Planning a home remodeling project can be gruesome, especially when you need to choose the type of lumber to use. There are different types of lumber and knowing which one is best suited for your house is important. Below is a guide for you to better understand what kind of lumber you need to purchase.
Types of Lumber You Need To Know
Dear James: I am planning a few remodeling projects in the older house I just bought. They will require lumber. There are many different types of lumber at the home center and prices really vary. What type is best? — Annie L.
Dear Annie: It can be somewhat overwhelming to visit the lumber section of your home center store. What’s more, what you find there is only a fraction of the types of wood and lumber you might find at a lumberyard that caters to professional builders and carpenters.
Selecting the right lumber for a specific project is important for two reasons. First, the strength and durability properties of various types of lumber vary significantly. Second, some types of lumber can cost four to five times more than others, so you want to select the least expensive type that will satisfy your project requirements.
Lumber types can be broken down into framing lumber and finish lumber. In general, framing lumber is strong and durable, but out of sight when the project is complete. Finish lumber is exposed, so its appearance is often more important than its strength.
Another distinction for lumber is the variety of tree it comes from, either softwood or hardwood. Softwoods usually refer to conifer trees, or trees with needles. Hardwoods refer to broadleaf, deciduous trees. For framing, softwoods, such as pine and Douglas fir, are most often used.
This hardwood/softwood distinction does not necessarily relate to the actual hardness of the wood itself. Poplar, a hardwood, is softer than yellow pine, a softwood. Softwoods, such as cedar and redwood, have natural resins that resist rot and insect damage. Yellow pine is very strong and stable for framing and it can easily be painted with good results.
The surface of hardwoods can be finished more cleanly than softwoods, so hardwoods are more often used for finish lumber. Typical finish hardwoods are maple, walnut, cherry, oak, and ash. They are considered to be higher in quality and more preparation is done at the lumber mill to create a smooth surface, so hardwood costs are much higher than the costs for yellow pine lumber.
Particularly among softwoods, there are many grades from which to select. The three characteristics that determine the lumber grade are surface appearance, surface quality and strength. The grade of lumber that is 1 inch thick or less is based upon its best side, because only one side usually shows when a project is finished. However, it is good idea to check the backside to make sure there are no significant perfections that might affect strength.
For higher-quality finish lumber, the grades range from B to D, with B being of the highest quality and D being the least. The types of flaws that are considered in this grading procedure are wormholes, knots, checks, stains, torn grain, and straightness.
Unless you are a cabinetmaker, most of the lumber you use for remodeling projects is called common lumber. The grading system for common lumber ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 being the best and 5 the worst. For most home projects, grades 1 through 3 are of adequate quality. In fact, you might not be able to notice a significant difference among them.
When you are framing walls, roofs or floors, where reasonable strength is required, select a light-framing grade of lumber. The grades in this group range from utility grade, the lowest quality, to construction grade, or highest quality. Where extremely strong lumber is needed, such as roof trusses, structural light framing lumber is recommended.
Send your questions to Here’s How, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.
To find out more about James Dulley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
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