In a broad sense, commercial lumber is any lumber that is. 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. Most building supply stores stock only a few grades of lumber, but a wider variety of grades can be special ordere. 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 wood producers both now and in the future. It is not intended to be used either as grading rules or as purchase specifications. 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. Grading rules for southern pine lumber 2014 edition published by the southern pine inspection bureau spib. The conditions under which timber is used in construction and the quality of workmanship may vary widely. Dimension lumber grades are divided into the following classifications. Learning to grade softwood dimension lumber spib blog. Machine stress rated msr lumber is evaluated by mechanical stress rating equipment. Visually graded structural lumber is inspected for a range of natural and drying characteristics, and manufacturing imperfections that affect structural performance and appearance. Southern pine lumber is graded in accordance with the southern. Whether you are framing your next home or designing an outdoor living space to enjoy with your family and friends, syp lumber is a great choice.
Publications for download national lumber grades authority. The information in this publication is based upon design values for visually graded southern pine dimension lumber that became effective june 1, 20. In contrast most export markets are more familiar with a metric standard. Written and published by the southern pine inspection bureau, the 2014 standard grading rules for southern pine lumber, is the definitive source for descriptions of the characteristics allowed in southern pine lumber. Lumber grades american hardwood information center. In summary, information about the woods quality is contained in grading stamps, which are placed on every piece of manufactured lumber. A complete lumber grade description should be included with any buyers order,and is considered an agreement between buyer and seller of specific characteristics allowed within each grade purchased. Green building material southern pine consists of four main species longleaf, loblolly, shortleaf and slash. The grading rules are published in the western lumber grading rules book.
Syp lumber is graded in compliance with the nlga national lumber grades authority and the ngr national grading rules which are accredited by the als american lumber standard. Visual requirements for this type of lumber are developed by the respective ruleswriting agencies for. Architects, engineers, building officials, retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers will find this publication. Stock so graded under the supervision of west coast. The files also include errata and supplements issued since 2004, if applicable. The ngr was incorporated in the spib standard grading rules for southern pine lumber, published by the southern pine inspection bureau. As wood is produced in a sawmill, a lumber grader, certified by an alsc approved grading agency, visually inspects samples or quality. Lumber grades yellawood is available in multiple lumber grades to meet the needs of any job you can find the grade noted on the ink stamp that is applied by the sawmill. Most building supply stores stock only a few grades of lumber, but a wider variety of grades can be special ordered. For complete information, consult the appropriate section of the nhla rule book. The national grading rule establishes the lumber classifications and grade names for visually stressgraded dimension lumber table 62 and also provides for the grading of dimension lumber by a combination of machine and visual methods.
Please note that, effective march 1, 2019, supplements to the nlga standard grading rules have been posted on this website under publications updates. 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. The nhla grading system, which is used by buyers and sellers of hardwood lumber, describes the amount of usable clear material in a board. Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. 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. Box 210 germantown, maryland 208750210 rules for which grading rules writing agencies is authorized. Additionally, the rules were developed with random width and length lumber in mind.
In this article, you will learn about the grading system for softwoods, the. Neither the southern pine council nor its members have knowledge of the. Apatrademarked plywood is suitable for a variety of end uses including subflooring, singlelayer flooring, wall and roof sheathing, sheathing ceilingdeck, structural insulated panels, marine applications, siding, webs of wood ijoists, concrete forming, pallets, industrial containers, mezzanine decks, and furniture. Announcing wclib merges with pacific lumber inspection bureau.
Includes product support literature, grade rules, and design tools used to support. 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. Structural light framing 2x2 through 4x4, used where highstrength design values are required in light framing sizes. Nhla rules book 2015 by national hardwood lumber association. Allowable stress ratings are published for each grade, and vary by species or species mix, as are evidenced in span tables. Planed lumber is designated as s4s if it has been surfaced on all four sides or s2s if the edges are left rough. Kretschmann, research general engineer 61 when sawn, a log yields round timber, ties, or lumber of varying quality. The highest grade boards are long, wide and free of defects. Wwpa grades for dimension lumber are established by the american lumber standard committee, inc.
Before we get into the different grades of lumber, lets take a look at the various defects you may find in a piece of lumber common lumber defects. Whether you are framing your next home or designing an outdoor living space to enjoy with your family and friends, syp lumber is. Although extremely important in determining grade, few of these exceptions are covered here. This chapter presents a general discussion of grading, standards, and specifications for these commercial products. This is the stud rules page from the ngr national grading rule manual used by the alsc and nlga agencies. Each piece of lumber is grade stamped showing the grade of lumber, the dryness. Lumber is graded based on the quality and appearance of the wood. Unless you learn to speak the language, a trip to the lumberyard can seem like visiting a foreign country. Awpas book of standards provides consensusbased guidance on methods, preservatives and other technologies that protect. 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.
