learning objectives - nrha | north american retail ... · learning objectives: ... wood is often...

1

study guide: Lumber

Learning Objectives:• Thefeaturesandbenefitsoftheproductsyousell.

• Howtoansweryourcustomers’product-relatedquestions.

• Howtohelpyourcustomerchoosetherightproducts.

• Howtoincreasetransactionsizesbylearningmoreaboutadd-onsalesandupsellingtechniques.

Product Knowledge:

Chapter 1: Types of LumberModule 1: Softwood Lumber

Fir

• Firisoneofthemostabundantandmostcommonlyusedwoods.

• Itislightweight,versatileandstrong.Itisoneofthemostcommonwesternsoftwoodsusedinconstructionandthefirstchoiceofbuildersandengineers.Ithasgoodperformanceagainsthighwindsandearthquakes.

• Firholdsnails,platesandgluewell.Italsorespondswelltousewithmachineorhandtools.

• Itisusedforframinginresidentialconstructionandawiderangeofcommercialapplications.Italsostainswellandisoftenusedforexposedapplications,suchaswindows,doors,panelingorbeams.

• ThemostcommontypeisDouglasFir.WesternLarchisanotherwoodspeciesthatisoftenmixedwithDouglasFirindimensionallumberproducts.However,theyareseparatedinappearance-gradelumber.Theyarealsoavailableintreatedwood.

• DouglasFirandWesternLarchhaveessentiallythesamephysicalandworkingcharacteristics.

• Theyhaveasmoothtextureandastraightgrain.Theircolorcanbealmostpurewhiteororange/red,dependingonwhichpartofthetrunktheyarecutfrom.

• AmixtureofDouglasFirandWesternLarchismarked“DF-L”,orwithsymbolsassignedbytheWesternWoodProductAssociation(WWPA).

Hemlock

• Hemlockisstrong,freefrompitchandeasytowork.

• Hemlockhasastraightgrainandafinetexturethatresistssplittingandholdsstainwell.

• Itscolorrangesfromanoff-whitetoafaintreddish-brown.

• Popularusesincludeframing,trusses,decking,panelingandcabinetwork.

• HemlockisoftengroupedwithfirwoodandreferredtoasHem-Fir.Thesetwospeciesareoftengrown,harvested,milledandmarketedtogetherbecauseoftheirsimilarcharacteristics.ItisoneofthemostpopularsoftwoodsintheWesternregion.

• TheHem-Firvarietyisapopularchoiceforpressuretreatedwoods.

Woodisoftenclassifiedbythespeciesoftreeitisfrom.Here,we’lldiscusswoodfromsoftwood,orconifer,trees.

2

Pine

• Pinehashighstrengthandnail-holdingability.

• Itisusedforavarietyofapplications,fromconstructiontofurnituremaking.

• Pineisthemostcommonwoodtobepressuretreatedtogiveitextradurabilityinoutdoorapplications.

• ThemostcommontypeofpineisSouthernPineorSouthernYellowPine.

• AnothertypeisPonderosaPine,whichhasasoftertexture.Thistypeisbestforlightframingapplicationsandoutdoorapplications.Italsoholdsstainwellandisoftenusedforfurnitureandwoodwork.

• Radiatapineissoldforfinishboards,butusedprimarilyformanufacturedproducts,suchasmoldingsandfinger-jointedmaterials.

Spruce

• Spruceisusedforavarietyofgeneralconstructionwork,aswellashighlyspecializeduses,suchasbuildingmusicalinstruments.

• Itisoftencombinedwithpineandfir,whichsharesimilarcharacteristics,includinghighstrength,lightweightanddurability.

•Amixtureofspruce,firandpinewoodisreferredtoasSPF.

Cedar

• Cedarisusedforsiding,deckingandfences,aswellasinteriorpaneling,molding,doors,windowsandfurniture.

• OnecommontypeisWesternRedCedar.Itisthelargestofallcedars.Itcontainsnoresinandisaverydecayresistantspeciesforbothinteriorandexterioruses.

• Itscolorrangesfromwhitetoadarkreddishbrowntoalightyellow.Italsohasastrongaromaticorspicyodor.

• Ithasafine,straightgrainanduniformtexture.

Redwood

• Redwoodhastheleastamountofshrinkagecomparedtoothercommonsoftwoods.Thatmeansinexterioruseitstaysstraightandflat.

• Redwoodhaslittlepitchorresin,whichallowsittotakeandretainfinisheswell.

• Itislightweightandstrong,easytosaw,glue,nailordrill.

• Redwoodisstrongforitsweightandcanbeusedforloadbearingsupportssuchasposts,stringersanddeckframing.However,itshouldnotbeusedingroundcontactandneedstobepreservedtopreventrotandinsectdamagelikeanyotherwood.

Common Defects in Softwood

Lumberisgradedaccordingtoitsquality,orhowmanydefectsithas.Thegradeofeachpieceoflumberwilldeterminehowitcanbeused.We’lllearnmoreaboutgradingsoftwoodintheDimensionalLumbermodule,buthere,we’llintroducesomecommondefectsthatcanaffectthegradeofapieceoflumber.

• Twistiscurvingsothefourcornersarenolongerinoneplane.Theboardiscurvedinaspirallikeway.

• Cuppingisadeviationfromtheflatplane.Thewidesurfaceoftheboardiscurvedacrosstheface.

• Bow isthelengthwisecurvatureofthewidefaceoftheboard.

• Crookisthelengthwisecurvatureofthenarrowedge.

• Knotsareclassifiedbysize,frompinknotstolargeknots.

Foranexplanationofmoredefects,seetheappendix.

3

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I use a special type of fastener for wood I’ll be using outside?A: Forexteriorwoodapplications,useacorrosion-resistantfastener,suchasstainlesssteelorhot-dippedgalva-nizedsteel.

