The grading rules are quite complex and require study. RELATED LINKS . Like softwood, the face veneer is represented by letters, and A is the highest quality and D is the lowest quality. In general, the higher the grade of lumber, the higher the yield. inches, 97% Rule - 2 cuts full widths any length; Pcs. However, they apply only to North American Hardwoods; different systems are used for softwoods and exotic species. Plywood Core Types; Grading Standards; Veneer … The grading system for hardwood plywood is a little different. Much of this grade is also exported, but if exceptionally long, wide, and clear on both faces, cuttings are required, then Select lumber is often used. It is an excellent paint grade. 2B Common is the same as No. Softwood vs Hardwood. In many situations, smaller boards or lower grades are a more economical choice than the higher grades if small, clear pieces are required. Iron Bark (Strength Group 1) is stronger than Blackbutt (Strength Group 2), and Slash Pine (Strength Group 5) is stronger than Radiata Pine (Strength Group 6), and as all of the species of hardwood which Outdoor Structures supply for structural purposes are a minimum (& mostly) Strength Group 2, for simplicity, we use this group as our standard. Locate cuttings to obtain the maximum area; then, calculate the cutting area. Yields 83-1/3 … The standard hardwood lumber grades are summarized below: Firsts and Seconds (FAS) The best and most expensive grade. Grading designation depends on the number of defects in a board. First, each side of the board must be graded independently with NO REGARD for the opposite side. No stains, checks, or splits. Also, unlike softwood lumber, hardwood lumber is not marked with a uniform system of symbols or stamps indicating the grade, although there may be some crayon marks that make sense to a grader or a particular mill. (Lumber grades referred to are standard National Hardwood Lumber Association grades.) Q… Note: Another useful rule of thumb available with USFS log grades is that No.1 logs will yield 60% or more of No.1C and Better lumber; No.2 logs will yield 40 to 60% of No.1 C and Better; and No.3 logs will yield less than 40%. This is why a 2×4 does not really measure a full two inches by a full 4 inches. SM is the width, in inches and fractions, times the standard length in feet with no fractions or rounding, and then divided by 12, and this answer rounded to the closest whole number. 2. When cutting hardwood lumber into a usable piece of wood, often referred to as parts, the ratio of the volume of parts to the volume of lumber is called yield, and is usually expressed in percentages. #2A COM - clear cuttings. FAS is the highest and No. * No. Step 6. 1 Common piece of lumber (the poorer side grades No. Here's a chart to help explain the grading system. Step 4. Know the Veneer Characteristics.--Practically all the veneer characteristics that will be encountered are illustrated in this guide. For thin profile solid hardwood, 5/16″ is the standard. View our Grading Guide Online. For our example, SM=(6-7/16 x 10)/12=5.36=5 feet. The steps for grading a piece of lumber are straightforward. 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. is not considered when grading hardwood; the grades … 1 common for furniture, even though yields are lower with No. For our example, the minimum lumber size of 3 inches x 4 feet is met. Step 2. 3A Common, or No. 2. You can take 3 cuttings if you increase the yield to 75 percent. A very simplified, condensed overview of the steps for grading a piece of hardwood lumber is as follows: Determine the species. As a shortcut to communicating the quality of a board, these FAS standards are quite helpful. 3B Common and the combination is sold as No. Plywood Grading Standards rhombus 2019-06-01T00:33:19-07:00. Clear cuttings are rectangular shaped areas, parallel to the edges of the lumber (not diagonal) that are free of knots on the grading face, and free of rot, pith, shake, and wane throughout the entire cutting as it is projected to the opposite face. Final sizes vary for different species and grades of wood. The standard thickness for all the other grades … In this article, you will learn about the grading system for softwoods, the most common type of wood used for construction. 1 Common lumber. #2A COM on better face and reverse side of … It also shows the minimum percentage of a parcel of wood that must be clear; the allowable number of separate, smaller pieces into which it may be cut; and the minimum size of each of these smaller pieces (cuts) required for the wood to earn each grade. Often, Select grade lumber is used in the Northern U.S., while 1-Face is used in the South. AS 2082 Visually stress-graded hardwood for structural purposes; AS 2858 Timber softwood - visually stress-graded for structural purposes; AS 2878 Timbers classification into strength groups; AS 3519 Timber Machine Proof Grading; These Standards are used in production as the basis of fixing a grade stamp to each piece of timber. However, Select and 1-Face lumber usually have a yield (clear on both faces) that is the same as No. A brief description of the basic grades are: * FAS, which was years ago short-hand for the grade of "First and Seconds," which in turn originated from a combination of the very old grade of "Firsts" and the grade of "Seconds," is the