mm</li>
  </ul>
  <p>It looks like the number as the same as given in other sources, but there is <strong>disagreement about the height of a stud</strong>. I've seen the value 1.8mm (<a href="https://www.robertcailliau.eu/en/Alphabetical/L/Lego/Dimensions/General%20Considerations/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Robert</a>), 1.7mm (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lego_dimensions.svg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia</a>) and 1.6mm (answers given here). Maybe the difference is because of the &quot;LEGO&quot; logo on top of a stud.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-06-13T01:07:37.340Z
Answers.Text: Archive of site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170116173744/http://www.robertcailliau.eu/Lego/Dimensions/zMeasurements-en.xhtml
Answers.UserDisplayName: posfan12
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-11-03T22:32:47.007Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2020-08-10T07:23:33.387Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2020-08-10T07:23:33.387Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jakob
Answers.Body: <p>These photos of side-by-side 2x4 bricks may be able to explain why people disagree as to the height of a Lego stud:<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/hn5PZ.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/hn5PZ.jpg" alt="older brick with taller studs" /></a><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/CJsLH.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/CJsLH.jpg" alt="newer brick with shorter studs" /></a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-03-13T01:55:12.277Z
Answers.Text: My Legos have definitely had different height studs over the years.
Answers.UserDisplayName: ProphetZarquon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-01-05T04:39:36.117Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-01-05T04:39:36.117Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: RSchulz
Answers.Body: <p>While LEGO uses metric nowadays, you may be interested to know that the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110711165736/http://www.hilarypagetoys.com/history.php?his_id=4" rel="noreferrer">bricks they originally copied</a> (and bought the patent for later on) were made in the UK and thus probably used imperial measurements (although dimensions are not specified in the <a href="http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=GB&amp;NR=529580A&amp;KC=A&amp;FT=D&amp;date=19401125&amp;DB=&amp;locale=en_EP" rel="noreferrer">original patent</a>). You may want to <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=uk+patent+529580" rel="noreferrer">search for UK patent 529580</a> or <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=kiddicraft" rel="noreferrer">Kiddicraft</a> to learn more about this. There may still be remnants of that English heritage buried deep in the LEGO legacy.</p>
  <p>Also, when LEGO started, I'm not sure what their measurements or tolerance were at the time, but they probably weren't as strict as they are now, which may account for some oddities in the system. For example, the distance between studs has been measured as <a href="http://www.lugnet.com/%7E330/FAQ/Build/dimensions" rel="noreferrer">7.986mm</a> rather than an exact 8mm.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-28T08:02:55.550Z
Answers.Text: I found [this synopsis](http://www.historia.com.pt/legos/clones/texts/kiddicraft.htm) goes a lot further than what was generally known after the Tyco trial. There is even a thesis written on the topic.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Erik Olson
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-09-21T00:19:43.120Z
Answers.Text: @ErikOlson either that site is gone completely(http://www.historia.com.pt), or there's a typo(http://www.historia.com maybe). https://www.historia.com/legos/clones/texts/kiddicraft.htm doesn't exist either though.  https://web.archive.org/web/20150908034033/https://www.historia.com.pt/legos/clones/texts/kiddicraft.htm might be the archived version.
Answers.UserDisplayName: antony.trupe
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-06-13T02:40:02.823Z
Answers.Text: I used LDraw long before I learned about TLG's official use of millimeters. At some point on my own I measured a regular baseplate as being (roughly) 10 inches wide. In LDraw one baseplate is 640 units wide. Thus originally (and I still do this today even though I know it's not correct) I visualized the LDraw system as having 64 units per inch, and a 1x1 brick being 5/16 inches wide and 3/8 inches tall (ignoring the gaps between bricks). 1/16 inches happens to be very close to 1.6mm.
Answers.UserDisplayName: posfan12
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-10-28T07:38:14.717Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-04-06T23:00:38.853Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-04-06T23:00:38.853Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.Body: <p>Lego had the moulds changed to metric.</p>
  <p>From brightontoymuseum.co.uk website I learned that the stud width measures 4•87 or 4•88mm, so they are bigger than the 4.8mm space they go into, giving a tight fit &amp; expanding the brick into the 0•1mm space around it.</p>
  <p>Reading what is illegal for Lego, says Technic studs are not as tall, so going from a headlamp brick over them is okay when not so for normal bricks, as their studs are too tall.
  The side walls, &amp; so also from stud to the edge were 1•5mm, then bricks with thinner 1•2mm with ribs. As I found they fit to older bricks better than the other bricks do looks like smaller space.
  On 1other website they found height to be under 9•6mm after measures stack of 100.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-04-11T09:58:46.190Z
Answers.Text: Hi Andrew! I tried to edit your post to make it better readable. Please review it and correct anything where I might have misinterpreted your intention.
Answers.UserDisplayName: zovits
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-04-16T07:42:16.843Z
Answers.Text: Do you have references for your statements? Which museum website? What "one other" website you have in mind here? What is the source of change to metric?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alex
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-04-16T12:05:18.710Z
Answers.Text: Your statement about the technic bricks is incorrect or misinformed. Height of the bricks is the same, stud-height also if compared with other bricks with hollow studs (no lego logo...). The illegality issue is when connecting bricks with studs on the side (like headlight bricks) with the side holes in technic bricks. As the holes are 1/10th of a millimetre lower than the side studs...
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael Verschaeve
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2023-04-08T12:01:01.873Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2023-04-18T19:10:27.220Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2023-04-18T19:10:27.220Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Andrew Hodson
Body: <p>What are the real world dimensions of bricks? (starting with 1x1 brick) Plates? Studs? Does LEGO think of this in metric or imperial units or something else? </p>
  
