Appearance Grade Lumber
- Species: Southern Yellow Pine, Cypress, and Hardwoods.
- Can be Rough Cut, Dressed smooth, or custom finished.
- Special preservative treatments available to protect lumber while preserving the wood's natural appearance.
What methods are used to grade lumber?
The various factors considered are as follows:
- Number, size, and the position of knots and holes.
- Bark on edges.
- Decay.
- Checks and splits.
- Machining defects.
- Twisting, bowing, and warp.
- Species.
Are there different grades of lumber?
There are grading systems for both softwood and hardwood lumber – this article presents a summary of both systems and the provides explanations of the meaning of each grade. Woods may be classified as being either softwood or hardwood. However, those terms are not a strict indicator of the relative hardness of the wood itself.
What are the grades of treated lumber?
Softwood Lumber Grades
- Nonstress Lumber Grades. Contains moderate number of tight knots. ...
- Appearance Lumber Grades. With appearance lumber, there is additional emphasis on the physical look of the lumber given that it may be exposed once installed, e.g. ...
- Stress-Graded Lumber Grades. ...
What is the best lumber for outdoors?
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What are the four grades of lumber?
Table 2: Lumber Grades for Common (nonstress-graded) LumberGradeDesignationTypical UsesNo. 1ConstructionSiding, shelving, panelingNo. 2StandardSimilar uses to No. 1No. 3UtilitySheathing, subflooring, crate constructionNo. 4EconomySheathing, subflooring, creation of forms for concrete work1 more row
What are the three grades of lumber?
There are three broad classifications of softwood lumber: Yard, Structural, and Shop and Factory. Let's take a look at each of them in detail. Lumber intended for ordinary construction and building purposes.
What is appearance grade spruce?
It consists of white spruce, pine, and alpine fir that gives it its characteristics. The lumber has a bright color, smooth texture, clean appearance, small knots, and fine grain. SPF (Grade Lumber) is common in many buildings as a structural framing material.
What is appearance grade pine?
Appearance Grades Appearance grade boards generally come from the higher end of standard graded boards. This type of board is used mainly for construction purposes and allows larger knots than the finer grades of pine lumber.
What is the difference between 1 and 2 grade lumber?
#1 Grade: When appearance becomes more of a factor, #1 Grade will contain smaller, fewer, sound, tight knots and have less wane than found in #2 Grade. Keep in mind, that with the introduction of Prime grades, #1 Grade no longer contains some of the better grades that used to be included.
What is construction grade lumber?
Construction-grade lumber, for the most part, is made to build structures. But it can also be used to build woodworking projects. One key difference is species: Construction-grade is typically fir, spruce or pine -- all of which are softwood.
What is appearance board used for?
Appearance boards are ideal for shiplap projects, DIY crafts, interior furniture and decor. Appearance boards can be used untreated or painted/stained. They are available in hardwoods, softwoods, reclaimed wood and barn wood boards.
What is the highest appearance grade softwood boards?
The highest grade of appearance lumber is Finish, which is subdivided into grades composed of letters or combinations of letters (B&BTR, C, D) or names such as Superior or Prime, depending on the grading agency.
What is the best grade of hardwood lumber?
FAS: (first and second grade) This stands for the highest grade of lumber. FAS grade includes some defects but is considered the premier lumber for furniture and cabinet making. #1 & #2 common: These two grades will have a fair amount of allowable defects and color variations.
What is the best grade of pine lumber?
GradeWhat It Means1 CommonBest material for high quality pine with a knotty look. Knots will be tight, meaning they won't fall out, and generally small.2 CommonTight knots, but larger than found in 1 Common. Often used for paneling and shelving. Very suitable for general woodworking projects.2 more rows
What is treated appearance lumber?
Pressure-treated lumber grades are assigned based on appearance. Boards with fewer knots or other cosmetic blemishes get a higher grade, but a premium grade comes with a higher price. Use #2-grade lumber when appearance is not crucial to your project.
What are the different grades of treated lumber?
Pressure-treated lumber comes in 5 different grades: Premium, Select, and Number 1, 2, and 3. The higher the grade, the fewer the knots, splits, and general defects. For constructing a backyard deck, Number 2 or higher grade boards are required by code and are preferred by experienced carpenters.
