Friday, January 22, 2016

About Lumber Types & Grades

Lumber types and grades feed dossier meant to analyze the affection of a group of lumber. Particular rules compass been established in regards to hardwoods and softwoods and how they are graded. The most prominent are if by the Public Hardwoods Lumber Corporation or NHLA.


Warning

When purchasing any type of lumber, be sure to find the grade mark. If a piece of lumber does not have a grade stamp, ask the salesperson for the lot's grading paper. Each lot of lumber is traced from cutting to the drying kiln and identify with grading papers when shipped.


A consistent mechanism for measuring and grading needed to be established. These was some of the fundamental grading rules that are pdq commonplace to all lumber sold in the USA.


Significance


Grading rules label good how many knots and checks are allowed in a disposed numeral of running feet. A leash is where a limb has grown from the tree. Checks can ensue when the board is allowed to dry to quickly. Other specifics of the grading rules name the finished thickness and wideness of the board.


Types


According to the rules, there are two basic types of wood: softwood and hardwood. Hardwoods are classified as trees that lose their leaves every year; softwoods are conifers or evergreens. There are some exceptions, such as Eastern Burgundy Cedar, which has it own sets of rules for grading. Burgundy Cedar is commonly used as a lining for closets due to its habitual oil that repels insects.


Identification


Grading symbols are stamped onto exclusive pieces of lumber.


Autonomous Face Cutting: the capital of the chief, all pleasant boards on both sides


FAS: clear but may contain some very small splits


FAS ONE FACE (FIF): same as FAS but only on one side


Selects or No.1 Common: a 75% clear face on one side


No. 2 Common: 66.3 % clear face on one side


No. 3 Common: 33.3% clear face on one side


Below Grade or Sound Cuttings: greater than 80% of the board has defects, checks, splits, knots


Sound Wormy: full of small wood worm holes but still a solid piece of wood


History

The post-Civil Strife Period aphorism vast expansion in this native land, with the railroads heading west. The railroads needed standard Trunk for the ties that clutch the enduring steel tracks in field.


If the lumber is not stamped, you may be purchasing inferior lumber that has not been properly graded.