Hardwood Lumber Grades Explained
“Wood is a natural material and by its very nature may contain different characteristics and defects that need to be understood and allowed for in any given application. The grading of sawn wood into categories as it is processed helps to determine to a large extent the value and potential use possible for each board of sawn lumber.”
– American Hardwood Lumber Council
Worldwide, hardwood lumber producers “grade” their lumber, assuring downstream consumers of the lumber of the lumber’s quality for the intended use. Put simply, lumber grading serves quality assurance needs.
The Simplified Process of Determining Hardwood Lumber Grades
The hardwood grading rules are quite complex and require study. A very simplified, condensed overview of the steps for grading a piece of hardwood lumber is as follows:
Determine the species. Some species must be processed according to special rules.
Determine the surface measurement (SM). SM is the width, in inches and fractions, times the standard length in feet with no fractions or rounding, divided by 12 with the answer rounded to the closest whole number.
Determine the poor face, which is the side with the lowest grade.
Assume a trial grade for the piece of lumber and then see if all the conditions for that grade are met.
Determine if lumber size requirements (length and width) are met for the chosen grade.
Determine the number of clear cuttings that are permitted.
Determine the cutting yield required by multiplying the surface measurement (SM) by the grade values respectively. The required yield is expressed in cutting units. A cutting unit is 1 inch wide by 1 foot long.
Locate cuttings to obtain the maximum area; then calculate the cutting area. Make sure the cutting sizes are not below the minimum size for the trial grade.
When the piece grade is No. 1 common, check the reverse side to see if the reverse is FAS grade. If so, and if a few other requirements are met, then the piece is Select or FAS 1-Face.
Hardwood Lumber Grading Categories
Standard Grades of Hardwood Lumber
Grade Trade Name Min. Board Length Min. Board Width Min. Cutting Size Min. Area of Clear Cuttings Required
First & Seconds FAS 8' 6" 4"x5' - 3"x7' 83-1/3%
FAS 1-Face F1F 8' 6" 4"x5' - 3"x7' 83-1/3%
Select SEL 6' 4" 4"x5' - 3"x7' 83-1/3%
No. 1 Common 1C 4' 3" 4"x2' - 3"x3' 66-2/3%
No. 2A Common 2AC 4' 3" 3"x2' 50%
No. 2B Common 2BC 4' 3" 3"x2' 50%
No. 3A Common 3AC 4' 3" 3"x2' 33-1/3%
Several assessments lead inspectors to grade lumber according to certain categories. There are eight hardwood lumber grades in widespread use at this time.
FAS is the highest and No 3B Common is the lowest grade.
Hardwood Lumber Grades in Detail
FAS: Shorthand for “First and Seconds”. FAS is the highest of the hardwood lumber grades.
FAS 1-Face (abbreviation: F1F): A “Select” piece of lumber which is six inches and wider.
Select: A No. 1 Common piece of lumber (the poorer side of the wood piece is assigned as No. 1 Common grade) and the reverse side (the better side) grades FAS. The price of Selects and 1-Face is usually the same as FAS. Often, Select grade lumber is used in the Northern U.S., while 1-Face is used in the South.
No. 1 Common is the standard furniture grade lumber and provides a good selection of long, medium and short cuttings at a reasonable price.
No. 2A Common (also known as No. 2 Common) is the standard grade for cabinets, millwork, and other uses requiring medium to short cuttings.
No. 2B Common is the same as No. 2A Common, except that stain and other sound defects are admitted in the clear cuttings. It is an excellent grade for painting.
No. 3A Common is often combined with No. 3B Common, and the combination is sold as No. 3 Common, which is widely used for flooring and pallets.
No. 3B Common is graded on the basis of sound cuttings rather than clear cuttings. It is widely used for pallets and crates.
Understanding lumber grading categories can help with both selecting the appropriate wood stock for your intended woodworking project.
Source: https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/wood-info/explaining-lumber-grading/
Goose Creek Property Management LLC is not a commercial lumber producer. We have posted the U.S. national hardwood lumber grading system to help our customers in selecting lumber to fit their project needs.