Different Types of Lumber Grades and Their Features
To All Our Valued Customers, Over the past few years, the Covid 19 Pandemic has forced us to adapt and change the way we do things on a day-to-day basis. Florida Lumber is no exception. To make sure that we remain strong and competitive in the market for the years to come, Florida Lumber has had to adjust and change our vision for the future. In the last 2 years, we have stopped selling Sheetrock and drywall products, roofing felt and roofing materials, and have even closed on Saturdays.
Over the last few months, we have been transitioning our way out of the door supply business so on August 31, 2022, our door shop will stop assembling doors. We will continue liquidating our doors from inventory until we are out of material.
Some customers have asked if we are closing or even moving locations. To set the story straight, we are not closing or selling the business and we are not moving. These changes are all part of our new vision and path to continue serving South Florida and increasing our footprint in the construction supply industry.
Our focus is going to be on Lumber, Construction Materials, Rebar Fabrication and Rebar Accessories. As we have liquidated some of the items that we don’t sell anymore we have created more space to buy a larger volume of our core items and pass on the savings to our customers.
In the next year you will start seeing changes that will help improve our ability to serve you, our customers. We appreciate your business and your patience as Florida Lumber’s new vision becomes reality.
A Todos Nuestros Valiosos Clientes En los ultimos anos, la pandemia de el Virus (Covid 19) nos ha forzado a adaptarnos y cambiar la forma de hacer cosas en el dia a dia. Florida Lumber no ha sido una excepcion.
Para asegurarnos de mantenernos fuertes y competitivos en el mercado en los anos venideros, Florida Lumber ha tenido que ajustar y cambiar nuestra vision para el futuro. En los dos ultimos anos hemos dejado de vender los productos de yeso (sheetrock), paneles de yeso (drywall), tela asfaltica (roofing felt), materiales de techo y cerramos los Sabados. En los ultimos meses, hemos estado en transicion para salir del negocio de suministro de puertas, en Agosto 31, del 2022 nuestra tienda de puertas dejara de construir y/o cortar puertas. Vamos a continuar liquidando nuestro inventario de puertas haste que terminemos todo el material. Algunos de nuestros clientes han preguntado si estamos cerrando o si nos estamos moviendo a otra localidad. La verdad es que no estamos cerrando, no estamos vendiendo y no estamos cambiando de localidad. Estos cambios son todos parte de nuestra nueva vision y camino a continuar sirviendo al estado sur de la Florida y incrementar nuestras huellas en la industria de suministros de construccion.
paneles de yeso (drywall), tela asfaltica (roofing felt), materiales de techo y cerramos los Sabados.
En los ultimos meses, hemos estado en transicion para salir del negocio de suministro de puertas, en Agosto 31, del 2022 nuestra tienda de puertas dejara de construir y/o cortar puertas.
Vamos a continuar liquidando nuestro inventario de puertas haste que terminemos todo el material. Algunos de nuestros clientes han preguntado si estamos cerrando o si nos estamos moviendo a otra localidad.
La verdad es que no estamos cerrando, no estamos vendiendo y no estamos cambiando de localidad. Estos cambios son todos parte de nuestra nueva vision y camino a continuar sirviendo al estado sur de la Florida y incrementar nuestras huellas en la industria de suministros de construcción.
2431 N.W. 20TH ST.
MIAMI, FL 33142
PHONE: (305) 635-6412
Sales Fax: (305) 633-4054
Accounting Fax: (305) 635-3723
Email: sales@tloridalumber.com
Lumber is a wooden product that is made by sawing and shaping the timbers from harvested trees. Wood does not have a uniform consistency. It affects the appearance of lumber. The structural characteristics might also be affected because of this. In countries like the United States, lumber grades are given to every lumber. It helps to define the quality of lumber products delivered. It also helps the buyer to prepare an estimate of cost and waste. The grading system works for both softwood and hardwood lumber. Softwood and hardwood are the types of woods derived from coniferous trees and angiosperms respectively.
How is Lumber Graded?
Woods have a lot of physical properties. It comes with a lot of variables too. It makes it hard for the producers to judge the quality and it is equally hard for the buyer to estimate the costs. To overcome this issue, the construction industry opts for lumber grades. Lumber grades are grading standards on the basis of which lumbers are judged for their quality. These are an indication of how the wood can be used for construction and what can be expected out of the quality.
Hardwood vs Softwood
Softwoods and hardwoods can be differentiated on the basis of their reproduction instead of the quality of end materials. The different lumber grades are given on the differences.
Hardwood
Hardwood is a versatile material that can be used for a range of purposes. The material has countless combinations when it comes to species and colors. They have a condensed and complex structure that offers great strength and durability. Some of the common types of hardwood are Oak, Teak, and Meranti. The wood is expensive since it takes time to grow and requires longer drying times too. Hardwoods are very resilient and durable. The lumber produced using it is of great strength too. Some of the hardwoods are even used for wooden floorings. They also provide aesthetic characteristics to the product.
Softwood
Softwood is known widely for its strength and versatility. It has a huge demand from all over the globe. It gives a remarkably aesthetic appeal to the final products and hence they are used to manufacture a wide range of internal and external products. Softwoods are easily available and they can be easily manipulated as well. The cost level of softwood is low because the tree doesn’t take a lot of time to grow. When compared to hardwoods, softwoods are flexible, have less weight, and are less dense. We commonly use softwoods for interior moldings, generating plywoods.
