Rough Lumber
How to Order Lumber to Meet Your Woodworking Projects Needs
When it is time to order lumber for a project, it pays to do your homework before you go to the lumberyard. By becoming an informed and well-organized consumer, you increase your odds of coming away with your needs met and your wallet intact. You will also avoid having to make extra trips to your supplier.
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Species: Ask for a specific wood species, not merely a broad family name. For example, order “white oak,” not just “oak.” Every species has unique properties; select one with the characteristics that suit the needs of your project. It can be helpful to learn the basics of wood identification, since at some lumberyards several similar types of woods may be lumped together under the same name.
Quantity: Lumber maybe ordered either by the linear foot or the board foot. Be sure your supplier knows which measure you are using, because they are very different. Board-foot calculations, which actually describe a volume of wood, are explained at the bottom of the next page. As a general rule, you can order stock of like dimension by the linear foot-25linear feet of 1-by-4lumber, for example. The main limitation of this method, however, is that it only works with lumber of uniform width and thickness. Once you mix dimensions- as you probably will end up doing when ordering hardwood a board foot measurement becomes necessary to describe your needs.
How you order your wood can also depend on whether you need softwood or hardwood.With softwoods you can usually specify any board width or length, while hardwood boards are generally available in random widths and lengths, depending on the grade you order.
Size: Wood is sold in nominal rather than real sizes, so remember to make allowances for the difference when ordering surfaced lumber. A 1-by-6 piece of pine, for example, is actually 3/4 inch thick and 5.5 inches wide when dried and surfaced. With rough, or unsurfaced green lumber, the nominal and real sizes are the same.
The thickness of hardwood boards is commonly expressed as a non-reduced fraction in quarters of an inch. A 1-inch thick oak board, for example, is termed 4/4 lumber a 1.5-inch-thick plank is 6/4 and so on.
Seasoning: Lumber is sold either kiln-dried (KD) or air-dried (AD). The practical difference between the two is that KD wood has a lower moisture content- about 8 percent, while air-dried, high-density hardwoods generally have a moisture content range of 20 to 25 percent. Softwoods and lower-density hardwoods are air-dried to 15 to 20 percent moisture content. KD lumber ii therefore preferable for making indoor furniture, because the wood is unlikely to dry out any further; as well, the kiln’s heat allows the wood’s cells to reposition, reducing the likelihood of warping and checking. This does not mean you need to restrict yourself to buying only KD lumber, however;in fact, many carvers prefer moister wood, making AD wood a better choice for them. You can bring air-dried wood to the appropriate moisture level for cabinetmaking.
Surfacing: Also known as dressing, surfacing refers to how lumber has been prepared at the mill before it is sent to the lumberyard. Lumber that is surfaced is usually surfaced on both sides: S2S lumber has been planed smooth on both faces, while S4S wood has had both faces planed and both edges jointed. Rough, or unsurfaced, lumber (Rgh) is less expensive than either S2S or S4S wood, and if you own a planer and a jointer, you can save money by surfacing rough lumber in your shop.
A sample order for wood at a lumberyard might be as follows: 100 bd. ft. 3/4 FAS red oak, S2S. This would amount to 100 board feet of nominally 2-inch thick FAS (Firsts and Seconds) grade red oak with both faces planed smooth.
Once you receive your lumber, check it carefully to make sure you are getting what you want. If the order does not meet your specifications, do not feel obliged to buy.
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