Lumber Grades • FNR-130 Quality Control in Lumber Purchasing: Hardwood Lumber Grades

Most of the hardwood lumber purchased in North America for remanufacture into other products is graded according to the Rules for the Measurement and Inspec-tion of Hardwood and Cypress published by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA)1. Prices reported for hardwood lumber are directly tied to these grade rules. The rules are written with the volume user in mind. They are sometimes modified to better fit the needs of the buyer and seller. The original version of these rules was published in 1898 to help sellers and buyers establish a basis on which lumber at the producer s location could be sold without examination by the buyer. Through the years, the rules have been modified to better fit existing lumber supplies and end uses. The NHLA grades for hardwood lumber appear complicated and difficult to apply upon initial inspection. However, for the most part, they are strictly mathematical and quantitative. The more subjective part of lumber grading is to determine what is and what is not a defect. With some practice, however, this too becomes more exact. The objective of this publication is to provide a very abbreviated overview of the NHLA rules. It is intended for those individuals who must understand hardwood lumber grading concepts and terminology in order to purchase, sell, or use the material. It is not intended to teach someone how to become a professional lumber grader. The rules are full of exceptions for different grades and species. Although extremely important in determining grade, few of these exceptions are covered here. The reader is encouraged to study the published rules book, as well as the NHLA Inspection Training Manual2 to obtain a more detailed understanding