Tags: <piece-information><size>
Title: What are the dimensions of a LEGO brick?
UserDisplayName: Erik Olson
ThreadText: # What are the dimensions of a LEGO brick?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2011-10-27)
  
  What are the real world dimensions of bricks? (starting with 1x1 brick) Plates? Studs? Does LEGO think of this in metric or imperial units or something else?
  
  **Tags:** piece-information, size
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 7 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2011-10-27. Score: 102
  
  This image shows the dimensions in LEGO Units. **1 Lego Unit is 1.6mm** (the thickness of the plastic wall). In those units the stud's diameter is 3 (= 4.8mm).
  
  ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/npW0j.gif)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: +1 for **Lego Unit is 1.6mm** - thats the important part, everything else is based on this.  
  > **username_3**: Here I clearly see what I've found by try-and-error - to connect vertical wall of bricks with vertically oriented long brick (with rails - https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/6316/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-plate-with-door-rail/6317) I had to have studs on the side of wall once in 5 bricks. 5 * height = 6 * width.  
  > **username_4**: How much is the gap between bricks? Does this graphic take the gaps into account?  
  > **username_1**: @username_4 they are designed to have a flush fit  
  > **username_4**: There has to be some play, otherwise it would be hard to wiggle the parts apart from each other.  
  > **username_5**: @username_13's answer points to [Robert Munafo's measurements showing an actual stud pitch of 7.985 mm](https://www.lugnet.com/~330/FAQ/Build/dimensions) or 0.015 mm (0.0006 in.).  
  > **username_6**: One important note.  The wall thickness varies!   For plates and 1xn bricks, the wall thickness is 1.6 mm, as shown in username_1's answer.  For mxn bricks (where m>1) the thickness is closer to 1.2 mm with little nubs aligned with the studs, as shown in username_8's answer.  
  > **username_6**: @username_1 - Upon further analysis I believe there is definitely a allowance for play.  None of my bricks are exactly integer width and length.  Unfortunately I don't have enough reputation to answer this question.  I measured 24 different bricks and plates.   I believe the linear dimensions for width and height are exactly 8.00 mm * number of studs - 0.2 mm.  When I apply this formula across my 48 measurements (24*2) I get a standard distribution of 0.016 mm.  It also explains the 5.8*31.8 mm measurement from username_8's answer  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_7 on 2011-10-27. Score: 55
  
  This image from [Brickipedia](http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Brick#Sizes) should sum it up nicely:
  
  ![](https://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080715180602/lego/images/thumb/2/25/Brick-in-mm.svg/320px-Brick-in-mm.svg.png)
  
  A plate is exactly one third of a brick in height (3.2 mm as in the diagram). In other words, 3 plates stack to match the height of a brick. This is useful to know if you're short on a certain size of brick, but have enough plates of the same shape and color to cover it in height.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_13 on 2011-10-28. Score: 21
  
  While LEGO uses metric nowadays, you may be interested to know that the [bricks they originally copied](https://web.archive.org/web/20110711165736/http://www.hilarypagetoys.com/history.php?his_id=4) (and bought the patent for later on) were made in the UK and thus probably used imperial measurements (although dimensions are not specified in the [original patent](http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=GB&NR=529580A&KC=A&FT=D&date=19401125&DB=&locale=en_EP)). You may want to [search for UK patent 529580](http://www.google.com/search?q=uk+patent+529580) or [Kiddicraft](http://www.google.com/search?q=kiddicraft) to learn more about this. There may still be remnants of that English heritage buried deep in the LEGO legacy.
  