Q: What is kiln dried lumber?A: Kilndryingissendinglumberthroughanoventodrivethemoistureoutofthewood.Thealternativeisairdrying,whichmeansthelumberisstackedoutsideuntilthemoistureevaporatesfromthewood.Lumberusedinhomesmustbedriedbeforeitisused.Otherwise,itwillshrinkandcauseproblemsinthestructure.ItisoftenlabeledKDonthestamp.

Q: What type of wood is usually pressure treated?A: Pressuretreatedwoodiscommonlypine.Thisgivesitextradurabilityinoutdoorapplications.

Add-on Sales

• Suggestasquareandtape measureformeasuringboardstothedesiredlength.

• Mostcustomerswillwantapower sawforcuttinglumber.

• Suggestahammerandnailsforfasteninglumbertogether.

• Atool pouchishandyforkeepingtoolsandfastenerscloseathandwhileworkingonaproject.

Taking it to the Floor:

Product Knowledge:

Module 2: Dimensional Lumber

Sizing Lumber

• Muchofthelumberyousellatyourstorehasbeencuttostandarddimensions.Itisusuallyplanedsmoothonallfoursides.Mostofthislumber,however,isreferredtobyitsnominalsize,notbyitsactualsize.

• Thenominalsizeisthesizeofthelumberbeforeithasbeendriedandplaned.Therefore,theactualsizewillbesmallerthanthenominalsize.Forexample,lumberthatissoldasa2x6(nominalsize)isactually1-1/2”deepx5-1/2”wide.

• Lumbersizedbetween2”and4”thick(nominal)isoftenreferredtoasdimensionallumber.

• Whenreferringtothenominalsizeofdimensionallumber,referfirsttowidthanddepth.Whenlengthisstated,itistheactuallength,notnominallength.

• Whensellingpackagesoflumber,youmaysellintermsofboardfeet.We’lldiscussthatinChapter2,module2.

• Inthechartonthefollowingpage,you’llseesomeofthecommonnominalsizesfollowedbytheactualsizes.

Softwoodlumbercutandsoldinlumberyardsisdividedintothreecategories:dimensionallumber,timbersandboards.Inthismodule,we’lldiscussdimensionallumber.

4

Nominal Size Actual Size

1” 3/4”2” 1-1/2”4” 3-1/2”6” 5-1/2”8” 7-1/4”10” 9-1/4”12” 11-1/4”

Grading

• Lumberisalsosoldaccordingtoitsgrade.EachpieceofwoodisgradedbynationalstandardsdevelopedbytheU.S.DepartmentofCommerce.Thosestandardsarethenenforcedbyregionalassociations.Mostoftheinformationinthiscourseisbasedoninformationfromoneofthelargestofthoselumberproducingassociations,theWesternWoodProductsAssociation(WWPA).

• Lumbermaybegradedforstrengthorappearance.Sinceitisusedforstructuralapplications,dimensionallumberisgradedforstrength.

• FollowingarethegradingguidelinesestablishedforSouthernPine.Thesegradesaresimilartootherspeciesgradesbuttheyhavemoregradeseparationsavailable.However,mostmillsdonotmanufactureallproductsandmakeallgradeseparations.

• Select Structural:Highquality,relativelyfreeofcharacteristicsthatmayimpairstrengthorstiffness.

• No. 1:Provideshighstrength,recommendedforgeneralutilityandconstructionpurposes.

• No. 1Dense:Goodappearance,especiallysuitablewhereexposedbecauseofknotlimitations.

• No. 2:AlthoughlessrestrictedthanNo.1,itissuitableforalltypesofconstruction.

• No. 2 Dense:Allowswell-spacedknotsofanyquality.

• No. 3:Assigneddesignvaluesmeetwiderangeofdesignrequirements.Recommendedforgeneralconstructionpurposeswhereappearanceisnotacontrollingfactor.ManypiecesincludedinthisgradewouldqualifyasNo.2exceptforasinglelimitingcharacteristic.Provideshighqualityandlowcostconstruction.

• Stud:CompositeofNo.3strengthandNo.1nailingedgecharacteristics.

• Economy: Usablelengthssuitableforbracing,blocking,bulkheadingandotherutilitypurposeswherestrengthandappearancearenotcontrollingfactors.

The Grade Stamp

• TheWWPA Certification MarkcertifiesthatthelumberhasbeenjudgedbyWWPAstandards.

• Mill Identification—allowsWWPAtoidentifywhichmillproducedapieceoflumber.

• Grade Designation—identifiesthegradeofthelumber.

• Species Identification—indicatesthespeciesorgroupofspeciesoftree.

• Condition of Seasoning—indicatesthemoisturecontentoftheboardatthetimeitwascut.

5

Light Framing

• Lightframinglumberisusedwherehighstrengthvaluesarenotrequired.

• ItistypicallyavailableinSPF,orspruce,pine,fir.

• Itisusuallysized2”to4”thickand2”to4”wide.

• Mostoftheusesfor2x4sinresidentialconstructionarenon-structural.

• Itisavailableinconstruction,standard,utilityandeconomygrades.

Studs

• Studsareusedforstructuralpurposes,includingloadbearingwalls.

• Itssizesareusually2x4or2x6and10’longorshorter.

• Onecommonlengthofprecutstudis92-5/8”.Thisisusedwhereasoleplateisputunderthestudandtwoplatesareputontop,makingatotalinsidefloor-to-ceilingheightofabout8’.

• Anothercommonlengthofprecutstudis94-1/8”.Thisisusedincaseswherethereisasoleplateunderandonlyonetopplate,stillmakingafinishedheightof8’.

• Athirdcommonlengthofprecutstudis92-1/4”.Thisiscommonwithslabconstructionwherecarpetwillbeapplieddirectlyovertheslab.It’spopularinTexasandtheSouthwest.

• Studisitsowngrade,andisacompositeofNo.3strengthandNo.1nailingedgecharacteristics.

Structural Light Framing

• Structurallightframinglumberisusedforengineeringapplicationswherehigherbendingstrengthratiosareneededinlightframingsizes.Itistypicallyusedintrussesandconcretepierwallforms.

• Sizesare2”to4”thickand2”to4”wide,thesameaslightframingsizes.