What is the highest grade of appearance lumber?
With appearance lumber, there is additional emphasis on the physical look of the lumber given that it may be exposed once installed, e.g. used to make softwood furniture. The highest grade of appearance lumber is designated as finish, followed by selects and common. There is some variation in these terms and grades depending on the agency responsible.
What is the difference between stress graded and appearance lumber?
Appearance lumber is judged mainly by the overall visual quality, whereas stress-graded or nonstress-graded lumber is more concerned with the structural integrity of the wood. Retail lumberyards typically sell nonstress-graded and appearance lumber, which is collectively referred to as “yard lumber”.
What is hardwood grade?
Hardwood grading for lumber considers the size and number of pieces (or cuttings) which may be yielded during the creation of a hardwood product. The grading system is based, therefore, on the measurable percentage of clear wood that is defect-free for each of the grades.
What is stress graded lumber?
Softwoods that are stress-graded are used as beams, posts, studs, rafters, and joists, for example, where the material is functioning in a load-bearing capacity and working stresses will be applied. The stress gradings may be determined either by visual means or through mechanical testing according to ASTM standards and procedures, establishing standard working values for mechanical properties such as the modulus of elasticity and the bending moment. These pieces are referred to as structural lumber.
Which is lighter, hardwood or softwood?
These trees are ones which usually have needles and cones as opposed to leaves. Softwood lumber tends to be lighter and has a lower density than hardwood, owing from the fact that these trees that exhibit a higher rate of growth than hardwood trees.
What is the best wood for framing?
Some of the most commonly used softwoods that are created into lumber include: Cedar – both red and yellow most commonly. Fir – often called Douglas Fir. Pine.
What is lumber made of?
Lumber is a wood product, sawn and shaped from timbers of harvested trees. By its nature, wood is not of uniform consistency and therefore will contain defects that impact the appearance of the lumber that is created from the wood material, and which may impact the structural characteristics as well.
What is C grade flooring?
It is most commonly used in applications requiring a fine finish such as flooring and wall paneling. C Grade: When appearance is of paramount concern, this grade, as the name implies, is virtually knot-free and contains no wane. It is also most commonly used in applications requiring a fine finish.
What is the grade of fence board?
When referring to fence boards, this grade is often called Appearance Grade. #1 Grade: When appearance becomes more of a factor, #1 Grade will contain smaller, fewer, sound, tight knots and have less wane than found in #2 Grade.
What is wane in lumber?
It has a warm, rich, distinctive wood grain and is denser in nature. Wane: The presence of bark or the lack of wood fiber along the edge of a piece of lumber. The amount of wane varies according to lumber grade as described in the Southern Pine Inspection Bureaus grading rules.
Does CLEAR GRADE have wane?
While it can have wane similar to that found in #1 Grade, it has tighter growth rings and contains smaller and fewer knots. CLEAR Grade: When appearance is of paramount concern, this grade, as the name implies, is virtually knot-free and contains no wane.
What are the characteristics of lumber?
Here are four important characteristics of lumber, all key as you choose which type of to use for certain projects: Density. One physical property of wood that builders must consider in their projects is density, or the actual wood material in a unit volume of wood. Expressed in units of mass divided by volume, ...
What is stress graded lumber?
Stress graded. This type of lumber is also known as dimensional lumber, which you’ll recognize as a 2” x 4”. Dimensional lumber is used for posts, beams, decking, studs, rafters, joists, and for other structural uses where it will bear a weight (or stress).
Why is appearance important in hardwood flooring?
Appearance is one of the most important qualities in the grade, since most hardwood is exposed (such as in decking and flooring), and the highest graded lumber appears defect-free. Size matters in hardwood, since higher grades have a larger percentage of aesthetically pleasing usable material compared to lower grades.
What is softwood lumber?
Softwood is categorized into two categories of use: construction or remanufacture (such as wood that goes through a secondary manufacturing process to become paper, boxes, and so forth ). For these purposes, we’ll discuss construction grading.
What is lumber 2020?
Oct 20, 2020. The idea of lumber should be simple: it is a log that has been sawn or cut to be used for building or woodworking projects. But the specifications of lumber are myriad—it’s sold in multiple sizes, cuts, and types. Furthermore, different types of wood have different characteristics, such as density, hardness, and compression strength, ...