Hardwood Lumber Grades
Giving lumber grades to hardwood is easier when compared to softwood grading. The basis of the grading system is provided by the American Hardwood Export Council. When it comes to lumber grades, appearance is the major factor that decides it. It also considers the size and number of pieces that can be cut out during the time of hardwood product creation. The grading is done on the basis of the percentage of defect-free wood that is extracted from the log. Higher grades mean that the usable material yield was greater than the lower grades. The largest and longest clear pieces are made using the higher lumber grades. The lower lumber grades are used to cut small pieces or parts for the products since they require additional cuts to extract useful wood.
The highest lumber grades are of three types- FAS (Firsts and Seconds), FAS/1F (FAS-One-Face), and Sel (Selects). These are mostly used to make furniture and other products that require long wide cuttings. The lower grades are of two types- Number 1 Common and Number 2 Common. They are suitable for cabinetwork and strip flooring.
Firsts and Seconds Grade (FAS)
Firsts and Seconds grades should meet the following requirements:
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The board size should be 6” x 8”.
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It should have a length of 8’ or longer.
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The clear wood cuttings should have a yield of 83-1/3% to 100%.
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It should have a minimum cutting size of 3” wide x 7’ long or 4” wide x 5’ long.
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Both sides of the board should meet the requirements.
Selects Grade
The requirements of Selects grade are the same as FAS One Face except for the board size. The minimum board size for Selects grade is reduced. The width should be 4” and wider and the length should be 6’ or longer.
Number 1 Common (No. 1C) Grade
Number 1 Common (No. 1C) Grade is also known as cabinet grade. We generally use it to make kitchen cabinets and parts of furniture. Number 1 Common (No. 1C) grade should meet the following requirements:
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The board size should be 3” wide.
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The board size should be 4’ long.
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The clear wood cuttings should have a yield of up to 66-2/3% but less than 83-1/3%.
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It should have a minimum cutting size of 3” wide x 3’ long or 4” wide x 2’ long.
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Both sides of the board should meet the requirements.
Number 2A Common (No. 2AC) Grade
Number 2A Common (No. 2AC) Grade is also known as the economy grade. The yields and board sizes are further reduced. The hardwood flooring industry generally uses this. It is also used to manufacture small components. Number 2A Common (No. 2AC) Grade should meet the following requirements:
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The board size should be 3” wide.
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The board size should be 4’ long.
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The clear wood cuttings should have a yield of up to 50% but less than 66-2/3%.
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It should have a minimum cutting size of 3” x 2’.
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The grading is done based on the poorest face.
Softwood Lumber Grading
Standards for lumber grade are set by The US Department of Commerce. Softwood is generally categorized into construction or remanufacture. The construction grading is used for these purposes. The general construction of softwood lumber is further subdivided into three categories.
Non-Stress Graded
The primary requirement for this lumber grade is the structural integrity of softwood. The functionality is mainly considered but the appearance matters too when it comes to higher grades. If the boards have more defects and issues, they will be given a lower grade. The grades that come under this category are:
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Construction- Also known as No.1
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Standard- Also known as No.2
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Utility- Also known as No.3
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Economy- Also known as No.4
Stress Graded
This lumber grade is also known as dimensional lumber. It has a board size of 2” x 4”. It helps mostly in structural work like manufacturing decking, studs, joists, etc. A single set of grades are assigned to these by the US. It makes it consistent and standardized, along with ensuring that they are safe. The grades are given based on strength, stiffness, and how uniform the size is. Some of the grades that fall under this category are:
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Structural Light Framing-
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Light Framing
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Stud
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Structural Joints and Planks
Appearance
As the name suggests, the main priority of this lumber grade is the wood appearance. Softwood furniture that has a hint of natural finish, including the siding and paneling is built using this lumber grade. However, not all the lumber that comes under this category is used for the same purpose. There are different subtypes of appearance-graded lumber. The workers assign them four-letter grades to easily identify them. The grades assigned by them are A, B, C, and D. They combine A and B together to form a single grade known as B and Better (B&BTR).
Lumber Features
Be it a small DIY project, or handling a construction task, there are certain features of Lumber that you should consider. They are:
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Texture: Texture plays a very important role in deciding which lumber grade will be used to do the tasks. Texture means the feeling and condition of the wood surface.
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Color: It comes in different colors and you can choose one depending upon the type of project you wish to work on. In the case of structural work, colors don’t matter.
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Density: The weight and strength of the wood is known as density.
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Grain: The unique growth pattern of trees is known as grain.
Lumber Types
There are quite a few types of lumber. They are:
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Framing and Structural Lumber
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Appearance Boards
Additional Read
Trex Decking Guide (What You Need to Know?)
Conclusion
Lumber Grades play an important role in determining the quality of the wood. Softwood and Hardwood have different grades as they are different from each other. They are used to performing a lot of construction tasks as well as DIY tasks. The type is defined by what work needs to be done.
Visit Florida Lumber to find a plethora of choices of Lumber, Plywood, building materials, and much more.