  Also, when LEGO started, I'm not sure what their measurements or tolerance were at the time, but they probably weren't as strict as they are now, which may account for some oddities in the system. For example, the distance between studs has been measured as [7.986mm](http://www.lugnet.com/%7E330/FAQ/Build/dimensions) rather than an exact 8mm.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: I found [this synopsis](http://www.historia.com.pt/legos/clones/texts/kiddicraft.htm) goes a lot further than what was generally known after the Tyco trial. There is even a thesis written on the topic.  
  > **username_14**: @username_0 either that site is gone completely(http://www.historia.com.pt), or there's a typo(http://www.historia.com maybe). https://www.historia.com/legos/clones/texts/kiddicraft.htm doesn't exist either though.  https://web.archive.org/web/20150908034033/https://www.historia.com.pt/legos/clones/texts/kiddicraft.htm might be the archived version.  
  > **username_4**: I used LDraw long before I learned about TLG's official use of millimeters. At some point on my own I measured a regular baseplate as being (roughly) 10 inches wide. In LDraw one baseplate is 640 units wide. Thus originally (and I still do this today even though I know it's not correct) I visualized the LDraw system as having 64 units per inch, and a 1x1 brick being 5/16 inches wide and 3/8 inches tall (ignoring the gaps between bricks). 1/16 inches happens to be very close to 1.6mm.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_8 on 2019-04-03. Score: 16
  
  The precise measurements with an easy to understand [technical drawing](http://www.username_8.de/2019/04/21/lego-brick-dimensions-and-measurements/) is available here. A PDF with the all the dimension is available for download.
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/OjziU.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/OjziU.png)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_9**: Why is its size 15.8 x 31.8 and not 16 x 32?  
  > **username_8**: There needs to be a 0.2mm gap between bricks so that they can be stacked. Yes, in a virtual/ideal world, bricks could be exactly 16 x 32, but in the physical world, there are tolerances in production and friction when put together.  
  > **username_9**: Got it after reading your blog post above, thanks for your wonderful work.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_10 on 2012-11-03. Score: 10
  
  Robert Cailliau [has summarized](https://www.robertcailliau.eu/en/Alphabetical/L/Lego/Dimensions/General%20Considerations/) how dimensions of LEGO bricks derive from:
  
  * The **base** measure 0.8mm (that's where the 1.6mm already mentioned derives from)
  * The **play** measures 0.1mm (for additional space between pieces)
  * The **height** of studs 1.8mm
  
  It looks like the number as the same as given in other sources, but there is **disagreement about the height of a stud**. I've seen the value 1.8mm ([Robert](https://www.robertcailliau.eu/en/Alphabetical/L/Lego/Dimensions/General%20Considerations/)), 1.7mm ([Wikipedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lego_dimensions.svg)) and 1.6mm (answers given here). Maybe the difference is because of the "LEGO" logo on top of a stud.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: Archive of site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170116173744/http://www.robertcailliau.eu/Lego/Dimensions/zMeasurements-en.xhtml  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_11 on 2021-01-05. Score: 7
  
  These photos of side-by-side 2x4 bricks may be able to explain why people disagree as to the height of a Lego stud:[![older brick with taller studs](https://i.sstatic.net/hn5PZ.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/hn5PZ.jpg)[![newer brick with shorter studs](https://i.sstatic.net/CJsLH.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/CJsLH.jpg)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_12**: My Legos have definitely had different height studs over the years.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_15 on 2023-04-08. Score: -2
  
  Lego had the moulds changed to metric.
  
  From brightontoymuseum.co.uk website I learned that the stud width measures 4•87 or 4•88mm, so they are bigger than the 4.8mm space they go into, giving a tight fit & expanding the brick into the 0•1mm space around it.
  
  Reading what is illegal for Lego, says Technic studs are not as tall, so going from a headlamp brick over them is okay when not so for normal bricks, as their studs are too tall.
  The side walls, & so also from stud to the edge were 1•5mm, then bricks with thinner 1•2mm with ribs. As I found they fit to older bricks better than the other bricks do looks like smaller space.
  On 1other website they found height to be under 9•6mm after measures stack of 100.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_16**: Hi username_15! I tried to edit your post to make it better readable. Please review it and correct anything where I might have misinterpreted your intention.  
  > **username_17**: Do you have references for your statements? Which museum website? What "one other" website you have in mind here? What is the source of change to metric?  
  > **username_18**: Your statement about the technic bricks is incorrect or misinformed. Height of the bricks is the same, stud-height also if compared with other bricks with hollow studs (no lego logo...). The illegality issue is when connecting bricks with studs on the side (like headlight bricks) with the side holes in technic bricks. As the holes are 1/10th of a millimetre lower than the side studs...  
  
  ---
  
  