What is the best wood for furniture?
Dense wood is best for furniture and building, and softer, less dense wood can be ideal for making engineered wood products and paper. Texture. Wood texture describes how a wood feels, from coarse to fine, given an equal amount of sanding.
Is it necessary to treat wood to get a smooth finish?
Depending on its texture, treating the wood will be less or more necessary to achieve a smooth finish. Color. Wood colors come in a veritable rainbow of hues, and while choosing a wood of a certain color may be made for hardness reasons (such as ebony), its distinctive color makes it an aesthetic choice, as well.
Lumber Definitions
Lumber is sold in various forms, sizes, types and cuts. These characteristics are used to describe the different types of wood lumber. Certain projects may require one or more of these specific traits.
Wood Basics
In addition to the basic lumber definitions, there are two kinds of wood from which to choose: hardwood and softwood. The terms have almost nothing to do with the actual hardness of the wood. There are certain characteristics that are common in all wood types.
Hardwood Grades
Grading designation depends on the number of defects in a board. A lower grade can be perfectly acceptable, depending on placement and usage. Hardwoods are graded by the National Hardwood Lumber Association. Here are the features of each grade.
Softwood Grades
Softwoods are divided into two categories: dimensional lumber, with a grade based on strength, and appearance boards, which are typically used for woodworking projects. Grades listed here are from highest to lowest.
Lumber Grade Stamp
While lumber of the same species and size is at the mill, it's designated and separated by grade. It's then identified by a stamp and often inventoried by its grade and species. When selecting wood, look for its grading stamp because different lumberyards sometimes use different names for the same grade.
Treated Lumber
Treated lumber is produced for exterior use only and pressure-treated for ground or aboveground contact. It's resistant to rotting and insect damage, making it ideal for projects like DIY garden beds. Boards can be painted or stained once dry. Make sure you choose the right fastener (galvanized or stainless steel) when working with treated lumber.
Dimensional Lumber and Studs
Dimensional lumber and studs are milled on all four sides. Available in different lengths, these products are used for a variety of wood projects and construction.
What is premium grade lumber?
There is no structural premium grade, it is strictly a term for bright looking wood free of blemishes or knots.
When was lumber graded?
Since 1960, lumber in North America has been graded at lumber mills by trained inspectors for structural strength and quality control. The lumber is inspected for knots, splits, and other defects that can weaken the wood’s structural strength.
What is ground contact lumber?
Ground contact means anything within 6-inches of the ground or in contact with the ground, foliage, grasses, or over water or wet areas. It may have poor drainage and air circulation, or like a sill plate, is difficult to repair or maintain. Pressure treated wood for ground contact commonly has twice the chemical retention level as above ground rated lumber. UC3B or UC4A are best for ground contact use.
What is SPF 3 lumber?
Lumber with more checks, splits, wane, well-spaced larger knots and holes, and a grain slope of 1 in 4 are stamped #3 or construction grade. The wood is commonly used for light construction or framing where it isn’t visible, or for bracing, packaging, and shipping purposes. Structurally, an SPF #3 2×8 can be used to span distances of 12’-4”.
What is the slope of lumber graded #1?
Lumber structurally graded #1 or #1 & BTR (#1 and better) has a wood grain slope of 1 in 10. It is stronger than #2 or #3 grade lumber. Knots must be well spaced and tight, so they won’t fall out, and no larger than 2-3/4” in a 2×8. Lumber may have one hole every 3’ and any splits must not be bigger than the plank is wide.
What is the grain slope of 2x8 lumber?
It has a grain slope of 1 in 12, may have seasoning checks, and tight, well-spaced knots up to 2-1/4” on a 2×8. Select grade lumber may have a knothole every 4’ and splits can not be longer than the board is wide. The lumber is stronger than #1 or #2 and is ideal for all structural construction applications.
What is a unified rating?
The result of having a unified rating means the end-tag on lumber identifies how well the wood will stand up in different conditions, regardless of the chemical cocktail it’s been exposed to. There are six different types of pressure treatment ratings, with different categories in some of them.
What is appearance grade?
Appearance Grade: Cedar is also graded based on Appearance, which is called appearance grade or Select Lumber. Appearance grade is primarily for non-structural lumber under 2" thick. Appearance grades use letters A through D, with A being the highest grade.