• Manystoreswillnotcarrythiskind,exceptfor4x4s.

• Gradesareoftenmixedandlabeled“Standard&Better.”ThismeansthebuyermayreceiveamixtureofStandardandConstructiongradedpieces.

Structural Joists & Planks

• Structuraljoistsandplanksareusedforengineeringapplicationsforlumber5”andwider,suchasjoists,raftersandgeneralframinguses.Theyarealsousedforbeamsorgirders,posts,stairstringersoranyotherload-carryingpurpose.

• Sizesareusually2x6through4x16.

• Thetypicalstorestockincludes2x6,2x8,2x10and2x12.

• Storesgenerallyonlystockonespecieforeachsize.

• Gradesareoftenmixedandlabeled“#2andBetter.”Thismeansthebuyermayreceiveamixtureof#2,#1andSelectStructural.Eachlumberisstampedwithitsspecificgrade,butmostconsumerswillnotneedtopickoutallofonetype.

6


Q: Why is it called a 2x4 if it is really only 1-1/2”x 3-1/2”?A: Thepieceofwoodstartedout2”x4”,buttheprocessofdryingandplanningmadeitsmaller.Howmuchitshrinksdependsonwhetherthelumberhasbeenleftgreen(undried)orhasbeendriedtoamoisturecontentof19%orless(whichisconsidereddry).

Q: Why are some 2x4s more expensive than others? A: Thequalityisverydifferentbetweenthetwo.OneisaStudgradepieceoflumberandtheotherisUtilitygrade.TheUtilitygradeismuchlowerqualityandshouldn’tbeusedforconstructioninloadbearingwalls.Thereisabigdifferenceinqualitybetweenthetwo.

Q: What grade of board should I use for building a wall? A: Ifthewallwon’tbecarryinganyweightaboveit,youcanusealightframing2x4.Theotheroptionisastud,whichcanbeusedforloadbearingwalls.

Add-on Sales

• Customerspurchasingdimensionallumberwilllikelyalsoneedcommon nailsforgeneralconstructionapplications.

• Customersinvolvedingeneralconstructionmayalsoneedframingstrapsandties,suchasjoist hangers,tie platesandnail plates.

• Acarpenter’s pencilisanotheritemtheprocustomermayneedtobuyfrequently.

• Customerspurchasingalargequantityoflumbermaywanttoconsiderextrasaw blades,incasetheonestheyareusingstarttogetdull.

• Alwayssuggestpersonalsafetyequipment,suchasgloves,safety glassesandear protection.

Product Knowledge:

Module 3: Timber, Beams, Posts and Trusses

Timbers and Beams

• Timbersandbeamscanbegroupedintotwocategories:beamsandstringersandpostsandtimbers.

• Beamsandstringersarepiecesoflumbersized5”andthickerwherethewidthismorethan2”greaterthanthethickness.Thesearenormallyusedasbeamsplacedhorizontally,andtheycarryaloadalongitslength.

• Postsandtimbersarepiecesoflumbersized5”andthickerwherethewidthisnotmorethan2”greaterthanitsthickness.Theyarenormallyusedaspostscarryingloadsplacedontheirendastheystandvertically.

Trusses

• Trussesareengineeredframingcomponentspre-builtatthefactorysotheycansimplybeinstalledatthejobsite.

• Atrusscontainsthreeparts:thetopmemberortopchordthatreplacestherafter,thebottommemberorbottomchordthatreplacestheceilingjoist,andtheinteriorpiecesorwebsthathelpholdittogether.

• Biggestreasontheyareusedisthattheycanbeengineeredtospecificdesignloads,whichmakesthemstructurallysuperiortoaroofdesignedatthejobsite.

• Mosttrussesareplaced24”oncenter(asopposedtothestandard16”)sofewermaterialsandlesslaborareneeded.


7

Truss Types

• Therearethreecommontrussshapes:Kingspost,ScissorandFinkor“W”.

• Theseareexamplesofroof trusses,whichsupporttheroof.Theycanalsobedesignedtospanlongdistances,sometimestheentirelengthfromoutsidewalltooutsidewall,eliminatingtheneedforload-bearinginteriorwalls.

• Floor trussesareflattrussesthatreplacefloorjoists.Theycanbedesignedtosupportalongspan,butaload-bearingwallinthebasementisn’tunusual.Thelongerspanunsupportedbyawallrequiresatallertruss,whichraisestheprofileofthehouseorrequiresadeeperbasement.

MSR Lumber

• MSRlumber,ormachinestress-ratedlumber,isgradedbytestingitonamachine.Thisisdifferentthanmostothertypesoflumberthataregradedvisually.

• Byputtingthelumberonamachinetogradeit,themanufacturercanfinditsactualstrengthandcanusepiecesthatarejusttherightstrengthfortheapplication.

• StrengthandstiffnessaretheimportantfactorsindeterminingthespecificationofMSRlumber,andaremarkedontheMSRgradestamp.

Treated Wood

• Treatedlumberhasbeenchemicallytreatedtoresistdecay,insectsanddeteriorationovertime.

• Themostcommonpreservativeisalkalinecopperquaternary(ACQ).UseitonwoodslikeSouthernPine.

• Thistreatmentusuallydoesn’tprovidemoldtreatment,sotheusermustapplyaseparatemoldicide.

• ACQiscorrosivetoferrousmetalsthatmakeupmostfasteners.Useafastenerthatwillstanduptothatcorrosion,suchasstainlesssteelorhot-dippedgalvanized.

• Anothertypeoftreatedwoodismicronizedcopperquaternary,orMCQ.UnlikeACQtreatedwood,MCQtreatedwoodcauseslittletonocorrosioninthewood,doesnotchangethenaturalcolorofthewoodanddoesnotposethesafetyconcernsoftenassociatedwithACQ.

