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.