Additionally, the rules were developed with random width and length lumber in mind. Inspected by unit sampling grading face, back face and edges. Dimension lumber grades are divided into the following classifications. Hence, the rules describe the poorest pieces permitted in a. Additionally, the grade rules were developed with random width and length lumber in mind. 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. Grade notes ad lumber is air dried on sticks to allow for ventilation during. Under these rules, grade stamping is restricted chiefly to yard grades of west coast lumber, such as finish, paneling, casing, base, flooring, ceiling, siding, stepping, boards, dimension, decking and timbers, which are graded under current rules of the west coast lumber inspection bureau. Hey guys, this is an offshoot of another thread talking about species, characteristics and lumber grades. For orders over 30 books total or if you would like to use a different carrier for your shipment please contact plib directly.
Nhla grading rules for north american hardwoods gutchess lumber. The first thing to consider is the grading rules themselves. Evaluation of an automated hardwood lumber grading system d. Appearance and quality of dimension lumber spib blog. Architects, engineers, building officials, retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers will find this publication essential. We are pleased to provide free pdf sections of the nlga standard grading rules for canadian lumber 2017 edition for your personal reference. Most of the hardwood lumber in the united states and canada is graded following the rules established by the national hardwood lumber association. For sawn timber uniform grading rules are very important and this actual standard en 16111 will hopefully replace old national grading rules and ultimately be used for most of the trading of appearance graded timber in europe. If you desire more information or knowledge the national hardwood lumber association provides two and three day lumber grading short courses through out. Wisconsin localuse dimension lumber grading 3 it is recognized and typically noted within grade rules of lumber inspection bureaus that the visual grading of lumber cannot be considered an exact science because it is based on the judgment of the grader using a visual inspection of each piece. 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. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial. Through constant improvement, they have come to be preferred by nearly all lumber inspectors everywhere. When lumber is used as finish trim it should be ordered in an appearance grade.
Hardwood and softwood have different grading rules based on how the wood will be used. Guiding principles for grading of swedish sawn timber, 1960 the green book. Grading rules determine, in an orderly manner, the way in which a given piece of timber from a certain species or group of species will. Grade notes ad lumber is air dried on sticks to allow for ventilation during transport and storage. When youre selecting wood for a home constructions project, the lumber grading system will help you differentiate between the different woods and guide you in your selection. Grade stamps applied to lumber surfaced to less than standard size shall show the size in the stamp. This system for grading hardwood logs was first proposed by the forest products laboratory in 1949 in laboratory report 1737. However, this data can also provide a potential wealth of information to dramatically reduce costs and increase value recovery by creating a more intelligent, mote adaptable manufacturing system. It is not required that this italicized information be included in the grading rules for those species for which the information does not apply. Lumber grade rules this chart summarizes the main requirements for the standard grades. For purposes of visual lumber grading rules, slope of grain is wood fiber deviation from a line parallel to edges of a piece.
To order a copy of the 2019 nhla rules book, please visit the nhla online store or. Nordic timber grading rules, 1994 the blue book, a, b, c, d. Structural light framing 2x2 through 4x4, used where highstrength design values are required in light framing sizes, such as in engineered wood trusses. Stockholm, october 2016 johan frobel swedish wood grading of sawn timber in europe according to en 16111. 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. Additionally, the grade rules were developed with random width and length lumber in. The nhla grades are based on the percentage of cleardefect free. Publications for sale national lumber grades authority nlga. 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 files also include errata and supplements issued since 2004, if applicable. Lumber grade rules payment page pacific lumber inspection. Green building material southern pine consists of four main species longleaf, loblolly, shortleaf and slash. 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. To the student lumber grader, the many fine points and exceptions by species are often confusing and hide the basic rules of standard lumber grades.
Nhla grading rules national hardwood lumber association. A grading rule is a set of definitions of timber characteristics together with methods for measuring them. Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by. How spf lumber measures up against the rest the spruce. Processing high quality, large logs costs less per board foot of lumber produced, and yields a larger percentage of. The national hardwood lumber association developed the uniform system of grading with the c. 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. Adopted by the various lumber manufacturing associations of the united states, volumes 6371. Lumber grades american hardwood information center. Nlga is the only recognized rules writing body for lumber grades and standards in canada. Research and testing also demonstrates that it stands up to tough climates and conditions. Lumber grading rules spib southern pine inspection bureau. Rules and specifications for the grading of lumber.
