Encyclopedia

of Home Improvements

*Selecting and Buying Lumber*

Some Common Grades of Wood

Grades Characteristics:

Clear: has no knots

Select or Select Structural: Very high-quality wood. Broken down into Nos. 1-3 or grades A-D; the lower grades will have more knots.

No. 2 Common: Has tight knots, no major blemishes; good for shelving.

No. 3 Common: Some knots may be loose, often blemished or damaged.

Construction or Standard Good Strength: Used for general framing.
Utility Economy grade used for rough framing.

Softwood Selector

Species Characteristics and Common Uses

Cedar, Cypress: Similar to redwood-only the darker wood is rot-resistant. Weak, brittle; resists warping; pleasant aroma; easy to cut Siding, paneling, rough trim, roof shingles, shakes, and decks.

Fir: Larch heavy, very strong, hard; holds nails well; good resistance to warping and shrinkage; somewhat difficult to cut. Framing, exterior fascia, flooring, subflooring, trim.

"Hem / fir": A general classification that takes in a variety of species. Lightweight, soft, fairly strong; warps easily; may shrink; easy to cut. Framing, exterior fascia, flooring, subflooring, trim.

Pine: From eastern, northern, and western trees. Very light, soft, fairly weak; good resistance to warping, but with a tendency to shrink; easy to cut. Paneling, trim (molding), flooring, cabinets.

Redwood: Durable and resistant to rot and insects if you get the darker-colored heartwood. Light, soft, not as strong as fir or Southern pine; tendency to split; easy to cut. Exterior posts and beams, siding, paneling, decks, fences.

Southern pine: Very hard, stiff, excellent strength; holds nails well; has a tendency to crack, splinter, warp; cuts with average ease. Framing, subflooring.

Spruce: Lightweight, soft, fairly strong; resistant to splitting and warping; easy to work. Framing, subflooring.

Treated lumber: Several species can be treated-most often, fir, "hem/fir", and Southern pine are used. Green or brown color will fade in time, leaving the wood a dirty gray; extremely resistant to rot and insects. Bottom framing plates that rest on concrete; other framing that might come into contact with water, decks, and fences.

Hardwood Selector

Species Characteristics and Common Uses:

Birch: Hard, strong; fine-grained; resists shrinking and warping. Similar in color to maple-sometimes used as a cheaper replacement. Finishes fairly well; hard to cut. Paintable cabinets, paneling, furniture.

Mahogany: Durable; fine-grained; resistant to shrinking, warping, and swelling. Finishes well; easy to cut. (Not to be confused with lauan mahogany, a much cheaper material that is used for veneers and plywoods Fine furniture, cabinets, millwork, veneers.

Maple: Extremely hard, strong; pieces with bird's eye or wavy grains are highly prized. Color ranges from reddish to nearly white in color. Finishes well; difficult to cut. Flooring (basketball and bowling alley floors are made of maple), butcher blocks, veneers, millwork, and molding.

Poplar: Lightweight, soft for a hardwood; fine-grained. White to yellow-brown, in color. Paints well; easy to cut. Paintable furniture, cabinets, trim, places where a less-expensive hardwood will do.

Red Oak: Hard, strong, rigid; pronounced open grain; resists warping, but may shrink if not well dried. Reddish color. Finishes well; moderately hard to cut. Flooring, furniture, cabinets, molding, stair rails.

Walnut Hard: heavy, extra strong; fairly pronounced, straight grain; resists warping and shrinking. Light to dark brown in color. Finishes well; cuts fairly easily. Fine furniture and cabinets, millwork, paneling, inlays, veneers.

White Oak: Hard, strong; open-grained, but not as pronounced as red oak; resists shrinking and warping. Golden color. Finishes well; moderately hard to cut. Better than red oak for flooring-less variation color. Millwork, molding, furniture, cabinets, stair rails, balusters.

Back to Topics Page

Contact