1. Selecting Lumber

2. Interest Approach
Look at the piece of wood you are given. Write down as many observations as possible.
Measure the dimensions of the piece of wood. Write them down with your observations.

3. Interest Approach
What happens between cutting down a tree and you buying the wood as lumber?
How is lumber graded and stored?
How can you determine which type of lumber to buy?

4. How are lumber and other wood products produced and processed?
Problem:
How are lumber and other wood products produced and processed?

5. Lumber Production and Processing
trees are cut down
transported to the sawmill
logs are soaked until sawing time
prevents checking, cracking, and warping
bark is removed
plain-sawed or quarter-sawed

6. Plain-Sawing Cutting the log on a tangent to the growth rings faster
less waste
lower cost lumber
used in buildings

7. Quarter-Sawed Lumber Cutting the log perpendicular to the growth rings
less likely to warp, shrink, and swell
used to make furniture

8. Drying Lumber Green lumber Seasoning
Freshly cut lumber with 20 percent or more moisture.
Seasoning
Process of drying lumber to the point where it is ready to use.

9. Drying Lumber Air drying Kiln-dried Set outside to dry
Takes 1-3 months
Moisture content to 15%
Kiln-dried
uses a large oven or kiln to dry
Moisture content to 6% to 12%

10. After Drying
Run through a planer to make it smooth and dimensional

11. Plywood:
a series of layers (3, 5, or 7) glued together with the grains arranged at right angles to each other to form a 4×8 sheet
strength is maximized

12. Particle Board
4×8 sheet made by gluing wood chips, splinter, and sawdust together
used under countertops and in some furniture
cheaper
warps quickly when it gets wet

13. Waferboard (OSB or Chip board)
gluing wood chips to form 4×8 sheets
cheaper
more water resistant
Used in roof sheathing and subflooring

14. Paneling
1/8 or ¼ inch sheet of wood or hardboard with a wood grain surface
Cheap paneling may be wood with wood grain contact paper on the surface.

15. Veneer
Thin layer of material that is glued to an inferior quality material.
low cost furniture is often particle board with a veneer wood grain surface layer

16. How is lumber graded and selected for use?
Problem:
How is lumber graded and selected for use?

17. Lumber Grading and Selection
Wood for lumber is divided into two broad categories, “softwood” and “hardwood”.
Refers to the type of tree they come from

18. Hardwood
lumber cut from broad-leaved (deciduous) trees that drop their leaves in the fall
Oak, maple, cherry
Fine furniture

19. Softwood
Lumber cut from coniferous (cone-bearing) evergreen trees with needle-like leaves
construction lumber

20. Softwood Grading Softwood grading is based on: Appearance,
Strength, or
Combination of the two.

21. Softwood Grading
Defects which can affect both appearance and strength include:
knots,
checks,
splits,
decay,
stains,
insect holes

22. Matching Lumber to job
Use the lowest quality of lumber suitable for the purpose.
Requires a knowledge of the characteristics of each species of wood.

24. Properties of Wood
Good understanding of wood properties is essential for intelligent lumber selection.
Properties Include:
Hardness
Bending strength
Stiffness
Compression strength
Toughness

25. How is lumber sized, purchased, and stored?
Problem:
How is lumber sized, purchased, and stored?

26. Worked lumber Wood that has been Shaped (trim)
Matched (tongue-and-groove)
Patterned (molding)

27. Actual vs. Nominal Dimensions
The difference between nominal and actual (dressed) dimensions of lumber is the result of:
Planing,
Shrinkage that occurs during drying.

28. Actual vs. Nominal Dimensions
Nominal dimensions (2×4, 1×6, etc.) are used when ordering lumber
Project planner uses the actual planed dimensions (¾×3½ , 1½×7¼, etc.) to determine the number and length of boards needed

29. Actual vs. Nominal Dimensions
Softwood nominal widths are 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 inch.
Standard available lengths are even feet from 6 to 20.

30. Actual vs. Nominal Dimensions
To find the actual width for nominal widths of 6 inches or less drop ½ inch.
For nominal widths of over 6 inches drop ¾ inch to find the actual width.

33. Linear feet length in feet without regard to thickness or width
Thickness of these sheets vary through a range of ¼, 3/8, ½, 5/8, to ¾ inch
Generally sold by the 4×8 sheet
Plywood,
Particle board,
Paneling are generally sold by the 4×8 sheet.

34. Actual vs. Nominal Dimensions
All of these materials are priced either by the square foot or by the sheet.
Other building materials, such as roofing and siding, are sold by “the square”.
“The square” actually means 100 square feet of surface coverage.

35. Ordering Lumber
Do not order large quantities of lumber long in advance
When storing lumber, care should be taken to avoid:
Warping,
Staining, and
Moisture absorption problems.

36. (Picture Courtesy, Interstate Publishers, Inc.)