highest grade of hardwood lumber. In our example, there are two large cuttings; both meet the minimum cutting sizes of 4 inches x 2 feet or 3 inches x 3 feet. In the U.S., lumber is assigned a grade which Lumber thickness (4/4, 6/4, etc.) To give some quantification to the issue of wood species hardness, the lumber industry created the Janka hardness scale—a standard now widely accepted as the best means of ranking a wood's … The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) uses a standard lumber grading system that assesses how much variation in natural color and character the unfinished flooring has. The yield required is expressed in cutting units. Step 7. It is not enough to simply pick any so-called hardwood species, because hardwoods vary quite a lot in their hardness from species to species, and some are actually softer than some softwood species. September 21, 2001, KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Lumber Grading. Most of the hardwood … Additionally, the grade rules were developed with random width and length lumber in mind. 2), 4 (No. Therefore, “AB” plywood would have an A-grade face veneer and a B-grade back sheet. Step 5. Hardwoods are graded by the National Hardwood Lumber Association. They haven’t been repaired, and the flaws can be a little larger and more noticeable. 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. 1 and No. 2 Common) has become the standard grade for cabinets, millwork, and other uses requiring medium to short cuttings. For a more complete description please see actual products. Sound knots of less than 1/8" x 4" (3 x 100 mm). The difference is in the consistency throughout the planks. It is widely used for pallets and crating. We are breaking down Hardwood Lumber Grading with our Red Oak floors as an example. Determine the number of clear cuttings (or sound cuttings for No. Measure cutting width using inches and fractions, and length using feet and fractions. Durability is a major factor to be considered when selecting a floor. If both faces have the same grade, the For example, consider a piece of lumber that is 6 and 7/16 inches wide and 10 feet 9 inches long (Figure 1). Check to make sure that the piece qualifies for the anticipated grade in all other respects, which include the amount of wane (1/2 the length for FAS, for example), the amount of pitch outside the cuttings, and so on. Our chart shows the specific allowable length, width, and surface measurements for each of the. In our example, the number of cuttings permitted is (5+1)/3=2 at 66 2/3 percent yield. Boards 6" and wider, 8' and longer. Prior to that time, individual mills had their own grading systems for their local markets. is not considered when grading hardwood; the grades are based on the two faces alone. #1 COMMON. Step 8. 1 common, check the reverse side to see if the reverse is FAS grade. Make sure the cuttings' sizes are not below the minimum size for the trial grade. Not less than 1 - 1/2" wide containing 36 sq. 3B Common is the lowest. Determine the surface measure (SM) of the lumber. Reprinted with permission from the Feb/March 98 issue of Independent Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine. 2 Common instead of No. C-grade plywood: A little lower down in quality, C-grade plywood has some knots throughout its sheets, up to 1.5 inches in diameter. 3 Common) is widely used for flooring and pallets. Anyone can grade; however, a trained grader will probably be more accurate and quicker than an untrained grader. The total for these two cuttings is 45-3/4 cutting units which is greater than the 40 required for No. 2B and 3B Common and certain other cases) that are permitted. 1' SM - SM x 12 or 100% clear 2' SM - SM x 9. 2A Common, No. Post Office Box 34518 Memphis, TN 38184 (901) 377-1818 info@nhla.com 2A Common (often just called No. 1 Common (often called Common or just No. 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. Reprinted with permission from Independent Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine. Select Grade – May also be referred to as Prime grade, AB grade or 1st grade. The full text of the guide’s introduction, written by Ang Schramm, Director of Technical Services, appears below. Phone: 800•452•1692 | Fax: 503•281•2791. Combination of clear and select grades. For our example, assume No. Planing will reduce the actual dimension as will reducing the moisture content (drying). Hardwoods are graded differently. Figure 1. In our example, the cutting units required is SMx8=5x8=40 units in two cuttings or 5x9=45 units in three cuttings. 6" & wider with 6 - 12' SM, 97% Rule - On better face 2' x 3' SM to be 100% clear or SM x 11 in one cutting, 1' SM - SM x 12 or 100% clear 2' SM - SM x 9, #2A COM on better face and reverse side of cuttings sound; will also qualify for #3A COM. Step 3. This handbook briefly summarizes common log grading rules for hardwoods. Factory hardwood may be graded FAS, F1F, or Selects, and comes in standard thicknesses according to grade: FAS: Best factory lumber grade; F1F: Second grade; Selects: Third grade; Factory hardwood may also be graded No. 3A Common (which is often combined with No. 3B). 