Measurement the nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial measurement system. Lumber grading rules spib southern pine inspection bureau. Tp has been providing quality inspections for the forest products industry for over 50 years. Acceptance of a preservative into the awpa book of. Grading rules for southern pine lumber, 2002 edition,published by the southern pine inspection bureau spib. Ps 20 provides for a national grading rule ngr for dimension lumber 1 with simplified grade names and sizes to assure uniformity, efficiency and economy in the use of dimension lumber. It is not intended to teach someone how to become a professional lumber grader. The factory and shop products described in the western wood species book vol. The following illustrates visual grades of select structural sel str, no. Softwood lumber in the united states is most commonly graded according to the guidelines of the american softwood lumber standard ps 2070, established by the us department of commerce. Rules for grading western lumber paperback january 1, 1968 by western wood products association author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Standard grading rules for southern pine lumber, 2002 edition,and the export grading rules, 1982 edition, both published by the southern pine inspection bureau spib.
After it has been dried, most softwood lumber is run through a planer where it is smoothed and cut to uniform width and thickness. All subscribing mills listed here are authorized to grademark their lumber under spib. Grading rules for southern pine lumber provide that the purchase, sale or shipment of. Additionally, the grade rules were developed with random width and length lumber in mind. F one foot long, one foot wide, one inch thick one foot 0. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial measurement system using inches and feet. Msr lumber is also required to meet certain visual grading requirements. For the most uptodate list of certified agencies contact. The rules are full of exceptions for different grades and species.
Additionally, the grade rules were developed with random width and length lumber in. The grader checks the size and number of knots and other imperfections in the wood, and assigns a value or grade to the material being produced. Shorthand grading guide lp spib blog southern pine. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial. Price new from used from paperback, january 1, 1968 please retry. The grading rules are of further advantage in that they apply. Have you ever wondered why you observe some large and at times unsightly decayed knots on the surface of your framing lumber. Construction grade lumber is used for light framing. The grade mark can include 1w or 2w if visually graded to the wane requirements for no. To qualify for a spib grademarking license, a mill must have well. Dimensional lumber western wood products association.
Refer to the wwpa western lumber grading rules for additional information on western lumber factory and shop grades. Measurement the nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are. Lumber grade rules this chart summarizes the main requirements for the standard grades. Understanding framing lumber grades pro construction guide. Alsc is the american lumber standards committee, nlga is the canadian counterpart, national lumber grades authority. Manufactured from thin sheets of crosslaminated veneer and bonded under heat and pressure with strong adhesives, plywood panels have superior dimensional stability and an excellent strengthtoweight ratio and are highly resistant to impacts, chemicals.
The export r list grading and dressing rules published by the pacific lumber inspection bureau. Multiply the width in inches by the length in feet and. Southern pine forests are some of the most productive and sustainable timberlands in the world, capturing large amounts of carbon from the air and storing it in lumber used every day. Lumber that has been treated with flameresistant chemicals may bear a dblaze notation on its grade stamp. Syp lumber known for its strength and durability, southern yellow pine syp grows in the southern united states from virginia to florida and west to the piney woods of texas.
We are committed to producing and delivering a quality product and take significant effort to ensure consistent grading standards. Some information in this article was provided by the u. Each piece of lumber is grade stamped showing the grade of lumber, the dryness, and the mills designated number. The american wood protection association awpa is the stan dardswriting organization for the u. Illustrated guide to lumber grading by lkraus issuu. Hardwood lumber grading hardwood lumber grading is a complex process using rules maintained by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Lumber supplied by nonmembers will not contain an association logo but may have a company logo. Guide to the different lumber grades lampert lumber. Written and published by the southern pine inspection bureau, the 2014 standard grading rules for southern pine lumber, is the definitive source for. Plywood has been one of the most recognized and trusted wood building products for decades.
All wood product suppliers are not members of grading or treatment associations. See table 2 or spib grading rules for design values. The conditions under which lumber is used in construction may vary widely, as does the quality of workmanship. How can this lumber be graded correctly, espcially in. Standards specifications applications southern pine.
In this article, you will learn about the grading system for softwoods, the most common type of wood used for construction. Spf vs syp 12ft oc trusses never saved me any money because i was always instructed to use no less than 2x8 no2 purlins on edge, on 24 centers with spans that far. Msr lumber is distinguished from visually stress graded lumber in that each piece is nondestructively tested. Publications for sale national lumber grades authority. These depend on various factors like the type of wood used and the number and types of defects, if any. 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.
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