Lumber Grading at WOODWEB's Knowledge Base

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Finding the Value in "Low Grade" Wood

A long and insightful discussion, with photos, about how to use (and sell) wood that is officially graded low. June 18, 2009

Quartering a huge oak

Methods for quartering a log too large to fit on the mill. May 9, 2001

Processing Trees to Lumber -- for the Hobbyist and Small Business

Two experts share their secrets of success for small-scale milling operations. January 19, 2002

Grading lumber for an addition

Must home-milled lumber for use in a home addition be graded? June 24, 2001

Certifying Sustainable Forest Management

Rewarding Good Deeds in the Woodlot September 1, 2001

What is heart pine?

History and how heart pine is defined today. October 30, 2003

Cracks in log home logs -- and other warnings

Cracks in logs used in log home construction are normal, but not necessarily desirable. August 10, 2000

DIY grading

The legal ins and outs of grading your own milled lumber. January 28, 2002

Hiring a timber consultant

When selling your woodlot, who should you enlist for help with all the choices you'll need to make? August 12, 2001

What is value added?

Forum participants give technical and personal definitions. April 2, 2002

Home-made house materials

Advice on sawing out the lumber to build your own house. February 28, 2001

Aging yellow cedar

Attaining the look of naturally aged yellow cedar. September 2, 2002

Measuring Logs and Lumber

Lumber measurement - Professor Gene Wengert clears up questions regarding proper measurement techniques. May 28, 2001

Twisted timbers

Determining the cause of twisting in Douglas fir construction timbers. August 10, 2000

Understanding Hardwood Lumber Grading

This article from Independent Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine covers the basics. September 21, 2001

Maximizing Lumber from a Log

Can quartersawing produce as much usable lumber as one company claims? January 29, 2004

Safe and Cost-Effective Tree Felling

The how and why of wedge cuts. February 26, 2005

-What is a Board Foot?

Explanation and glossary of lumber terms by Professor Eugene Wengert. May 2, 2001

Thickness of Rough Lumber

Identifying and sawing for specific dimensions. May 19, 2004

Certified construction lumber

Laws governing the lumber used in building. December 17, 2002

Limbing practices

To prune or not to prune your future sawlogs. (Forestry Forum) March 23, 2003

Regaining MC in overdry wood

Is machinability lost when lumber has been overdried, then had moisture put back in? May 17, 2003

Cutting "shake" out of logs

What is shake, why does it occur, and how can it be removed? April 29, 2003

Effects of environmental awareness?

Lumber processors discuss the market effects of buyer awareness of environmental issues. August 23, 2000

Causes of Shake

Bacteria is what causes shake in trees. September 24, 2003

True Dimensions of 4/4 Green Lumber

The terms "4/4" and "RWRL" take some explaining. Here's the voice of expertise and experience. October 8, 2005

How to quartersaw

Sawyers share details and pictures of their preferred methods. May 17, 2003

Roughsawn Hemlock for Framing Lumber

Thoughts and advice on sawing up hemlock to use for house framing. October 20, 2005

Hard Maple for Baseball Bats

Info about sawing, drying, and grading maple bat billets. October 2, 2005

Black locust vs. treated wood -- for barn poles

Comparing black locust to treated lumber for use in barn construction. June 21, 2000

Calculating board footage

Professor Gene Wengert explains it all. February 18, 2003

Powderpost beetles in hardwood beams

Is there any way to get rid of powderpost beetles riddling oak beams with holes? November 7, 2001

Remove pith when sawing boards?

Removing inferior wood from sawlogs. June 24, 2001

Hemlock for homebuilding

The virtues and pitfalls of hemlock as a house-framing material. June 20, 2000

Lumber grading: The basics

How lumber is graded and net tallies are determined. November 7, 2000

Clear face in a log

Clear face, cat face and trim, defined. March 4, 2002

Drying wood for musical instruments

A primer on various lumber drying techniques as they relate to musical instrument construction. 1998.

Wet Cottonwood with Wind Shake

Some comments about the dubious strength and quality of lumber from Cottonwood logs having noticeable wind shake. July 28, 2006

Producing Drying Defects on Purpose

A client requests surface checks in his kiln charge of white oak. Should the operator oblige? May 11, 2005

Dropping your lumber prices -- and why not

Why do customers expect a local sawmill's prices to be lower than the lumberyard's? February 13, 2001

Visual Grading, Lumber Strength, and Liability

If a visually graded piece of lumber breaks at lower stresses than the grade specifies, can somebody get in trouble? January 27, 2008

Cambium miners' effect on standing cherry

A woodlot pest causes gummosis in cherry. June 21, 2000

Conditioning DH-kiln-dried white oak

July 18, 2000

Wood species for outdoor furniture

The Wood Doctor names names: Decay-resistance lumber suitable for outdoor use. October 10, 2000

NHLA lumber grading

Do rough mills need NHLA graders? May 30, 2001

Sawing wood for house-framing

The basics of sawing and drying lumber to by used in constructing a house. January 3, 2001

Gene's value-added hints

A bit of wisdom on adding value to your wood products, from Professor Gene Wengert. April 2, 2002

Efficient cutting parallel to bark

When cutting for grade, what is the most material-efficient method? Illustrated. April 2, 2002

Making the Most of Walnut Logs

Thick and thin, high grade and low grade, sawyers and woodworkers discuss how to squeeze the best value from walnut trees. July 28, 2006

Standing dry cedar: Lumber-worthy?