Kingspost

Scissor

Fink or “W”


Q: Are chemicals used to treat pressure treated wood dangerous?A: Previously,pressuretreatedwoodwastreatedwithachemicalcalledCCApreservative,whichwasbannedforresidentialusesintheU.S.attheendof2003.Thischemicalwasconsideredunsafeforcertainuses.ACQ(alkalinecopperquaternary)isreplacingCCAinmostofthecountry(whereSouthernPineisused)exceptthefarwest,whereCA(copperazole)ismorecommon(Hem-FirandSPFarethemostcommonspeciestreated).

Q: Do I need to let treated lumber dry?A: Yes.Thetreatmentprocesssaturateswoodwithachemicalthatiscarriedinwater.Thewoodwilltakeseveralmonthstodryoutafterthetreatment.Asthewooddries,thereisthepossibilityitmayshrinkorwarp.Youshouldnotpaintorstainthewooduntilithasthoroughlydriedout.

Q: Are there differences in the types of treated lumber I can buy?A: Thedifferenceyouneedtobeconcernedaboutiswhatkindofuseit’squalifiedfor.Thegradestampwillindicatewhetheritisratedforgroundcontact,abovegrounduseorbelowgrounduse.You’llwanttousetheproperconcentration,asthehigherconcentrationlumbercostsmoreandwearsoutsawbladesmorequickly.

• Abovegroundisforuseinapplicationssuchasdecking,fencesandrailings.

• Groundcontactisforuseforposts,retainingwallsandlandscapetimers.

• In-groundisforuseonwoodfoundationmaterials.


8

Q: Is it dangerous to cut treated wood?A: Youcancuttreatedwoodsafelyifyoufollowafewsafetyprecautions.First,wearamasktopreventinhalingthedustanduseglovestopreventsplinters.Alsoweareyeprotectiontoprotectfromparticlesflyingintoyoureye.Then,disposeofthedustinthetrash;donotburnscrapsorsawdust.Alwayscutinawell-ventilatedarea.Thoroughlywashhandsandfacebeforeeatingorsmokingtoavoidaccidentalingestionofthedust.

Q: How is MSR lumber tested?A: MSRlumberistestedbyamachine.Totestapieceoflumber,thepieceentersamachinethatexertsbendingstressintwodirections.Electronicloadcellsmeasureresistancetobendingandsendthatinformationtoadataprocessingunit.Thedataprocessoranalyzestheinformationandacceptsorrejectsthepieceaccordingtostiffnesscharacteristics.Eachpiecereceivesanappropriatestamp.

Q: What grade of board should I use for building a wall? A: Ifthewallwon’tbecarryinganyweightaboveit,youcanusealightframing2x4.Theotheroptionisastud,whichcanbeusedforloadbearingwalls.

Add-on Sales

• Anyonebuyingtreatedlumberwillneedgalvanizedorstainless steel fasteners.

• Recommendadust mask,glovesandsafety glassesaspersonalprotectionwhencuttingtreatedlumber.

• Askcustomersiftheyneedanextrasaw blade,incasetheonetheyareusinggetsdull.

• Remindcustomersthateventhoughtheyarebuyingtreatedwood,theyshouldstilluseawood preservativeforpreservingthecutendsoflumberaswellasforwaterproofing.

Module 4: Boards

Product Knowledge:

Sizing Boards Aboardisgenerallyapieceoflumber1”nominalinthickness(3/4”actual)andanywidth.

Thickness

• Aboardisgenerallyapieceoflumber1”nominalinthickness(3/4”actual).

• Boardsthickerthan1”nominalarecalled5/4(five-quarter)or6/4.

• Theseareoftensoftwoodsinfinishgradesanduseboardgradingrules.

Width

• Boardsaretypically2”andwider.

• Withthickerboards,itiscommontobuyS2Slumber(surfacedontwosides,notontheedges).Theyareoftenrandomwidths.

Length

• Typicalstockforastoreisboardsinevenfootlengthsfrom8’to16’.

Patterns

• Someboardsareprecutintostandardshapesforusessuchaspaneling,siding,flooringorshiplap,whichisaboardwithnotchededgessoadjoiningpiecesoverlap.

Grading

• Boardsaregradedontheirappearanceratherthantheirstructuralqualities.Theirintendedusedependsontheirgrade,orhowmanydefectstheyhave.Theyhavelowmoisturecontentandarekilndried.

9

Select Board

• Theselectboardcategoryconsistsofboardsofvarioustypesofspecieswhereappearanceismostimportant.

• Selectsaregradedbasedonappearanceandtheyarealsoknownasappearancelumber.

• Thisisthetypemostcommonlycarriedbylumberyards.

• Idahowhitepineandcedarhaveseparatenamesforthevariousgrades.Thesearelistedherewith“IWP”asaprefix.

• B & Better (IWP-Supreme):Theultimateinfineappearance.Thisisthehighestgradeofselectlumber.Manypiecesareabsolutelyclearofdefects.

• C Select (IWP-Choice):Maycontainafewdefectsthatcanbehiddenbypainting.Recommendedforuseswherefineappearanceisessential.Widelyusedforhighqualityinteriortrimandcabinetwork.FrequentlyblendedwithB&BettergradeandmarketedasC&BetterSelect.

• D Select (IWP-Quality):ForfinishingrequirementslessexactingthanCSelect.Ithasanunlimitednumberofdefectsorblemishesthatcanbehiddenbypainting.Onerestrictedcutoutispermitted.Manypiecesmayhaveafinishappearanceononeside.Itisbetweenthehigherfinishinggradesandtheboardgrades.

Paneling

• Panelingisanothertypeofboardgradedonappearance.

• Thistypeofboardisusedtofinishwalls,andisusuallystainedandvarnished.

• SelectorFinishgradeboardsareusedforpaneling.Selected Grade 2 CommonorGrade 3 Commonisalsousedforpanelingwhereknotsareapartofthefinalappearance.

Common Board

• Commonboardsareusedforutilityandconstruction.

•Thistypeofboardhasenoughblemishesordefectstomakeitunsuitableforworkwhereappearanceisimportant.

