Lumber of this grade contains few defects, but knots are allowed of any quality as long as they are well spaced and do not exceed the size regulations. A spiralbound book of the full nlga standard grading rules for canadian lumber may be purchased from nlga through our publication sales section of the website. The hardwood grading rules are quite complex and require study. Worldwide, hardwood lumber producers grade their lumber, assuring downstream consumers of the lumber of the lumber s quality for the intended use. Guide to the different lumber grades lampert lumber. For complete details the grading rule book can be purchased. For purposes of grading, softwood lumber may be categorized into two categories of intended use. Grade a2 old classification ii tolerance of 2 sound knots per side and 1 per edge. Publications for download national lumber grades authority. Publications for sale national lumber grades authority nlga. Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by the national hardwood lumber. The central purpose for grading lumber is to determine the structural integrity of the wood. Jan 01, 2020 in hardwood lumber grading, part 2, well look at how socalled defects can spice up the system, but for now, lets at least understand that the system is not perfect. Teaching the basics of hardwood log and lumber grading.
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. Grading rules are used to determine the value of lumber. Its then identified by a stamp and often inventoried by its grade and species. A detailed explanation can be found in the nhla rules book. Jul 10, 2014 grading designation depends on the number of defects in a board. Well learn more about grading softwood in the dimensional lumber module, but here, well introduce some common defects that can affect the grade of a piece of lumber. Flooring manufacturers have their own grading standards, others may also comply with national grading rules, and some flooring styles have no grade at all antique flooring, for example. Unless you learn to speak the language, a trip to the lumberyard can seem like visiting a foreign country. It was first mimeographed and used in forest service training courses for l og gradingto give a l ittl e background in l umber grading. The national hardwood lumber association set the grading standards for hardwood. The reader is encouraged to study the published rules book, as well. For complete information, consult the appropriate section of the nhla rule book. Msr lumber is distinguished from visually stress graded lumber in that each piece is nondestructively tested.
This rule also applies to each stock width and to any specified width. West coast yard grades are identified by letters, names or stress values in the center of the grade stamp. While lumber of the same species and size is at the mill, its designated and separated by grade. Hardwood lumber grading short course penn state extension. Teaching the basics of hardwood log and lumber grading george d screpetis on. Dimensional lumber western wood products association. The grading rules are published in the western lumber grading rules book.
You always seem to be so practical and clear in your. Lumber grades american hardwood information center. The provisions of this standard apply to structural lumber manufactured from hardwood species or lumber manufactured from foreign species when the species is included in rules certified by. American lumbers super common hard maple is designed to maximize your lumber yield and provide you the most fiber per 1 common board. In contrast most export markets are more familiar with a metric standard. When selecting wood, look for its grading stamp because different lumberyards sometimes use different names for the same grade. Keep in mind that nhla grades apply only to north american hardwoods. The grade mark can include 1w or 2w if visually graded to the wane requirements for no. This 104page manual by joe denig and gene wengert was published in cooperation with the national hardwood lumber association and contains five chapters covering all aspects of sawing, resawing, edging, trimming, and grading hardwood lumber. Hardwoods are graded by the national hardwood lumber association. Understanding your needs and matching them to the correct product source can become extremely important in ensuring you obtain the best yields.
The producers of dimension lumber will be very knowledgeable of how the lumber is graded and have access to training methods that the lay person does not. In canada, the national lumber grades authority nlga is responsible for the establishment of canadian lumber grading rules and standards and publishes the ngr in the nlga standard grading rules. Wwpa is also exclusively authorized to formulate and maintain grading rules for redwood lumber known as the standard specifications for grades of. Material in italics is mandatory instructions to the accredited rules writing agencies, which incorporate this italicized material in their regional grading rule books. When tropical hardwoods are specified or purchased without clearly defining grade expectations, there is no assurance of the quality and consistency of the product delivered and no accountability standard set for a vendor. Western bulgaria article about western bulgaria by the. Founded in 1898, the nhla helped establish order within the industry by developing a standardized system of. Although extremely important in determining grade, few of these exceptions are covered here. The grader has two tools, a lumber rule in his left hand and a crayon on the end of a stick in his right hand. Tropical hardwoods expectations, grading rules and definitions. American lumbers super common hard maple available in 44 thickness full 5. Lumber manufacturers burmese teak lumber lumber wood. As of january 1, 2019, a new nhla rules book has been launched. After close examination and thorough inspection, our grading specialists adjudge lumber one of the following grades.
So, when selecting and pricing lumber, it is important to know the grade of material being purchased and how it is best used. We have gathered a summary of these changes contained in the new rules book. The rules for the inspection of lumber are uniform in construction and application but also carry with them the element of stability. Nlga is the only recognized rules writing body for lumber grades and standards in canada. West coast lumber inspection bureau grade stamps also.
