Grading rules are used to determine the value of lumber. After the log has been converted to boards they are inspected by a lumber grader. The basswood harvested from the northern region tends to have a good white color. An excellent selection of some of the most beautiful woods in the world. Depending on the species and grade of the solid lumber, it can carry the most weight along the greatest length. You can use accepted industry standards and grading systems to describe the look you and your customer want, and the best way to achieve it within the budget. Lumber is graded based on the quality and appearance of the wood. Ts manufacturing grading stations are available in single or multiple grader layouts, and can be retrofitted into existing installations. If you dont see a thickness you want, give us a call 1. There are many criteria and restrictions, including number of cuttings, size of cuttings, and size of lumber.
Also keep in mind that except for a few white pines, redwood, and cedar, most of the time youll be working with hardwoods. The national hardwood lumber association nhla has set a standard grading scale. Planning a new shelf, bookcase, or other builtin unit. The full text of the guides introduction, written by ang. By eco relics blog hardwood lumber january 11, 2017 when selecting hardwood for your next woodworking project, consider the size of the boards required. The lumber graders first job is to determine if the value of the board can be improved by cross cutting it into a shorter length. For hickory, it is only required to be 4 and wider but 4 and 5 wide pieces must yield 91. Grades provide the basis for determining lumber quality and price, and sloan explains standard grades, abbreviations, nonstandard grades, and how grading works. In fact, the nhla grading rules form the basis for much of the international hardwood lumber trade. We offer most of the standard grades as defined by national hardwood lumber association nhla. Typically these include minor imperfections in milling, imperfections in facework which cannot be wholly removed by an ordinary method of sanding, slight variations in angle of end matching, varying wood characteristics such as spots, streaks, slightly open.
The basswood harvested from the northern region tends to have a good. The first thing to realize about cabinetquality lumber is that the rules you probably know about ordering dimension lumber the type you use for carpentry work dont apply. Oct 15, 2009 for over 100 years, the national hardwood lumber assn. Southeastern forest experiment station, asheville, north carolina 28802, 1967 reprinted january 1989 posted date. American lumbers super common hard maple is designed to maximize your lumber yield and provide you the most fiber per 1 common board. Electrode, comp867606465, dcprodazwestus14, envproda, profprod, ver20. American lumbers super common hard maple available in 44 thickness full 5. Mark the lumber according to the following cut lists. While lumber of the same species and size is at the mill, its designated and separated by grade. Ts multiple grading stations offer lug speeds up to 200 lugsmin.
The nhla grading system, which is used by buyers and sellers of hardwood lumber, describes the amount of usable clear material in a board. This system for grading hardwood logs was first proposed by the forest products laboratory in 1949 in laboratory report 1737. Theyre graded both by appearance and by the amount of decayresistant heartwood the boards containthe more, the better. This is just a short description to help you understand grading of hardwoods. Whether you need a place in your childs bedroom for their books, or a dedicated space in the living room to display your familys cherished heirlooms, you can be sure that we will have a quality handcrafted bookcase that meets your needs. Lumber grades american hardwood information center. Once these requirements are mastered, practice grading and continued study of the rul e book will give the novice an appreciation of hardwood l umber.
The nhla grading system, which is used by buyers and. Softwood boards 1 inch thickthe type youd use for bookcases and. Hardwood lumber and veneer series purdue extension. The rules are based on grading rough lumber from the worst side. Redwood and western red cedar lumber are sold a bit differently from other softwoods.
A dutchcrafters solid wood bookcase isnt just for the office. Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. The basswood stocked by schaller hardwood lumber company is harvested primarily from the northern tier of states and canada. The course is not intended to be used in training lumber inspectors or to serve as a substitute for the official rules. In 1898 the national hardwood lumber association was established, with the express purpose of establishing a uniform system of grading rules for the measurement and inspection of hardwood lumber. National hardwood lumber association home facebook. A wide variety of domestic hardwoods in various thicknesses and price ranges. The national hardwood lumber association nhla was founded on april 8 th, 1898 in chicago, illinois to establish uniformity of inspecting hardwood lumber. When the nhla national hardwood lumber association came up with central grading standards over 100 years ago, they helped create order from chaos across the lumber industry.
F one foot long, one foot wide, one inch thick one foot 0. Grade hardwood sawmill lumber sawmills thompson hardwoods, inc. American lumbers super common hard maple available in. Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading hardwood lumber is usually graded on the basis of the size and number of cuttings pieces that can be obtained from a board when it is cut up and used in the manufacture of a hardwood product. Once these requirements are mastered, practice grading and continued study of the rul e book will give the novice an appreciation of hardwood l umber grading. Click on the image to view our epublication, designed to provide you with an understanding of popular hardwood plywood face veneer grades. Guide to the different lumber grades lampert lumber. Lumber sawmills, hardwood lumber sawmills, grade lumber. The naming of wood grades can be confusing, but for building shelves, we recommend sticking with no. Applications a where excellent appearance is very important as in cabinets and furniture. Miscellaneous engineering related topics like beaufort wind scale, cemarking, drawing standards and more. In this article, he shares what hes learned in books and through threeday log, lumber, and treegrading workshops. The nhla is now a membershipbased trade association that serves two main purposes.
