How to purchase hardwood lumber?

Have   you been planning to purchase hardwood lumber? Upon making a decision, you   need to be aware of few things while purchasing hardwood lumber. There lies a   difference when you are planning to purchase lumber from a distributor or   from a lumberyard. Distribution centers and lumber yards offer a variety of   species of lumber. There are several options pertaining to machining and   grades as well. Here are few things that you can consider while purchasing   lumber at lumberyard or distributor.

Thickness   consideration

While purchasing hardwood, you normally wouldn’t be looking into   the thickness. A standard convention is followed where the measurement is   expressed in quarters. A thick board which is of 1 inch is represented as   4/4. You need to be aware of the fact that lumber is dried after sawing. The   board that is initially 4/4 will reduce to 7/8”. The thickness that is   mentioned on the lumber boards is the thickness before the surfacing   process.

Board foot

A board foot refers to unit which is used for hardwood measurement   based on volume. Hardwood lumber is basically sold in variety of widths,   thicknesses and lengths. Any board can be tackled easily with this   knowledge.

Hard wood lumber   grade

Lumber grades offer a wonderful insight when it comes to the purchase   of hardwood lumber. A standard grading rule is accepted by most lumber   companies. These grades are based on the clear material utilized in the   board. FAS represent the highest grade boards. You can choose a grade   depending upon the project. High quality furniture and tabletops require the   use of high grade lumber. Smaller projects such as doors of kitchen cabinets   do not require the use of high grade lumber.

Milling services

Rough lumber is barely straight or flat. You can save money by   milling your own lumber. This would require some time though along with   appropriate equipments. Milling services are offered by most yards. This   includes ripping one edge of the board straight, milling both edges and   faces. The cost of the milling surfaces can add to the lumber price. The   milling costs add to the money when you are purchasing hardwood   lumber.

Whenever you are planning to purchase hardwood lumber, you can   consider the above mentioned parameters to make sure that the entire process   is smooth and you do not end up making any mistake. These will help you make   the right choice during the purchase.