Herearethetypicalgradesofcommonboards:• Grade 1 Common (IWP Colonial):Usedwheretheultimateinaknotty

appearanceisdesirable.Allknotsaresoundandtight.Oftenusedforpanelingandshelving.

• Grade 2 Common (IWP-Sterling):Usedforhousingandlightconstructionwhereitwillbeexposedandwhereafineknottyappearanceisdesired.Oftenusedforpanelingandshelving.AllowsforlargerandmoredefectsthanNo.1.Noknotholes.

• Grade 3 Common (IWP-Standard):Usedwhereappearanceandstrengtharebothimportant.Oftenusedforpaneling,shelvingandsidingandespeciallysuitedforboxes,crating,sheathingandmanyindustrialuses.OccasionalknotholespluslargerandmoredefectsthanNo.2.

• Grade 4 Common (IWP-Utility):Mostwidelyusedgrade.Usedforgeneralconstructionpurposessuchassubfloors,roofandwallsheathing,concreteforms,low-costfencing,cratingandsimilartypesofconstruction.Allowsonlythreeknotholesper12’lengthofboard.

• Grade 5 Common (IWP-Industrial):Usedforeconomyapplications.Allowsalmostunlimiteddefectsifitholdstogetherduringordinaryhandling.

10

Alternate Board

• Alternateboardsarenotsuitableforworkwhereappearanceisimportant.

• Thegradeofthisboardisdeterminedfromitsbetterface.Therearetwocommongrades:

• Select Merchantableisusedforpaneling,shelvingorwhereaknottytypeoflumberisdesirable.

• Constructionisusedforlet-inbracing,spacedsheathing,fences,boxes,cratingandindustrialapplications.


Q: Can I buy more paneling that matches what I already have in my house?A:Ifthedesignisastandardpattern,ithasanumberandiseasytoreorder.We’llchecktheWWPA’s“StandardProductPattern”booklet.

Q: What does 5/4 mean?A: Mostboardsaresoldusingthequarter(1/4)system,wherefour1/4”incrementsmakeupaninch.Therefore“4/4rough”equals1”thick,5/4equals1-1/4”thick,8/4equals2”thick,etc.Theseareusuallysoftwoodsinfinishgrades.

Q: What would you recommend for building sides to a drawer?A:Useboardsthatare5/8”or1/2”thick.Theseareusuallyusedforbuildingdrawersidesandforhobbywork.

Q: What board would I use for a stair tread?A: Usea5/4ora6/4board.Thesearethickerthanthestandardboard,whichis1”nominal.Theseareusedforstairtreadsaswellasformakingtrimandcabinets.

Add-on Items

• Customerspurchasingboardswilllikelyneedbasicmeasuringandcuttingtools.Askiftheyhaveasquare,measuring tape,carpenter’s pencilandsaw.

• Theymayalsoneedbasicassemblytools,suchasahammerandfinish nails.

• Next,askhowthecustomerwillbefinishingthewood,andrecommendtheappropriate paint,stainor polyurethane.

• Theywillalsoneedbrushesandragsforapplyingthefinish.

• Otheritemsyoucanrecommendincludesandpaperforpreparingthewood’ssurfaceandwood puttyforcoveringnailholes.

• Don’tforgettorecommendadusk mask,glovesandeye protectionforworkingwithwood.


11

Module 5: Deck and Fencing

Product Knowledge:

Wooden Deck Board

• Woodendeckboardisusedforoutdoorandgardenapplications,suchaspatios,decks,benches,trimandfencing.

• Itisalsoknownaspatiodeckingorradius-edgedpatiodecking.

• Itisgenerallymadetobeinstalledflatandusedforloadbearingapplications.Themaximumspanis16”oncenter.

• Manyofthedecksbuilttodayusepressure-treatedwoodbecauseitresistsdecay,insectsanddeterioration.However,sometreatmentscanbetoxicandcorrosivetofasteners.Pineiscommonlyusedforpressure-treatedwood.

• Somedecksaremadefromsoftwoodsthatarenaturallyresistanttodecay,suchasredwoodandcedar.

• Bothofthesetypesneedtobemaintainedwithastainorwoodpreservativetomaintaintheirappearanceandextendtheirlife.

Grades of Fencing and Decking

• Somemillsanddistributorsmixgradesandcointermssuchaspatiograde,deckgradeandgardengrade.Theyattempttocomeupwithamixthatwillbesuitableforbuildingadeckorfence,forexample,atthelowestprice.

• Herearesomegradesyou’llfindfordecking:

• ThePatio 1gradeissimilartotheNo.2andBetter.Itisacommongradeofboardlumberwhereafineknottyappearanceisdesired.Itallowsfewermanufacturerdefects.

• ThePatio 2gradeissimilarinappearancetotheNo.3Commongradeofboardlumber,whichallowsforoccasionalknotholespluslargerandmoredefectsthanNo.2grade.

Grading Redwood

• Unlikedimensionlumberandboards,redwoodisgradedbasedonwhetherthewoodisallheartwoodorcontainssomesapwood.Herearethegeneralgrades.Foramoredetailedlistingofgrades,seetheappendix.

• TheCleargradeisthehighestqualityandhasfewdefects.

• TheConstructiongradehassomedefectsbutissuitableforloadcarrying.

• TheMerchantablegradehasmoredefectsandmaybesimilartoagoodgradeofutilitylumber.

Plastic Deck Board

• Plasticdeckboardismadefromextrudedvinyl,usuallyPVC.

• Sometypesarehollow,butbettertypeshaveanopen-cellPVCconstruction.

• Plasticdeckboardislowmaintenance,anddoesn’tmoldorrot.Sometypescanbeworkedlikewood.

• Itisavailableinavarietyofcolors.Somemanufactureshaveboardsthatcloselymimicwood.

Clear Grade

Construction Grade

Merchantable Grade

12

Deck Accessories

• Inadditiontodeckingboards,thecustomerwillneedseveralotheraccessoriestocompletetheproject.Thesemaybeavailableinbothwoodandcompositedeckingmaterials.