Before you grab a saw and begin a diy bookshelf project, there are a variety of. The highest grade boards are long, wide and free of defects. Today the nhla has over 2000 members worldwide, and the nhla rules are still the national standard for the us hardwood industry and form the basis for grading of export lumber. The standard grades of hardwood lumber as defined by the nhla in descending order of quality are fas, fas 1face f1f, selects, no. We follow the national hardwood lumber association grading rules which is the predominant standard in the world. They were established over 100 years ago by the newly formed national hardwood lumber association nhla. For information on construction grading, special grading, etc. Thompson hardwoods is one of the top 10 largest lumber sawmills in the united states. The grain has very little character, the sapwood is very white while the heartwood tends to have a light tan color. Green fas lumber for most species is usually required to be 6 and wider. This chapter will summarize the information on the properties and grading of 2inchthick dimension lumber resulting from research studies conducted since about 1990.
Examining some of the most common grades of hardwood lumber. And with its lower price, lesser lumber might be the best buy in the store. Hardwood lumber is usually graded on the basis of the size and number of cuttings pieces that can be obtained from a board when it is cut up and used in the. Combined with a management team possessing over 3 decades of experience, thompson hardwoods continually exceeds and surpasses the needs and expectations of its customers. Construction lumber is lumber that will function as graded and. Its then identified by a stamp and often inventoried by its grade and species. Standard still used for panelingshelving, also found in crates, fences, siding, sheathing and some industrial use. Our large selection, expert advice, and excellent prices will help you find bookcases that fit your style and budget. May, 2020 whether lobbying for forest management, creating new market opportunities, or funding the hardwood federation, nhla works to strengthen the status of the entire north american hardwood industry. Hardwood lumber grades, yield and cost woodworking network.
If the lumber is thicker than one inch, multiply by the. The central purpose for grading lumber is to determine the. Even considering the subjective nature of fas grading standards, they still provide a helpful system for evaluating lumber. Bookcases in cleveland, eastlake, westlake, mentor, medina. When selecting wood, look for its grading stamp because different lumberyards sometimes use different names for the same grade.
Side information follows a lumber grader in action. B where the natural characteristics and appearance of the species are desirable. Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading hardwood lumber is usually graded on the basis of the size and number of cuttings pieces that can be obtained from a board when it is cut up. Unfortunately, plywood is not very pretty, so look for primed, cabinetgrade. C d provide sound surfaces but allow unlimited color variation. We love our work and we love furniture, style and natural timbers. When you graduate from milkcrates, but cannot bring yourself to buy disposable ikea furniture for ethical, environmental, or repressedchildhoodmemoriesofparentswholovedtheswedishcrap reasons, build some hardwood shelves. Other good grades include selects, one face, and firsts and seconds.
Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading. The standard grades of hardwood lumber as defined by the nhla in descending order of quality are fas. Jan 01, 2020 picking lumber at j gibson mcilvain lumberyard. What kind of wood works best for building a bookshelf. Domestic hardwood lumber and exotic hardwood lumber. The central purpose for grading lumber is to determine the structural integrity of the wood. Hardwood and softwood have different grading rules based on how the wood will be used. Grading and properties of hardwood structural lumber. Nhla grading rules for north american hardwoods gutchess lumber. At wayfair, we want to make sure you find the best home goods when you shop online. Softwood lumber dimensions commercial softwood lumber dimension chart nominal and actual sizes softwood lumber grading rough lumber, surfaced lumber dressed, worked lumber, shop and factory lumber and yard lumber. While the hardwood lumber industry has undergone many changes, the same basic standards set over a century ago are largely still in place. Enhance operations, reduce waste, and squeeze as much profit from every single log. Multiply the width in inches by the length in feet and divide by 12.
Sep 09, 2010 specific characteristics of natural grade flooring will vary widely by wood species. Softwood choices coniferous trees such as cedar, fir, spruce and pine are the types most used to make lumber. The grading standard established by the national hardwood lumber association nhla has been in place since 1898. For purposes of grading, softwood lumber may be categorized into two categories of intended use. In 1898 the national hardwood lumber association was established, with the express purpose of establishing a uniform system of grading rules for the measurement and inspection of hardwood. The national hardwood lumber association set the grading standards for hardwood. The standards are voluminous, replete with exceptions, special rules for. The grading standard established by the national hardwood lumber. When the nhla national hardwood lumber association came up with central. In the united states, standards for grading hardwood are set by the national hardwood lumber assn. This grade is most often recommended for furniture creation, and is more than capable of becoming a quality shelf. For over 100 years, the national hardwood lumber assn. Thompson hardwoods top 10 largest lumber sawmill in the u.
This chapter will summarize the information on the properties and grading of 2inchthick dimension lumber resulting from research. Jan 11, 2017 by eco relics blog hardwood lumber january 11, 2017 when selecting hardwood for your next woodworking project, consider the size of the boards required. The national hardwood lumber association developed the uniform system of grading with the c. Where hardwood lumber comes frominspection and grading. Apr 11, 2016 a few weeks ago i ordered 300 board feet of 12. We help hardwood companies achieve profitability and solve their top business challenges with datadriven, expert advice and handson training. The american softwood lumber standard, voluntary product standard. Construction lumber is lumber that will function as graded and sized. In many situations, smaller boards or lower grades are a more economical choice than the higher grades if small, clear pieces are required. Theyre graded both by appearance and by the amount of decayresistant heartwood the boards containthe more. For an in depth and complete explanation please check out the national hardwood lumber association pdf guide to grading lumber. However, if you plan on frequently moving the bookcase, its weight will be an obstacle, especially if the bookcase is large. American lumber company hardwood lumber custom grades. Whether you need a place in your childs bedroom for their books, or a dedicated space.
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