Availability of #1 framing lumber?
madmadscientist
| Posted in General Discussion on
Hello All,
I just called around to most of my local ‘real’ lumber yards looking for #1 Doug-Fir 2by6’s in 12′ and 14′ lengths. Out of 4 places only one had #1 grade and they only carried it in 16′ lengths. They all carry as standard #2 or better and acted like I was a bit looney looking for #1. Most of them invited me down to dig thru their piles for the few #1’s that would be in there but I need ~77 of them…..
So here’s my question, is this standard practice at the yards y’all deal with? Someone correct me if I’m wrong but the mills grade and stamp the lumber yes?
Thanks,
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Replies
In my area you get a bunk of #2 or better, some will be #2, some will be #1. If I request select grade lumber, they tag on 10% and walk over to the pile and pick out nicer pieces. Every piece is grade stamped but it is mixed together. If you want 77 pieces of #1 you could try ordering 300 or so units and sorting it and returning the #2. You will not be well liked by your lumber yard.
Good Luck
Jason
I of course would expect to pay more for the culled #1 wood...but the lumber yards I talked with didn't really even give that as an option. They just basically said its #2 or better and you can self cull it if you like.Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Yes, you are correct. The mills do grade and stamp the lumber. However, usually the #1 portion of the log is such a small percentage that it is not marketed separately from the #2. Hence the grade #2 and better. Some mills will stamp #1 as such and mix it with the #2; some mills will stamp #1 and #2 grades as #2 & Btr.
Why do you feel that you need #1 grade stamped material?
I think that I need #1 Doug-fir is to get the designed strength of an attic floor I want to build. The span calc is derated too much when going to #2.Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
The difference in allowable span between #1 and #2 is only 3". Deflection changes from 1/360 to 1/336. Not enough difference to wory an engineer.
Did you call Truitt and White in Berkeley? I'm think they carry #1.
I was gonna say... call over there and get ahold of Warren White.
I didnt call him but I sent him an email yesterday I think. If I don't hear from him I'll call him tomorrow.Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
I think I mentioned it before, but you might want to check with a truss plant. They generally have high grade lumber for long span and/or girder trusses.
The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth. [Niels Bohr]
We can get #1 or structural select in the larger sizes, which are often used for floors, but it's hit or miss for 2x6 or 2x4. A special order doesn't take that long so it's only a week or so to get just about anything.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Yeah, I used to cull thru the piles at Home Depot. Like a fool, I even explained to the head of their lumber department what the printing on the sticks meant. There's still a bunch of Sel Str stacked and stickered at the old place.
-- J.S.
I'm pretty sure Golden State carries it as well. They have yards in American Canyon and Fremont, and deliver all over the Bay Area. If they have it, they are typically way cheaper than Truitt & White for us regular over-the-counter customers.
I don't know what all they stock, but the best lumber we've gotten lately (structural select) was from Channel Lumber:
zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
I heard Channel had good stuff; nice to get the confrimation!
Channel Lumber?! The national franchise? I thought they went belly up years ago.
Maybe it's a different one, because the Channel Lumber I remember would never have had any kind of good lumber. They were the first generation of the box stores and what a horror show they were.
You're thinking of Channel Hardware. Their slogan was "if it isn't at Channel it isn't". My slogan was "if it isn't at Channel it is somewhere and for less". Stopped going there years before they went out of business.
Channel Hardware....That's it. Thanks.
Thanks guys I'll check out Channel and Golden State after the holidays.
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Nope, very different...
http://channellumber.com/
Pine cone lumber in sunnyvale california has the best lumber in the bay. It will cost more but it is all we use at our company.
The reason you are having trouble finding #1 framing lumber is that it is used very infrequently (at most).
It's easy for me to order it here, and it's not uncommon for rafters.
Must be an east cost - west cost kinda thing based on the different species of woods commonly used. Here #2 SPF is the standard framing lumber and if something better is required than it's #2 SYP. If something still better is required than you just move up to the next size dimensional lumber. After 2x12, you go to I-joist (beam).
We got Doug fir growing everywhere out here, and the Canadians love to ship theirs down too. It wasn't long ago that I was sorting a stack of 2x4s and ended up buying quite a few perfectly clear 10-footers.
The WWPA grading rules are pretty close between #1 and #2 and I've more often than not found #1 grade stamps on boards that should have been #2 and vise versa. Part of that is due to human factor in some mills and the misread by scanning equipment in the newer, more automated sawmills.
If I had a project that spec'd #1 over #2, I would probably just order Structural select (more growth rings per inch, less slope of grain, very limited tight knots and often clear, etc.).
Normally, when you buy a unit (west coast term) of #2 & Btr, you'll get a mix of #2, #1 and some Struct. Sel.
The mills I worked in in the past usually had a planer chain sort for Struct. Sel. and I have ordered it through the local yards for a couple of projects....the upcharge wasn't much and, with the price of framing lumber being as low as it is right now, I'd probably just spec the Structural Select grade.
The other option, if it's a big deal, is just go to engineered lumber, though it's no bargain. But what you get is dry, straight and precisely spec'd.
We Canadians send you all the good stuff down there. I was on a project where the engineer spec #1 6x6 timbers for reshoring of a utility tunnel that was being decommissioned. Our purchaser tried to find it and every lumber yard laughed at him. It all goes south for timber framing etc.
I just wish engineers and designers would think about what they spec before I get to the job.