• Stair stringersareoftenprecutwiththeriseandrunatstandardlengthsforaneasierinstall.

• Balustersarepartoftherailingsystemandhelpgivethedeckafinishedappearance.Thebalusters(verticalpieces)andtherails(horizontalpieces)areusuallyavailableindifferentstyles.Theymayalsocomewithanassemblysystemthatmakesthemeasytoinstall.

• Latticecanbeusedasunderpinningtoclosetheopenspacebetweenthedeckandtheground.Itcanalsobeusedtrellisesorarborsforthegarden.

About Fencing

• Afencesystemincludesposts,horizontalrailsandverticalslats.Italsoincludesavarietyofgatehardware.

• Fencesaresometimessoldinpreassembledpanels.Theyaresimplyattachedtopostsintheground.Othersystemsaresoldasseparatepieces.

• Severalstylesofdecorativefencesareavailable,includingsolidboard,shadowbox,spacedpicket,latticetop,stockade,basketweaveandpostandrail.Whenchoosingastyle,homeownersshouldconsiderthestyleoftheirhouseandwhatfunctiontheywantthefencetoserve.

Wood Fencing

• Pressuretreatedpineisoneofthemostcommonlyusedwoodsusedforfences.Itresistsdecayandisinexpensive.Makesurethepressuretreatedlumberyousellhasachemicalconcentrationsuitabletotheuse.Lowerconcentrationsofchemicalareforabove-grounduseandhigherconcentrationsareforbelow-grounduse.

• Cedarandredwoodareotherpopularwoodsusedforfences.Theynaturallyresistdecay.Theyareoftengradedaccordingtodifferentcategoriesthanthepine.

• Whenlookingforwoodsuitableforafence,appearanceisanimportantfactor.Uniformitywillbeanimportantfactortoconsider.Refertogradingguidelinestoseewhichgradesaresuitableforusebelowground.

PVC Fencing

• PVCfencingismadeofvinylinavarietyofstylesthatmimicwood.

• Severalcolorsareavailableandthisfenceneedsnopainting.Onhigh-qualityfences,thecolorgoesallthewaythroughtoresistscratchingandchipping.

• Thistypeoffencingresistsrottingandsplintering.

• Stylesincludeornamental,picket,postandrailandprivacy.Accessorieslikepostcapsandfinialsarealsoavailable.

• Itassembleswithscrews.

• Eachmanufacturerofthisproductwillhaveitsownuniquesetoffeatures.Knowthesellingpointsthatdifferentiatetheproductyourstoresellsfromotherproductsonthemarket.

13


Q: Do I need to stain or paint my cedar fence?A:Cedarisnaturallyresistanttodecayandwhenitweathers,itwillturnasoftsilvergrayandevenblackinsomeareas.Toprotectitscolorandprotectfrommildew,useapenetratingstain.Youcanuseatransparentstain,asemi-transparentstainoranopaquestain.

Q: What kind of nails should I use for my deck?A:Usenon-corrosivenails,suchasstainlesssteelorhot-dippedgalvanized.Ring-orspiral-shankednailsprovidebetterholdingcapacity.

Q: How deep should I bury the fence posts?A:Agoodguideistoburyatleast1/3thetotallengthofthepostintheground.Forpoststhatareontheendorthatwillsupportagate,burythepostanadditional6”.

Q: How strong is vinyl fence?A:Farmersusevinylfencetosafelycontaincattleandhorses.High-qualityfenceshaveabettertensilestrengththanwood.

Q: What can I use to clean my wood fence?A:Useaproductdesignedforthepurpose.Ordinaryhouseholdcleanersmaycontainbleach,whichbreaksdownthefibersinthewoodandcanalsodamagesurroundinggreenery.

Q: Do I need to apply a waterproofer on top of the stain?A:No,thatwon’tgivethefenceextraprotection.Thewaterproofermustpenetratethewoodtoworkanditcan’tdothatifthereisalreadyacoatingonthewood.

Q: How do I maintain my redwood deck?A:Redwoodisstrongerthanotherwoods,soyoucanletitweathernaturallyanditislesslikelytowarporsplit.Itwillweathertoanaturalgraycolor.Toenhancethecolorofthewoodandprovideadditionalprotection,useafinishthathasawaterrepellent,amildewcideandUVprotection.


Composite Fencing

• Similartocompositedecking,compositefencingisgenerallymadefromacombinationofplastic,woodand/orothermaterials.

• Itiseasytomaintainanddoesn’trequirestainingorpaintinglikewoodenfencing.

• Italsoresistsfading,warping,rotting,splittingandinsects.

• Avarietyofstylesareavailable,similartothestylesavailablewithothertypesoffencing.

• Itisusuallyeasytoassembleandrequiresfastenersspecifiedbythemanufacturer.

Upselling Skills

• Severalmanufacturershaveprocessesthattreatwoodwithouttheuseoftoxicchemicals.Thetypesincludeathermallymodifiedlumber,acetylatedlumberandaglass-infusedlumber.Whilethesetypesofwoodareoftenmoreexpensive,theadvantageisthattheyarenon-toxic,non-corrosivetofasteners,aremoredimensionallystablethanregularwood,andresistinsectsandfungi.Somemanufacturersevenclaimtheirproductsarefireresistant.Mostproductscarrylongwarranties.

• Alsoremindcustomersoftheadvantagesofcompositedeckingandfencingmaterials.Whilethesehaveahigherinitialcostthanwood,theylastlonger.Eachmanufacturerofthisproductwillhaveitsownuniquesetoffeatures.Thesefeaturesshouldbeyoursellingpointsasyoushowcustomerstheirdeckingoptions.

14

Add-on Sales

• Manyoftheseadd-onsaleswillbeusefulforeitherafenceordeckinstallationproject.

• Suggestatape measure,string lineandstakesforlayingouttheareawherethefenceordeckwillbeinstalled.

• Suggestapost-hole diggeroraugerfordiggingaholefortheposts.Customerswillalsoneedconcrete mixforsettingthepost.Suggestashovelforfillingindirtaftertheposthasbeenset.

