Prior to that time, individual mills had their own grading systems for their local markets. View sample pages of the book or place an order through the education store, manufacturing and marketing eastern hardwood lumber produced by thin kerf band mills. The national hardwood lumber association developed the uniform system of grading with the c. Ripped lumber features american lumber will produce hardwood lumber strips to your exact specifications. The rules for the inspection of lumber are uniform in construction and application but also carry with them the element of stability. Its provisions are stipulated in an everincreasing number of sale and purchase contracts. And with its lower price, lesser lumber might be the best buy in the store. The national grading rule for dimension lumber contains four grades of structural joists and planks. Hardwood lumber grading explained the simplified process.
The nhla rules were designed to provide the furniture industry a mathematically measurable method to grade lumber for its amount of clear, defect free wood. This 380page book was produced in conjunction with the u. Basic concepts in log scaling, lumber grading and log bucking. The hardwood grades have been adopted to establish the. The nhla grades are based on the percentage of cleardefect free wood on a board. The highest grade boards are long, wide and free of defects. 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. Thanks to the foresight of the early founders of the nhla in 1898, some order has been added to the chaos that had become the lumber trade. The provisions of this standard apply to structural lumber manufactured from hardwood species or lumber manufactured from foreign species when the species is included in rules certified by. A quick reference guide to american hardwood lumber grading, courtesy of ahec and the nhla.
This threeday workshop will include a thorough study and explanation of the nhla rules book, emphasizing the basics of hardwood lumber inspection. A hardwood log grading handbook university of tennessee. National hardwood lumber association home facebook. Chapter 4 trimming hardwood lumber covers suggestions for profitable trimming of lumber. The grade of hardwood lumber is determined by a visual inspection of each board according to rules developed by the national hardwood. These rules are used for the wholesale selling and purchasing of hardwood lumber. This handbook briefly summarizes common log grading rules for hardwoods.
In the final step of the process, ballots containing new rules change proposals are sent to all active members. Hardwood lumber grades and grading rules have been established and are governed by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. For more information on nhla grading and defects, be sure to check out understanding hardwood lumber grades. In the cutting grades the poor side of the board is determined by the side with the lower grade, or if both sides have the same grade, it is the side. A good place to start would be to get in touch with the national hardwood lumber association and purchase a rule book. We have gathered a summary of these changes contained in the new rules book. The following rules are used for determining hardwood grades and generally correspond to the percentage of usable lumber in a given board of rough lumber. Black walnut lumber grade allow more defects and smaller sizes. This guide features 20 of the most abundant and most often used hardwood species.
For complete details the grading rule book can be purchased from the national hardwood lumber association. Hardwood lumber grading by the nhla fas first and seconds provides long, wide, clear cuttings. They were established over 100 years ago by the newly formed national hardwood lumber association nhla. Aug 20, 2019 for more than a century, the hardwood lumber industry has held to a central grading standard established by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. No rules or regulations can be truly effective unless they are understood and. In 1897, hardwood lumber producers and users formed the nhla to standardize the grading of hardwood lumber. Publications for download national lumber grades authority.
A lower grade can be perfectly acceptable, depending on placement and usage. Additionally, the grade rules were developed with random width and length lumber in mind. Thanks to the foresight of the early founders of the nhla in 1898, some order has. Designed to provide you with an understanding of popular hardwood plywood face veneer grades. Lumber grades american hardwood information center. Once these requirements are mastered, practice grading and continued study of the rul e book will give the novice an appreciation of hardwood l umber grading.
The nhla grading rules provide both the buyer and seller with a consistent language. In contrast most export markets are more familiar with a metric standard. Hardwoods are graded by the national hardwood lumber association. Knots appearing on narrow faces are limited to the same displacement as knots specified at edges of wide faces.
For over 100 years, the standard grading system developed by the national hardwood lumber association nhla has been the standard throughout the north american hardwood lumber industry. There is a standard rule and many species have other limitations applied. The nhla grading system, which is used by buyers and sellers of hardwood lumber, describes the amount of usable clear material in a board. Log grading relation to lumber grading most hardwood logs are sawn into lumber. No rules or regulations can be truly effective unless they are understood and correctly applied. View details nhla rules book 2019 mandarin edition. Most of the hardwood lumber in the united states and canada is graded following the rules established by the national hardwood lumber association.
Due to numerous variables, exceptions, and special grading rules applicable to certain species, the official rules of the national hardwood lumber association nhla should be referenced. In this article, you will learn about the grading system for softwoods, the most common type of wood used for construction. American lumber company hardwood lumber custom grades. To order a copy of the 2019 nhla rules book, please visit the nhla online. Once these requirements are mastered, practice grading and continued study of the rule book will give the novice an appreciation of hardwood lumber grading. The actual grading rules are pretty complex, so ill see if i can simplify things and compare walnut to some of the other hardwoods we carry. With this information, foresters, timber sellers, and timber buyers can separate, from woodsrun hardwood logs, those logs suitable for. The grading and measurement of hardwood lumber is not a simple matterand should not be undertaken lightly. Most hardwood lumber produced in this country is graded using the rules developed and maintained by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Grading designation depends on the number of defects in a board.