For information on construction grading, special grading, e tc. The basics of hardwood standard lumber grades youtube. Learning to grade softwood dimension lumber spib blog. 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. Member grading agencies this publication offers a representative sampling of western softwood grades provided by the member agencies of the softwood export council sec. The grade of each piece of lumber will determine how it can be used. The simplified process of determining hardwood lumber grades. The national lumber grades authority nlga is the organization responsible for the establishment, issuance, publication, amendment and interpretation of canadian lumber grading rules and standards. 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. All other types of knots clusters, barkringed, unsound are excluded.
A spiralbound book of the full nlga standard grading rules for canadian lumber may be purchased from nlga through our publication sales section of the. Bracketed material which is applicable to a species shall be included in certified grading rules. Hardwood lumber grading hardwood lumber grading is a complex process using rules maintained by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Even considering the subjective nature of fas grading standards, they still provide a helpful system for evaluating lumber.
I offered to share my lesson plans from a lumber grading course that i am teaching right now if there was enough interest and there was, so here goes. The nhla hardwood grading rules are the product of the process of evolutionary development and that process is still in operation. Finally there was a standardized system of grading to determine quality of lumber. Grade stamps applied to 4 and thinner framing lumber surfaced at a moisture content in excess of 19% shall include the designation sgrn. Washington seattle 20205 59th place south kent, wa 98032. Select filtering categories below to locate resource materials by resource usage, topic, product, or species. Classification, official, grading and inspection rules of the hardwood manufacturers association of the united states classic reprint states, hardwood manufacturers association of the united on. 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. Basic concepts in log scaling, lumber grading and log bucking. Hey guys, this is an offshoot of another thread talking about species, characteristics and lumber grades. The lowstress way to find your next lumber grading job opportunity is on simplyhired. Understanding hardwood lumber grading j gibson mcilvain.
Through constant improvement, they have come to be preferred by nearly all lumber inspectors everywhere. It worked well with my yard hands, sawmill operators, and coll ege students. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial measurement system using inches and feet. The conwaycleveland lumber scaling rules are used to measure the board feet content of sawn lumber. American lumber company hardwood lumber custom grades.
And with its lower price, lesser lumber might be the best buy in the store. This system for grading hardwood logs was first proposed by the forest products laboratory in 1949 in laboratory report 1737. 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. Construction lumber is lumber that will function as graded and. Pdf files of sections of the standard grading rules for canadian lumber are listed below. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. New 2017 edition of export r list published pacific. The grading system for white pine alone consists of about ten levels. Put simply, lumber grading serves quality assurance needs. Wwpa grades for dimension lumber are established by the american lumber standard committee, inc. Width of the piece is determined at the narrowest point in. Announcing wclib merges with pacific lumber inspection bureau.
Here is an overview of the characteristics that determine the grades of western red cedar. Worldwide, hardwood lumber producers grade their lumber, assuring downstream consumers of the lumber of the lumbers quality for the intended use. Additionally, the grade rules were developed with random width and length lumber. Lumber is graded according to its quality, or how many defects it has. In january 2019 wclib merged with the pacific lumber inspection bureau, forming a single organization that is global, broader based, more experienced and better equipped to meet the needs of our members and. Common grade red oak that works american lumber s red oak face grade is a common grade random width lumber product that provides customers consistent usable lumber throughout the bundle. After the log has been converted to boards they are inspected by a lumber grader.
Important dates preregister by wednesday, january 22, 2020 to determine grading class interest, it is mandatory that all students to preregister. Hardwood lumber grades, yield and cost woodworking network. The basics of hardwood standard lumber grades missouri department of conservation in cooperation with the national hardwood lumber. Lumber grading the national hardwood lumber association nhla sets minimum standards by which lumber is sorted into specific grades. Lumber mills inkstamp each board with a lumber grade. We are pleased to provide free pdf sections of the nlga standard grading rules for canadian lumber 2017 edition for your personal reference. A quick reference guide to american hardwood lumber grading, courtesy of ahec and the nhla. This grade permits characteristics such as stain, large knots, very large holes, unsound wood, massed pitch, heavy shake, splits and wane in.
Dimension lumber grades are divided into the following classifications. The nhla rules were designed to provide the furniture industry a mathematically measurable method to grade lumber for its amount of clear, defect free wood. 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. Lumber of this grade is intended for use in construction where lumber of a higher grade is not needed. First european quality feq first european quality feq is a quality standard for teak. The course will cover the fundamental of hardwood lumber inspection and will give the attendees the opportunity for handson application of the rules.