Are standing, dead cedar trees a good source for decking boards? July 11, 2000

"Moon Ring" Defect in Oak

Very rarely, some sapwood in a tree will fail to convert to heartwood, leaving the appearance of a light, bleached streak in the wood. March 13, 2009

Aromatic cedar for closet lining

A discussion of drying and machining, aromatic red cedar for closet lining. Includes ideas on marketing the finished product. March 4, 2000

Yellow discoloration in oak

Causes of yellow staining in kiln-dried oak are discussed. October 2, 2001

Five value-added approaches

Professor Gene Wengert presents ideas on adding value to your wood products. April 2, 2002

Chestnut

Horse chestnut, and why it's the only live type of this wood available. September 6, 2000

You say pecan, I say hickory

Pecan lumber is usually sold as hickory. June 20, 2000

"True honeycomb" defined

What is "true honeycomb" and what causes it? November 7, 2001

Best preparation for bent ash

Dr. Gene advises a fishing-net maker on the best ways to prepare ash for bending into frames for his products. 1998.

Lumber from a lake bottom??

Is it possible to dry logs which have spent 50 years underwater? January 31, 2001

Cypress board and batten siding

It's better to kiln dry that cypress before siding your house with it than to let air-drying suffice. 1998.

Hardwood Plywood Grades

Here's a concise explanation of hardwood plywood grades and what they mean. March 26, 2009

Cambium miner's effect on lumber grade

Gene Wengert on cambium miners, what they do, and whether the result affects lumber grade. 1998.

Dry Kiln Operator's Manual

A publication of the Forest Products Laboratory. August 22, 2003

Controlling color in air-dried alder

Ideas for achieving color uniformity when air-drying alder. July 26, 2000

Lumber Degrade Above or Below FSP

Is wood subject to degrade and defects above or below FSP?

Drying green tongue-and-groove pine

Success in drying green, already-machined lumber has much to do with the species. 1998.

Sawing crotchwood

Obtaining the best figured wood. September 2, 2002

Quartersawn mahogany, or is it?

An architectural woodworker seeks specifications and industry guidelines for what constitutes truly quartersawn mahogany. March 5, 2000.

Moisture content of walnut -- and measuring it

A woodworker seeks information about acceptable moisture contents for walnut used in furniture, and wonders what makes moisture meters tick. 1998.

Are coastal trees of lower quality?

Is there a in the quality of lumber between trees grown in coastal, versus inland, areas? August 10, 2000

Lumber Grader Qualifications and Reimbursement

Notes on who can grade hardwood lumber, and how much they might charge to do it. August 29, 2006

Defining Hardwood Veneer Log Quality Attributes

What makes a good veneer log? This expert resource takes the mystery out of industry veneer-log selection and grading criteria. December 19, 2006

When holly goes pathological

Only fungus and injury cause color change in normally white holly. 1998.

Salvaging lumber from submerged wood

The best chance for salvaging lumber from submerged wood lies in cutting it quickly, and drying it slowly. 1998.

Basic lumber grades

An overview of NHLA grades. October 15, 2001

Characteristics of butt log lumber

Denser, darker wood than the rest of that from the same laod may be from butt logs. 1998.

Quartersawing on a bandmill

Methods for quartersawing timber on bandsaw mill. June 24, 2001

Sinker logs: Cutting, use and grading

A quick review of the cutting, use, and grading of lumber from sinker logs. June 20, 2000

Smelly lauan

The Wood Doctor is quizzed about bad-smelling lauan in a commercial bar. Diagnosis: anaerobic bacteria. Prognosis: terminal. Prescription: replacement. 1998.

Most-marketable material thicknesses

Sawing lumber to thicknesses that are in demand among woodworkers. January 31, 2001

Red cedar vs. white cedar siding

The differences between the two woods, specifically, their suitability for use as siding. October 17, 2000

Moisture issues in antique lumber

Is salvaged wood from old barns dry enough to use as one would use kiln-dried lumber? August 23, 2000

Borer holes in oak timbers

Which creepy-crawlies caused those holes in structural members of an oak timber-frame building? January 16, 2001

Casehardening explained

The Wood Doctor describes casehardening, its causes, and cure. July 18, 2000

Drying Hardwood Lumber

A publication from the Forest Products Laboratory. August 22, 2003

Quani?? Konnei??

Description: Konnei, a species from tropical Asia. March 2, 2000

Woodlot purchase and profitability

Advice on purchasing land for timber. April 20, 2001

Lumber grading guidelines

Where to find basic information on lumber grades and lumber grading. August 10, 2000

Quality Drying of Softwood Lumber

A publication from the Forest Service in PDF format. August 22, 2003

Quality Drying of Hardwood Lumber

A publication from the Forest Service in PDF format. August 22, 2003

Alder color

The effects of age on the coloration of lumber cut from alder logs. August 10, 2000

Bur oak, a.k.a. white oak

Information about various types of white oak, of which 'bur oak' is one. August 23, 2000

Identifying mixed lumber

The best guide to wood identification. March 5, 2000

Good lumber from "Ys"?

Can quality wood come from branch locations? July 11, 2000

What causes "shake" in pine?

The cause of this defect, which significantly impacts lumber grade. June 20, 2000

Constructing with poplar

Is poplar appropriate for building? February 6, 2002

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