| Conventional lumber grading for hardwoods is a pretty complicated issue. I am not a certified lumber grader, but the system I employ is based off of conventional grading standards. There are several reasons for our departure from the standard. The existing system is in place to serve large scale operations where truckloads of lumber have to match each other, usually being shipped to industrial or commercial outlets to be used in manufactured goods. Our target market is not these billion board foot users, but area craftsmen seeking an interesting and viable source for local hardwoods. Our grading standards are designed for this group of consumers, where individual selection and interesting defects are part of the process.
The table below attempts to outline our grading system in relation the standard hardwood grading system. The illustrations and photos are provided to serve as examples for a given grade. Grade A: This is the best grade of board we offer. It is a combination of the traditional catagories of Firsts, Seconds and Selects. In general terms these boards are free from major defects over a good percentage of the board the board foot measurements are taken from, about 85% or so. It will vary, but in general these boards will have wider clear faces, be longer in length, and less prone to twist, cup and bow than any other grade.
Grade D: This is the lowest grade we sell, suitable for utility purposes. These boards may have checking, or other obvious defects.
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