What Is The Best Grade Of Hardwood Lumber

Strong lumber with fewer knots or cosmetic blemishes gets a higher grade and price.

What is the best grade of hardwood lumber.

Lumber thickness 4 4 6 4 etc is not considered when grading hardwood. A brief description of the basic grades are. Clearness is measured in large rectangular areas called cuttings. Boards 6 and wider 8 and longer.

These depend on various factors like the type of wood used and the number and types of defects if any. The standard hardwood lumber grades are summarized below. The grades are based on the two faces alone. Relation to lumber grading most hardwood logs are sawn into lumber.

Lumber is graded based on the quality and appearance of the wood. Firsts and seconds fas the best and most expensive grade. The grade of hardwood lumber is determined by a visual inspection of each board according to rules developed by the national hardwood 3information on prices trends in log and lumber. Never buy a higher grade lumber than is recommended as it will affect the overall cost of your project.

6 x 8 in 83 defect free on best side. A lower grade can be perfectly acceptable depending on placement and usage. Here s a chart to help explain the grading system. The best grade is fas and it must be 83 clear or clearer on the poorest side.

The next grade is no. An overview of lumber grades and wood quality. Hardwood grading for lumber considers the size and number of pieces or cuttings which may be yielded during the creation of a hardwood product. Before we get into the different grades of lumber let s take a look at the various defects you may find in a piece of lumber.

Although this grade is the most uniform because it comes from such a small. Yields 83 1 3 percent of clear face cuttings with minimum sizes of 4 x 5 or 3 x 7. Taken from the heart center of the tree this is the highest grade of hardwood and clearest meaning it has few to no blemishes at all no knots or wormholes and has the most uniformity between the planks in regards to color and grain lines. 1 common which must be 67 clear on the poor side etc.

Grades are listed from highest to lowest. Fas first and second grade. The grading system is based therefore on the measurable percentage of clear wood that is defect free for each of the grades. Take a look at this article understanding hardwood lumber grading.

The grading of sawn wood into categories as it is processed helps to determine to a large extent the value and potential use possible for each board of sawn lumber worldwide hardwood lumber producers grade their lumber assuring downstream consumers of the lumber of the lumber s quality for the intended use. The basic concept of grading is that the grade of all lumber is determined from the poorest face or side of the lumber with a few cases considering the better face as well. Suitable for fine furniture cabinetry and applications where. The value of this lumber and thus of the log is determined in part by the lumber grade.

Hardwoods are graded by the national hardwood lumber association.