1 Common. General Contact Info; Employee Directory; Search for: Search for: Plywood Grading Standards. Softwood lumber in the United States is most commonly graded according to the guidelines of the American Softwood Lumber Standard PS 20-70, established by the US Department of Commerce. In chapter 2, we’ll learn more about how the grading system works and compare the four lumber grades. 1 Common) and the reverse side (the better side) grades FAS. 97% Rule - On better face. Make sure every member of the grading team interprets each are admitted. If different grades are achieved on opposite faces, the one with the lesser grade will be the poor face. Determine the cutting yield required by multiplying the SM by 10 (FAS), 8 (No. Our chart is based on the Janka Hardness Scale which is the industry standard for gauging the ability of various wood species to resist denting and tolerate normal wear. Shown are two possible clear cuttings of a hardwood board. The first is 6-7/16 inches x 4 feet, which gives 25-3/4 cutting units. Unlike softwood lumber, where the grade reflects the strength and therefore the load carrying capacity and safety of a particular piece when used in construction, hardwood lumber grading does not require a certified or licensed grader. Other than slight modifications every once and awhile, the rules have been relatively stable since that time. Standard thicknesses for the top three grades are 6” (FAS), 6” (F1F), and 4” (Selects). Excellent appearance. The following is a general chart to help in the selection of your material. 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 site requires JavaScript to function properly. 3B Common is graded on the basis of sound cuttings rather than clear cuttings. These numbers increase to 11, 9, and 8 for FAS, No. It contains more variations than the others. 2 respectively, if you take an extra cutting. Mineral stain is admitted. Study them and interpret them the same each time they are seen. seven standard hardwood grades. A lower grade can be perfectly acceptable, depending on placement and usage. The highest grade boards are long, wide and free of defects. Click on the image to view our e-publication, designed to provide you with an understanding of popular hardwood plywood face veneer grades. Moulding Types; Moulding Installation; Moulding Weights; Contact. National Hardwood Lumber Association. A cutting that is 5-1/2 inches wide and 4-1/3 feet long is 6-1/2x4-1/3=28-1/6 cutting units. Often current prices favor using No. 1 Common, No. Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). The people who created the “grading system” (NOFMA) do not consider quality to be a factor that differs throughout the different grades (although many installers and contractors would beg to differ). There is no need to take an extra cutting. However, there is a different standard for backs: 1 is the best and 4 is the worst. In short, the higher grades of lumber have more large clear area than the lower grades. In contrast most export markets are more familiar with a metric standard. There are eight hardwood lumber grades in widespread use today. 97% Rule - On better face 2' x 3' SM to be 100% clear or SM x 11 in one cutting. In 1897, hardwood lumber producers and users formed the NHLA to standardize the grading of hardwood lumber. Today, NHLA grading rules are not only the dominant grading system for hardwood lumber in the United States, but also form the basis for much of the international trade in hardwoods. The price of Selects and 1-Face is usually the same as FAS. The NHLA lumber grading rules adopted by the US hardwood industry are based on an imperial measurement system using inches and feet. The various cuttings cannot overlap each other. SM is the width, in inches and fractions, times the standard length in feet with no fractions or rounding, divided by 12 with the answer rounded to the closest whole number. Some species must be processed according to special rules. The planks are sawn in one of three ways, which affects the stability and the price of the hardwood. BS EN 14081:2005 covers visual and machine grading of structural timber. D-grade plywood: D-grade plywood sheets are the most inexpensive. Most FAS lumber is exported rather than cut in the U.S. as its value, kiln-dried, is often more than $2 per board foot on the wholesale market. The standard thickness for solid hardwood is 3/4″. * No. When selecting wood for a woodworking project, consider the size of the boards required. Some of the basic concepts and grading requirements or rules are given in Table 1. Grades are listed from highest to lowest. Always drop any fractions; do not round up. 3A), or 3 (No. section of the NHLA Rule Book. The hardwood grading rules are quite complex and require study. The second is 5 inches x 4 feet, which gives 20 cutting units. 3B Common. 1' SM - SM x 8. Select Grade: This grade of solid hardwood is what our flooring professionals always recommend installing. 1 Common. Variation in the natural sapwood color (sticker stain is not considered a defect). There’s not a great deal of clear grade hardwood flooring available and what you do find will likely come as engineered hardwood. © 2021 Johnson International Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Phone: 800•426•0990 | Fax: 253•872•0747, 5737 NE Portland Hwy | Portland, OR 97218
