I am continually irked by the quality of the pine that comes out of the local lumber yards. When we order a Premium grade pine , we get boards that contain cracks, wain, dead knots, pitch pockets, planer chatter, planer snipe,and more knots than I used to expect in #3 “Crate” stock.
Now, I know that this is a problem for all of us, and it is not likely to get better, but Geeze! There has got to be a better way.
When I talk to the lumber yard about it they say that they will pick up and replace any pieces that we cannot use, but they know that we will probably use more of this crap than we should in the interest of just getting the job done.In the few instances where I actualy played this game and did their quality control for them, they just brought back another load of crap! If I want decent stock I have to go to the yard and pick it myself.
I know that there are lumber industry standards for grading lumber. For once I’d like to go to lumber yard with these guidelines in hand and proove to thes nitwits that what they sold me does not meet their own specifications.
Does any one know where I can get a copy of lumber grading standards?
Replies
Sponsored Links
Learn more about Sponsored Links | Provided by a third party
Matching Sites | Page 1 of 1327View Image
Learn more about Matching Sites
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
To me, it's like this:
Customers shop lumberyards to death to get the cheapest lumber. People flock to the big boxes to save a nickel or 2.
So the lumberyards shop their brokers agressively, trying to get the best possible prices.
And the brokers call every mill they can to get the lowest prices they can.
So the mills try to find ways to produce and sell lumber as cheaply as possible.
Why would a system like that produce good quality lumber?
The reason you don't get good lumber is because that's not what the majority of people want.
I've often said that the excuses go all the way back to lumberjack!
You've got a point though, we're trying to build a build a finish product for clients who most often look at bottom line first. Problem is that when I do a project that is high end, "money no object' type of work, I can't get high end material.
Lumber Standards?
Didn't think there were standards anymore.
JAY,
We been getting that new grade, BA4S
Bark all four sides. :)
We just order extra and cull. Return on the next load.
KK
Here ya go, if you're looking for eastern white pine.
http://www.craftsmanlumber.com/grades.htm
Sounds like you might be wanting D&Btr finish.
Edited 4/23/2005 7:10 pm ET by Gene Davis
I've told you before that I am not interested in anything that you have to say. Please place me on your Ignore list.
?!?!?!?
It's a long story. Let's just say that I my history with this guy is different than yours and leave it at that.
Oh, I understood that just fine.
What amused me was that YOU don't want to read HIM, so YOU tell HIM to ignore YOU.
Then you get pizzed when he doesn't listen to you.
It does bring up some interesting questions;
Do you find it imposible to ignore Gene? Why?
Are you too lazy to click your mouse twice?
Why do you expect him to listen to you if there is antagonism between you two?
Why do you think you have the right to tell Gene what to do with his life?
SamT
"And Leave It At That" !!
Next thing, you'll be telling me to put you on ignore (|:O)
SamT
Way to hijack your own thread.
Jon Blakemore
That's not the way it works here, If you don't want to read whaat he says, you put him on your ignore list.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
jay... you are going to have to figure out how you want to handle the lumber quality issue..
it is almost impossible to buy clear stock in pine... and , even if it's clear, the lumber is so juvenile, that it is not stable...
the old growth stuff is not available..
so ...
you can special order.. or you can start to work around the problem
in interior work we use a lot of PFJ.. the finger joint is a little better than it was 10 years ago.. and don't open as much as they used to..
or you can use poplar... but again.. watch out for warping and twisting..
for exterior work you can use PFJ... but in a lot of climates, it is an invitation to rot..
you can also use clear redwood, or clear cedar.. but they are prohibitively costly..
you can try PFJ cedar..
or.... what we've done for painted trim, we use almost all Georgia Pacific PrimeTrim.. available in any dimension ... 16' lengths.. loves paint.. more rot resistant than cedar or redwood..
you have to develop some techniques in working with it to get the most out of it..
but , anyways... that's what we 've done.. and when i started out the standard was C or Better... then it went to D or Better... now even the D is in the special order category..
for any paint grade.. i recommend the man made materials now.. the lumber is just junkMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Yep, You're right about all of that. I have developed a number of ways to deal with and use the pine we're getting. I usualy end up with very litte waste. I guess I'm just irked that the lumber yard will not deliver what they purport to sell.
Most of my work is labor only, so the HO or GC is actualy dealing with the purchase of the stock. I do that intentionally because I know that I can not stand behind the quality of most stock unless I order it from a mill shop at inflated prices.So the bind I get in is having to tell the HO or GC that they need to reorder or accept substandard material.
I do very litte paint grade work. Up here in the Adirondacks the look is all about rustic, so we use a lot of stain grade or clear coat.I have used the PFJ but rarely.
lumber grades
I wonder that often
just pulled an old oak floor out of a house scheduled for demo
beautiful stuff, today easily would be #1 select +++++
didnt know what all the stamps on the back ment until I found a sticker
Stamps said Bruce 2 union made
sticker said
#2 common