The illustrated guide to american hardwood lumber grades by. Hardwood ripping programs american lumbers hardwood ripping program is ideal for customers that require hardwood lumber in specific widths. Easily share your publications and get them in front of issuus. It is necessary to consult with your supplier as to the exact specifications being applied to these export grade names. 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. For more than a century, the hardwood lumber industry has held to a central grading standard established by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Unless you learn to speak the language, a trip to the lumberyard can seem like visiting a foreign country. Most of the hardwood lumber in the united states and canada is graded following the rules established by. Chapter 5 grading hardwood lumber includes the basics of grading hardwood lumber, designed especially for novice sawyers, edgermen, and trimmermen, and includes several lumber grading exercises. The grading of sawn wood into categories as it is processed helps to determine to a large extent the value and potential use possible for each board of sawn lumber.
Founded in 1898, the nhla helped establish order within the industry by developing a standardized system of. The nhla hardwood grading rules are the product of the process of evolutionary development and that process is still in operation. The value of this lumber, and thus of the log, is determined in part by the lumber grade. The illustrated guide to american hardwood lumber grades.
Today, nhla grading rules are not only the dominant grading system for hardwood lumber in the united states, but also form the basis for much of the international trade in hardwoods. Nhla grading rules national hardwood lumber association. Worldwide, hardwood lumber producers grade their lumber, assuring downstream consumers of the lumber of the lumbers quality for the intended use. Columbia forest products hardwood plywood grading guide. The reader is encouraged to study the published rules book, as well as the nhla inspection training manual2. The hardwood lumber grading short course is designed to benefit anyone involved in the lumber industry who needs a basic understanding of hardwood lumber grades. The measurements of this percentage are referred to as clearcuttings. Online store product search national hardwood lumber. Simplified guidelines to hardwood lumber grading treesearch. It includes chapters on wood quality and characteristics, softwood lumber grading, logs for fine face veneer, wood residues and potential markets, sales techniques and more. Nhla american hardwood lumber grades fas f1f select. Jul 10, 2014 grading designation depends on the number of defects in a board. Hardwood lumber grading short course penn state extension.
National hardwood lumber association po box 34518 memphis, tn 381840518 90771818 90826419 f. Hardwood lumber is cut to maximize the yield of the log and with the result being a random width product. Hardwood lumber grading is a complex process using rules maintained by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Hardwood lumber grades purdue extension purdue university. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial measurement system using inches and feet. The grading and measurement of hardwood lumber is not a simple matter and should not be undertaken lightly. This fullcolor, softcover book brings together a lifetime of sawmill experience and technical training to help readers solve lumber manufacturing problems and save money.
The basics of hardwood standard lumber grades youtube. Pdf files of sections of the standard grading rules for canadian lumber are listed below. For information on construction grading, special grading, etc. This short course emphasizes the basic requirements for grading hardwood lumber on the proportion of clear pieces that can be cut from a board. Forest service hardwood log grades for standard lumber are described and tables of expected yields of standard factory grade lumber are presented by species, log grade, and log diameter. Nhla grading rules nhla job board the economic impact study issues and. A quick reference guide to american hardwood lumber grading.
Nov 17, 2016 association standard grades of hardwood lumber. Today the nhla has over 2000 members worldwide, and the nhla rules are still the national standard for the us hardwood industry and form the basis for grading of export lumber. As of january 1, 2019, a new nhla rules book has been launched. Nov 11, 2010 the basics of hardwood standard lumber grades missouri department of conservation in cooperation with the national hardwood lumber association and the united states department of agriculture. Species guide american hardwood information center. You need to get familiar really quickly with the basics of lumber grading. A detailed explanation can be found in the nhla rules book.
Worldwide, hardwood lumber producers grade their lumber, assuring downstream consumers of. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. The basics of hardwood standard lumber grades missouri department of conservation in cooperation with the national hardwood lumber. Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading. A hardwood log grading handbook adam taylor university of tennessee a good understanding of log valuation will help landowners, loggers, log buyers and saw millers agree on the fair value for a load of logs. Hardwood lumber grading hardwood lumber grading is a complex process using rules maintained by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial.
For more information on nhla grading and defects, be sure to check out understanding. The guide to american hardwood species as a resource, american hardwoods are abundant, renewing and sustainable, and an excellent choice for ecoeffective design and building. A simplified explanation of the nhla grading system, which is the national standard for the u. 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. Jul 16, 2019 the actual grading rules are pretty complex, so ill see if i can simplify things and compare walnut to some of the other hardwoods we carry. The value of rules conscious employees is a more carefully manufactured product, a more profitable yield from the log, and a better sense of the value of the lumber being handled. The national hardwood lumber association publishes the rules for the measurement and inspection of hardwood and cypress. Must yield 83% to 100% clear wood in cuttings at least 3 x 7 or 4 x 5. For complete information, consult the appropriate section of the nhla rule book. Even considering the subjective nature of fas grading standards, they still provide a helpful system for evaluating lumber. Classification, official, grading and inspection rules of the hardwood manufacturers association of the united states classic reprint states, hardwood manufacturers association of the united on. Growing climates and soil conditions vary greatly in the usa.
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