FAS is the highest and No. * No. Determine the species. Below is a general description of grades for other domestic species such as Walnut, Hickory, Maple, Ash, and American Cherry. * Select is a No. Flat or Plain Sawn:by far the most commonly used cut. Some species have special rules that must be considered. Chapter 2: Lumber Grade. Limited character marks. Grades of Plywood: Hardwood. There are eight hardwood lumber grades in widespread use today. Each grade of hardwood lumber is determined by the size and number of clear wood cuttings which a board will yield when cut up and used in the manufacture of a hardwood product. * FAS 1-Face (F1F abbreviation) is a Select piece of lumber that is 6 inches and wider. NOFMA grades, … Determine if the lumber size requirements-length and width-are met for the chosen grade. It refers to BS 4978:2007+A1:2011 for softwood visual grading rules and BS 5756:2007+A1:2011 for … A cutting unit is 1 inch wide by 1 foot long. The higher the grade of the lumber, the greater the size of clear wood cuttings and the fewer … This grade of plywood can feature knots up to 2.5 inches. Wood Hardness Chart. The grade shall be determined from the poor side of the piece, except when otherwise specified… (Paragraph 5.) While the NOFMA grading system relates closely to the guidelines set out for all hardwood lumber by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), the NOFMA system gives more attention to the appearance or absence of certain characteristic marks than to other considerations weighed by the NHLA, which must grade wood for uses ranging from cabinetry to building frames. Do not round the answer, but keep the fractions. Variegated Appearance. The original NHLA grading rules were based on the number and size of defects as the major criteria. * No. The rules governing strength grading of timber are prescribed in British and European standards. 1) is the standard furniture grade lumber, and provides a good selection of long, medium length, and short cuttings at a reasonable price. With this information, foresters, timber sellers, and timber buyers can separate, from woods-run hardwood logs, those logs suitable for manufacture Sound cuttings are identical to clear cuttings except sound defects (such as knots, small holes, some discolorations, etc.) Step 10. 20205 59th Place South | Kent, WA 98032
Assume a trial grade for the piece of lumber and then see if all the conditions for that grade are met. * No. Practice Grading--Don’t wait until the study bolts are in the lathe to start to learn veneer grading. Most hardwood lumber produced in this country is graded using the rules developed and maintained by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). 1. #2B COM - sound cuttings. NHLA Grading Rules; Hardwood Characteristics; Board Footage Factors; Lumber Weights; Moulding. 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. If so, and if a few other requirements are satisfied, then the piece is Select or FAS 1-Face. This changed in the early 1930's to grading rules based on the amount and size of clear cuttings. Lumber thickness (4/4, 6/4, etc.) Subcription information is available at their website, www.sawmillmag.com. Dust Collection, Safety and Plant Operation, Job Opportunities and Woodworking Services, This article from Independent Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine covers the basics. Schenck & Company is pleased to provide you with this valuable resource to assist you with your decision. 2A Common, except that stain and other sound defects are admitted in the clear cuttings. Any selection for particular specifications should be discussed prior to ordering. Domestic Hardwood Flooring Grades. 2. Wood Hardness Chart Species (Alphabetical) Hardness Species (by Hardness) Hardness Afromosia 1560 Basswood 410 Amberwood 2200 Butternut 490 Amendoim 1360 Chestnut, Domestic 540 Angelique 1290 Douglass Fir 660 Aniegre 1110 Yellow Pine, Short Leaf 690 Ash, Domestic / White 1320 Sycamore, American 770 Ash, Victorian 1010 Yellow Pine, Long Leaf 870 When the piece grades No. The official U.S. Forest Service Hardwood Log Grades for Standard Lumber are described and tables of expected yields of standard factory grade lumber are presented by species, log grade, and log diameter. 1), 6 (No. Step 9. the FPL hardwood veneer grades: 1. In short, the higher grades of lumber have more large clear area than the lower grades. Determine the surface measurement (SM). 3B Common is the lowest. Select grade shares traits with clear grade in as much as there will still be a strong uniformity of color and pattern, so you shouldn’t see any glaring differences from plank to plank or in the finished … Note that often you can take an extra cutting, but then the yield requirement is increased. Hardwood lumber is normally graded from the poorer quality face with a few exceptions, such as 1F, Selects, and surfaced lumber. Minimum length: 12" (30 cm). For complete information, consult the appropriate
2B Common, Sound Wormy, No. Boards featuring character marks are not premium grade, … The most standard high grade hardwood flooring sold on the world market. NOTE: This chart summarizes the main requirements for the standard grades. Step 1. Determine the poor face, which is the side with the lowest grade, or if both sides are the same, the face with the least clear area when grading. 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. Lumberis a wood product, sawn and shaped from timbers of harvested trees.
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