The rules were applied to lumber regardless of potential use. In contrast most export markets are more familiar with a metric standard. Generally it is considered that 5% below grade is a. The canadian lumber grading system is a transparent regulatory system that provides ongoing assurance to the designer, user and public that the lumber is of the quality as indicated on the product mark or gradestamp. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Spf lumber is graded identically throughout canada, according to the rules of the national lumber grades authority nlga. Our trained graders evaluate a raw cut board of hardwood lumber and assigns the board a grade based on the standards set forth by nhla hardwood lumber grading rules. A board foot bf is the unit of measurement for hardwood lumber. Pdf files of sections of the standard grading rules for canadian lumber are listed below.
Grading rules are used to determine the value of lumber. It takes months of study and years of experience to become proficient in the application of the grading rules. 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. For complete information, consult the appropriate section of the nhla rule book. Visually graded structural lumber is inspected for a range of natural and drying characteristics, and manufacturing imperfections that affect structural performance and appearance. For those of you who dont know me that would be almost all of you, i am a aa lumber grader since 1986 and i also teach timber grades and. The grading rules are published in the western lumber grading rules book. Understanding framing lumber grades pro construction guide. Slope of grain as measured is representative of general fiber slope and local deviations are disregarded.
Lumber grades dimension lumber is nominal, 2 to 4 thick lumber graded by visual inspection or machine grading. This short course emphasizes the basic requirements for grading hardwood lumber on the proportion of clear pieces that can be cut from a board. Grade stamps applied to boards and dimension lumber 4. 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. 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.
This deviation is expressed as a ratio such as a slope of grain of 1 in 8, 1 in 10, 1 in 12 and 1 in 15. Publications for download national lumber grades authority. Standard grading rules abebooks abebooks shop for books. Scope for purposes of the national grading rule for dimension lumber, dimension is limited to surfaced softwood lumber of nominal thicknesses from 2 through 4 inches and nominal widths 2 inches and wider. Hence, the rules describe the poorest pieces permitted in a grade, and this fact alone can cause variation in the appearance of individual pieces within the grade. 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. What are the options for smallscale sawmill operators. The conwaycleveland lumber scaling rules are used to measure the board feet content of sawn lumber. Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading. The national grading rule applies to all species of softwood lumber1 which are covered. All lumber shall be inspected according to these rules as defined under general instructions and standard inspection unless otherwise specified. These standards are also reinforced by northeastern lumber manufacturers association nelma and the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Publications for sale national lumber grades authority. For more information on hardwood lumber grades, including a helpful chart.
Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. To determine grading class interest, it is mandatory that all students to preregister. The national grading rule applies to all species of softwood lumber1 which are covered by grading rules developed and approved under ps 20. In a nutshell, a lumber grade is the quality control standard and has been since it was instituted in. 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. Timber holdings developed and published grading rules and specification. Architects, engineers, building officials, retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers will find this publication. Use of these rules spread during the nineteenth century. 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.
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 export r list grading and dressing rules published by the pacific lumber inspection bureau. Learning to grade softwood dimension lumber spib blog. The central purpose for grading lumber is to determine the structural integrity of the wood. Wwpa grades for dimension lumber are established by the american lumber standard committee, inc. The nation grading rule for dimension lumber ngr describes the worst case scenario for each defect and characteristic of dimension lumber allowed in each grade. Allowable stress ratings are published for each grade, and vary by species or. Cmsa cannot commit to renting grading class space until we have received 25 confirmed registrations. Adopted by the various lumber manufacturing associations of the united states. Grading categories select structural grade is lumber primarily intended for use when high stiffness and good appearance are desired. Includes product support literature, grade rules, and design tools used to support design, specification, and application of western lumber. Measurement the nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial measurement system using inches and feet. The national hardwood lumber association set the grading standards for hardwood.
Illustrated guide to lumber grading by lkraus issuu. Even considering the subjective nature of fas grading standards, they still provide a helpful system for evaluating lumber. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial measurement system using inches and feet. 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. Meyer introduction to usfs grading rules almost all sawmills purchase logs based on both log volume and log quality. The actual grading and measurement of hardwood lumber is not a simple process. When tropical hardwoods are specified or purchased without clearly defining grade expectations, there is no. Conservation is promoted by the maintenance of this type of sensible relationship between the lumber rules and the raw material from which the lumber is produced. Tropical hardwoods expectations, grading rules and definitions. With a long history of good demand and the undeniable fact that the supply is limited, the grading rules have allowed the limited resource to be utilized to the fullest. Please contact them for information concerning their respective rules. Evaluation of an automated hardwood lumber grading system. For many of those using framing lumber, the grading process and application of the rules remains a mystery. Please note that, effective march 1, 2019, supplements to the nlga standard grading rules have been posted on this website under publications updates.
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