• Askifcustomersneeda circular sawformakinganynecessarycutstotheboardoralevel foraligningtheposts.

• Forcustomerswhowillbeinstallingagate,suggesttheappropriategatehardware.

• Customersusingcompositematerialswillneedacarbide saw bladeformakingcuts.

• Makesurecustomershaveplentyofgalvanized nailsandahammerforinstallingwoodenproducts,orspecialty fastenersrecommendedbythemanufacturerforcompositeandvinylproducts.

• Finally,forcustomersbuyingwoodmaterials,remindthemtouseastainorsealertokeepthefenceordeckwellmaintained.

Module 6: Hardwood Lumber

Product Knowledge:

Oak

• Oakisoneofthemostpopularhardwoodsforbothwoodworkersandconsumers.

• Ithasapronouncedgrainthatcatchestheeyeanddistinguishesitfromotherhardwoods.Open-poresmeanithasdramaticgrainpatternsinsawnlumber.

• Someboardsmayhavedarkmineralstreaks.Occasionally,verysmallpinkpinknotswillbepresent.

• Themostcommontypesincludered andwhite oak.

• Whiteoakistypicallymorefine-grainedandhasamoregray-browncolor.

• Oakisusedinawidevarietyofapplicationsincludingflooring,furnitureandcabinetryconstruction.

White Oak

Red Oak

Birch

• Birchhasafinegrainpatternandexcellentworkingproperties,whichmeansitissuitableforavarietyofprojects.

• Thereisawidevariationbetweensapwoodandheartwoodbirch.Thesapwoodhasacreamyyellowcolorandtheheartwoodhasarichreddish-browncolor.

• Somecustomersmayspecifyallwhite(sapwood)orallred(heartwood).

• Birchisusedinkitchencabinetsandothercarpentryforthehomeandoffice.

Walnut

• Walnuthasarichbrownappearanceandtypicallyhasnumerousknots,tightburlsandwavygrains.

• Itisafavoriteofhomeworkshopsandcabinetmakersbecauseitworkswellwithmachineandhandtools,anditnails,gluesandholdsscrewswell.

• Walnutfinishes,turns,sandsandcarveseasily,andcanbepolishedtoahighsheen.

• Onetype,American black walnut,driesveryslowlyandissuitableforsteambending.

15

Cherry

• Cherrytypicallyhasareddish-browncolor,butfreshlycutwoodmaybelighter.Thesapwoodcanbeacreamywhite.

• Itismoderatelydurablewithmediumstrengthandlowstiffnessandhasatendencytodarkenwithageoraftercutting.

• Cherryworkswellwithhandandpowertools.

• Itnails,gluesandstainswellandcanproduceasmoothfinish.

• Italsohasgoodbendingproperties,andisoftenusedforturningandcarving.

• Cherryisverypopularforuseinfinefurniture,forflooring,molding,paneling,doorsandmusicalinstruments.

Ash

• Ashisstraightgrainedwithacoarse,uniformtexture.

• Thesapwoodislightcolored,andtheheartwoodisgrayishbrowntolightbrown.

• Itmachineswell,andholdsnails,screwsandgluewell.Itissuperiorforsteambending.

• Ashhasgoodstrengthqualitiescomparedtoitsrelativelightweight,aswellasgoodshockresistance.

• Itisusedforcabinets,joinery,plywood,oarconstruction,sportinggoodsandtoolhandles.

Maple

• Maplehasastraight,close-grained,uniformtexture,butsometimeswillshowcurls.

• Thesapwoodiscreamywhitewithatouchofbrownincolor,whiletheheartwoodcanbelighttodarkreddishbrown.

• Itdriesslowlyandshrinkssignificantly.

• Mapleisgoodforsteambending.Ithasahighresistancetoabrasionandwearandhasgoodstrengthproperties.

• Itmachinesandgluessatisfactorily,butholesshouldbepre-boredfornailsorscrews.

• Itproducesanoutstandingfinishwhenstained.

• Mapleisafavoriteformakingbaseballbats.

Poplar

• Poplarhasastraight,closedgrain.

• Sapwoodiswhitishyellowincolor,whiletheheartwoodisstrawbrowntogreen.

• Poplarislightweightwithmoderatestiffnessandgoodstrength.

• Itworkswellwithhandandmachinetoolsbuthasaslighttendencytosplitwhennailed.

• Poplarholdspaintwellandtypicallybetterusedwithdarkstainsastheheartwooddoesn’tabsorbstainwell.

• Itisusedforpaneling,interiortrim,furniture,carvingandturning.

Chestnut

• Chestnutresemblesoakincolorandgrain.

• Itislightincolorandslightlylighterinweightthanmaple.

• “Wormy”chestnuthastinypinholesthataretheresultofpinworminfestation.

• Itisacoarsewood,soitdoesn’tturnaswellasotherwoods.

• Itworkseasilywithhandandpowertools,andsandswellandrespondswelltofinish.

• Chestnutisoftenusedasaveneerforcabinets,forfurnitureconstructionandbyantiquerestorers.

16

Hickory

• Hickoryisaheavywoodknownforitsstrength.

• Ithasadensegrainwithhightoughness,stiffnessandshockresistance.

• Thesapwoodiswhiteincolor,whiletheheartwoodistantobrown.

• Hickoryisdifficulttomachine,orcut,andcanblunttools.

• Itstainsandfinisheswell.

• Hickoryisusedtomakesportinggoodsequipment,carvingsandveneersonpaneling.

Beech

• Beechhasaclosegrainthatmakesitsuitableforturningandcarving.

• Itistypicallywhite,palecreamorpalebrownincolor.

• Thiswoodhasgoodsteambendingproperties,anditglueseasilyandfinisheswell.However,itcanbedifficulttocutorplane.

• Sometimesitisusedasasubstituteforbirch.

• Beechisusedforhigh-endfurnitureandcabinetryaswellastoys,sportsequipmentandmusicalinstruments.

Lauan

• Lauanissofterthanmostsoftwooddimensionallumber.

