09-27-2006, 06:08 AM
Cat - I grew up in a lumber family.
Yes, today 'good' lumber is harder to find. I can remember my Grandfather's wigwam burners for kiln-drying lumber being stoked with 'scraps' of vertical grain Douglas Fir that are impossible to find now.
Most lumber is plantation grow for rapidity of growth now and the hybrids used sure do have wide spacing in the annular rings.
But lumber grading is still lumber grading. It is a bit of an art and a science whether you grade a piece of lumber Select Structural, #1, #2, #3. Lord knows I've seen a #2 stud that snapped when it fell 6 feet. I marvel and wonder why it wasn't graded a #3 or Utility Grade.
What is probably true is that today there are far fewer #1s and #2s in any give tree. But lumber that is graded #1s and #2s should (in theory) still be structurally sound and meet the span limits of the different span charts used to calculate what size of a give lumber species for a particular use given loads.
I think the ultimate decision of what lumber works where is the province of the organization(s) that are responsible for determining the engineering calclations for the charts/table used by building codes.
A building inspector might not like it that you want to use a 4x12 as a header, but the real authority is what size of a particular grade of a particular species the chart says works or doesn't work.
Would I change a plan to accomodate a building inspector even if I knew he was wrong and risk alienating him/her? Nahhh... this is Paradise and everyone is reasonable , accomodating, competent, and in a good Aloha mood.
Edited by - toucano on 09/27/2006 10:08:26
Yes, today 'good' lumber is harder to find. I can remember my Grandfather's wigwam burners for kiln-drying lumber being stoked with 'scraps' of vertical grain Douglas Fir that are impossible to find now.
Most lumber is plantation grow for rapidity of growth now and the hybrids used sure do have wide spacing in the annular rings.
But lumber grading is still lumber grading. It is a bit of an art and a science whether you grade a piece of lumber Select Structural, #1, #2, #3. Lord knows I've seen a #2 stud that snapped when it fell 6 feet. I marvel and wonder why it wasn't graded a #3 or Utility Grade.
What is probably true is that today there are far fewer #1s and #2s in any give tree. But lumber that is graded #1s and #2s should (in theory) still be structurally sound and meet the span limits of the different span charts used to calculate what size of a give lumber species for a particular use given loads.
I think the ultimate decision of what lumber works where is the province of the organization(s) that are responsible for determining the engineering calclations for the charts/table used by building codes.
A building inspector might not like it that you want to use a 4x12 as a header, but the real authority is what size of a particular grade of a particular species the chart says works or doesn't work.
Would I change a plan to accomodate a building inspector even if I knew he was wrong and risk alienating him/her? Nahhh... this is Paradise and everyone is reasonable , accomodating, competent, and in a good Aloha mood.
Edited by - toucano on 09/27/2006 10:08:26