What is the best grade for cedar?
Structural Grade: Structural Grade is typically used for Cedar 2 inches thick or more because these are dimensions used in a structural capacity first and foremost. Structural Grade is also referred to as Common Lumber. This grade is measured in numbers 1-5, with number 1 being the highest quality. Appearance Grade:
What is clear cedar?
Clear Cedar refers to A & Better Cedar and is free of almost all knots, but it isn't 100% free of knots. If you want Cedar that's 100% free of knots, which is difficult to find and costly, then you would need Clear Vertical Grain Cedar. Knotty or STK stands for Select Tight Knots.
Lumber Features
Whether you are taking on a smaller DIY project like shiplapping a bedroom wall, or you're tackling a big job like new construction, these common terms will help you determine to how to choose lumber.
Hardwood vs. Softwood
There are two categories of wood: hardwood and softwood. The lumber industry uses a scale called the Janka Rating System to measure and rank the relative hardness of wood. Hickory is the hardest, commercially available common wood. Next in line are pecan, hard maple and white oak.
Lumber Types
While terms like boards, studs and plywood all refer to types of lumber, they should not be used interchangeably. Each type of lumber is designed to be used for specific building purposes. Read on for a breakdown of the most commonly used types of wood as well as their features and benefits.
Framing and Structural Lumber
The most commonly used lumber, structural lumber, are the 2-foot x 4-foot and 4-foot x 4-foot boards used in everyday DIY and construction projects.
Appearance Boards
Appearance boards are chosen primarily based on how they look rather than their strength. They must be at least 1-inch thick and 2-inches wide. There are two grades of appearance boards, "Finish" (a higher grade) and "Select". Appearance boards are ideal for shiplap projects, DIY crafts, interior furniture and decor.
Plywood
Plywood is made from layers of thin sheets of wood and cured under heat and pressure. It's ideal for DIY crafts, shelving and subfloors. Plywood can be used untreated, painted or stained. It's available in hardwood and softwood veneers.
Decking and Fencing
Deck and fencing lumber includes railings, floor boards, posts and balusters. It is available with above-ground contact or ground contact treatment.
What Different Types of Lumber Grades Mean
- Lumberis a wood product, sawn and shaped from timbers of harvested trees. By its nature, wood is not of uniform consistency and therefore will contain defects that impact the appearance of the lumber that is created from the wood material, and which may impact the structural characteristics as well. In the U.S., lumber is assigned a grade which est...
Softwood Versus Hardwood
- Woods may be classified as being either softwood or hardwood. However, those terms are not a strict indicator of the relative hardness of the wood itself. Softwoods are those which are derived from the harvesting of coniferous trees (gymnosperms), which are more often known as evergreen trees. These trees are ones which usually have needles and cones as opposed to leaves. Softwood lumber tends to be lighter and has a lower density than hard…
Softwood Lumber Grades
- The American Lumber Standard Committee (http://www.alsc.org) serves as the body that developed and maintains the American Softwood Lumber Standard PS 20 under auspices of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The majority use case for softwood lumber is for what is characterized as construction lumber, which may be further subdivided into stress-graded, nonstress-graded, and appearance lumber. Appearance lumber is judged …
Hardwood Lumber Grades
- Grading of hardwoods is significantly less complicated than that of softwoods. The American Hardwood Export Council (https://www.ahec.org/) has developed The Illustrated Guide to American Hardwood Lumber Grades which provides the basis for the grading system, measurement standards, and descriptions of the characteristics and defects associated with the ten of the common hardwoods in use. Given the emphasis with hardwoods on t…
Useful Nomenclature
- There are specific terms and definitions that are used in the grading of lumber, a few of which are summarized here for convenience: Board foot– defined as the product of the width of the board by the thickness (both in inches) multiplied by the length of the board in feet. Surface measure– defined as a measure of the surface area of the board. Surface measure is calculated by taking the product of the width of the board (measured in inches…
Summary
- This article presented a summary of the different grading systems for softwoods and hardwoods. To learn more about the suppliers of lumber, see our guide to lumber suppliers in the U.S. To explore other topics, consult our additional guides or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platformto locate potential sources of supply or view details on specific products.