Explore the use of the common grades to achieve the most value considering lumber cost and yield. Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading. It is not intended as a replacement for the national lumber grades authority nlga standard grading rules for canadian lumber and must not be relied upon except as. Wwpa grading rules for douglas fir, engelmannspruce, hemlocktrue firs, idaho white pine, incense cedar,lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, western larch andwestern red cedar.
The nhla hardwood grading rules are the product of the process of. Nhla grading rules national hardwood lumber association. If you are going to work with wood professionally, id suggest you consult a. Hardwood and softwood have different grading rules based on how the wood will be used. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial.
The hardwood lumber grading short course is designed to benefit anyone involved in the lumber industry who needs a basic understanding of hardwood lumber grades. Students are taught the most common grade categories manufactured from w. Today we take this grading system for granted and it has become a universal way to quickly convey the quality of a board and how much clear wood is to be had in each board. For over 100 years, the standard grading system developed by the national hardwood lumber association nhla has been the standard throughout the north american hardwood lumber industry. We help hardwood companies achieve profitability and solve their top business challenges with datadriven, expert advice and handson training. To order a copy of the 2019 nhla rules book, please visit the nhla online store or. In a nutshell, a lumber grade is the quality control standard and has been since it was instituted in.
Instead, the system operates as a starting point for negotiations and communications between buyers and sellers. And since grade affects price, what looks like a good deal on paper might not look nearly as good on your project. Brochure for the 2019 nhla hardwood lumber grading workshop at nc state university. Easily share your publications and get them in front of issuus. Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Hardwood lumber grades purdue extension purdue university. Please note that, effective march 1, 2019, supplements to the nlga standard grading rules have been posted on this website under publications updates. Grades refer to the quality, strength and appearance of the wood. In this article, he shares what hes learned in books and through threeday log, lumber, and treegrading workshops.
Guiding principles for grading of swedish sawn timber, 1960 the green book. A hardwood log grading handbook adam taylor university of tennessee a good understanding of log valuation will help landowners, loggers, log buyers and saw millers agree on the fair value for a load of logs. A woodworkers guild of america wwgoa original video. Once these requirements are mastered, practice grading and continued study of the rule book will give the novice an appreciation of hardwood lumber grading. National hardwood lumber association home facebook.
Within the same grade, there is a range of quality and yields. Hardwood lumber grading explained the simplified process. It is bounded by the black sea on the east, by romania on the north, by serbia and north macedonia on the west, by greece on the south, and by european turkey on the southeast. Nhla rules book 2015 by national hardwood lumber association. Resources include product and technical support literature, grade rules, and design tools used to support design, specification, and application of western lumber. 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. Pacific lumber inspection bureau plib, redwood inspection service ris, a division of the. Select filtering categories below to locate resource materials by resource usage, topic, product.
Ninety percent of the minimum widths mentioned in all grades of lumber shall be full width. In the cutting grades the poor side of the board is determined by the side with the lower grade, or if both sides have the same grade, it is the side. The illustrated guide to american hardwood lumber grades by. Clear, vertical grain this is the highest grade of western red cedar. Construction grade lumber is used for light framing.
Lumber grading the lumber grade your guarantee of quality building products the grade stamp is seen on every piece of lumber produced in north america, but what does it mean. Msr lumber is also required to meet certain visual grading requirements. For many of those using framing lumber, the grading process and application of the rules remains a mystery. The national hardwood lumber association developed the uniform system of grading with the c. Lumber grading rules spib southern pine inspection bureau. A hardwood log grading handbook university of tennessee. Grades provide the basis for determining lumber quality and price, and sloan explains standard grades, abbreviations, nonstandard grades, and how grading works. 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. This handbook briefly summarizes common log grading rules for hardwoods. A career in the hardwood industry starts with nhla.
A lower grade can be perfectly acceptable, depending on placement and usage. When grading rough sawn lumber, defects such as checks, stain, and warp are not considered if they will surface out at standard surfaced thickness s2s. Where hardwood lumber comes frominspection and grading. This grade permits characteristics such as stain, large knots, very large holes, unsound wood, massed pitch, heavy shake, splits and wane in varying stages or degrees singly or in combination. Side information follows a lumber grader in action. As per the official definition, an feq teak is a teak with no knots, cracks, sapwood or insect holes. Introduction the purpose of this publication is to provide a simplified but thorough explanation of the grading rules for american hardwood lumber.
Lumber grades 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. The canadian lumber grading manual is a training manual that has been compiled solely to assist students to learn, with classroom instruction, conventional lumber grading practices. Nordic timber grading rules, 1994 the blue book, a, b, c, d. Many people who work with lumber every day do not know specifically how to grade it. This course is designed as an introduction and a refresher course of the nhla rules. The standard thicknesses and surfaced thicknesses with their metric equivalent are shown below.