Douglas Fir Lumber Grades Explained

An overview of lumber grades and wood quality.

Douglas fir lumber grades explained.

The triangle with d fir in it lets us know that this piece of lumber came from a douglas fir. So with just a glance you can know the type of tree the lumber came from its classification its grade and its moisture content. This lumber must be at minimum 6 wide and 8 long and 83 of the board must be free of defects. Western wood products association 1500 sw first ave ste 870 portland or 97201 phone.

Underneath the umbrella of alsc are numerous lumber grading agencies. Douglas fir l western larch syp. Before we get into the different grades of lumber let s take a look at the various defects you may find in a piece of lumber. Limitations of the nhla grading system.

The abbreviations for framing grade softwoods from strongest to weakest are as follows. That little stamp contains all the information that we just talked about above. Douglas fir ponderosa pine white fir and western red cedar are the most common single species sold as dimension lumber products. First and most significantly the nhla grading system as its name implies is limited to domestic hardwood lumber.

Spruce pine or fir. Structural lumber including dimension lumber is visually and or mechanically msr graded for its strength and physical working properties appearance is secondary unless specified. What different types of lumber grades mean. By its nature wood is not of uniform consistency and therefore will contain defects that impact the appearance of the lumber that is created from the wood material and which may impact the structural characteristics as well.

Lumber is graded based on the quality and appearance of the wood. When it comes to douglas fir you re going to see grades from agencies that specialize in softwoods from the western u s such as the west coast lumber inspection bureau or the western wood products association. Lumber is a wood product sawn and shaped from timbers of harvested trees. That means of course that it does not encompass exotic hardwood species such as ipe or mahogany or softwood species such as red cedar or douglas fir.

Select grade douglas fir. This lumber must be at minimum 4 wide and 6 long. These depend on various factors like the type of wood used and the number and types of defects if any. Doug fir d fir l.

These groups grade the lumber based on its intended use. All pictures are meant for a general grade description. Knowing what it takes to meet a lumber grade can help you plan your lumber purchases and design your projects to ensure you can get what you need.