• ItisalsoknownasPhilippinemahogany,whichisnotthesameastropicalmahogany.

• SometimesLauaniscalledthepoorman’shardwood,asitisusuallytheleastexpensiveofthepopularhardwoods.

• Oneuseisasaveneeronplywood.

Grading Agencies for Hardwood

• TheNationalHardwoodLumberAssociationestablishesthesegradesofhardwoodlumber.Sincehardwoodsarerarelyusedforstructuralpurposes,themainfactorinhard-woodgradingisappearanceandthenumberofclearcuttingspossiblefromapiece.

• FAS(FirstandSeconds).Themostpiecesclearofdefectsandalsothemostexpensive.Boardsaregenerally6”andwiderand8’andlonger.Usedforfinefurnitureandcabinetry.

• Selects.Acost-effectivesubstituteforFASwhenonlyonegoodfacingisrequired.Boardsare4”andwider,6’andlonger.

• #1 Common.Ashoporthriftgradewhereboardsare2/3clearfacecuttings.Agoodvalueforwheresmallerpiecescanbeused.

• #2 Common.Boardshave50%clearfaces.Generally3”andwiderand4’andlonger.Usedforsomepanelingandflooring.

Cutting Boards

Boardsmayvaryinpriceandqualitydependingonhowtheyarecutatthesawmill.Thewayaboardiscutwillaffectitsappearanceandstability.Herearethethreemainwaysboardsarecut.

Plain Sawn:Inaplainsawnboard,boardsarecutparalleltothelog.Itproducesthefamiliar“cathedral”appearance.Thisisthemostefficientwaytocutaboardandthereisminimalwaste.Thedisadvantageisthattheseboardshaveatendencytocup,twistorbow.

Quarter Sawn:Aquartersawnboardisfirstcutinquarters,thencutmostlyperpendiculartothegrain.Thisproducesaboardwithmostlystraightlines.Itisalsomorestablethataplainsawnboard.Sinceittakesmoreworktocutthistypeofboardandsinceitproducesmorewaste,itismoreexpensive.

17

Q: Why does a piece of wood have knots?A:Knotsmarkthespotonatreewherethereoncewasabranch,whichhassincebeenencasedbythegrowthofthetree.

Q: What’s the difference between hardwood and a softwood?A:Thebiologicalansweristhathardwoodsproduceseedswithsomesortofcovering,suchasafruitoranut.Softwoodsproduceseedswithnocovering—theyfalltotheground.Hardwoodstendtobemoredense,butthehardnessordensityofthewoodisnotthemeansofclassification.(Balsawood,thelightestofallwoods,isconsideredahardwood).Butinthelumberyard,structurallumberissoftwoodbecauseitiseasytoworkwithandtheleastexpensive.Hardwoodismoreexpensiveandisusedmainlyasafinishingmaterial.

Q: What does it mean if a board is quarter sawn? A:Toquartersawapieceofwoodmeanscuttingthelogata90ºangletothegrowthring.Thiswillproduceauniformorverticalgrainpattern.Thismethodofcuttingproducesfewerboardsperlogandthusquarter-sawnboardsaremoreexpensive.Theyareusuallyusedfordecorativeapplicationsandwillexpandandcontractlessthanboardscutfromthelogbyothermethods.


Q: Is there a less expensive alternative to buying a solid piece of hardwood?A:Dependingonhowyouareusingit,youmighttryapieceofplywoodwithahardwoodveneer.Thatisathinsliceofhardwoodbondedtoacoreofcompositeboard,soyoucanstillgetthelookofhardwoodwithoutthecostofasolidpieceofwood.

Q: Why is there so much color variation among different pieces of hardwood?A:Hardwoodtreestakemanyyearstomatureandeachonedevelopsitsowncharactermarkings.Sapwood(woodtakenfromtheouteredgeofthetree)andheartwood(woodtakenclosertothecoreofthetree)oftenhavecolorvariations.Thecolorofthewoodalsoshowstheeffectsofvariousmineralsthetreemayhaveabsorbedasitgrew.


Add-on Sales

• Customerspurchasinghardwoodsmayalsobelookingforavarietyofhandandpowertools.YoucanlearnmoreaboutthosetoolsintheBasicTrainingCourseinHardwareRetailing.Butevenforcustomerswhoownallofthenecessarytools,therearestillsomeitemstheywillneedonaregularbasisthatyoucanrecommendduringasaleofhardwood.

• Askifthecustomerneedsanyadditionalbladesforthesawsusedtocuthardwoods.

• Theymayalsoneedacarpenter’s pencilformarkinglines.

• Next,askhowthecustomerwillbefasteningtheboardtogether.Woodworkersgenerallyuse glueandsometypeofjoinery,suchas biscuitsordowels.

• Anotherimportantphaseofawoodworkingprojectisthefinishingphase,soremindyourcustomertogetthepropersandpaper.

• Then,showthecustomeryourselectionof paints,stainsandfinishes,alongwithbrushesand rags.

• Remindyourcustomertousesafetyequipmentforworkingwithhardwoods,includingsafety glasses,ear protectionandgloves.

Riff Sawn:Inariftsawnboard,everyboardiscutdirectlyperpendiculartothegrain.Thisproducesaboardwithstraightlinesoneachsideoftheboard.Itisthemostdimension-allystablecutoflumberavailableandthemostdesiredforfurnituremaking.However,itproducesthemostwasteandisthemostdifficulttocut,thereforethemostexpensive.

18

study guide: Lumber

Product Knowledge:

Chapter 2: Selling LumberModule 1: Understanding Board Feet

Sellinglumbercanbemorecomplexthanmostoftheotherproductsyousell.Somecustomerswillgiveyouadetailedlistofeachsizeandquantitytheyneed.Othersmaycomeinwithaprojectandaskyoutohelpthemfigurequantitiesandsizes.Eachmoduleofthischapterwillhelpyoumakesurethelumbertheygetisadequateforthetask.

Whilemuchlumbertodayissoldbythepiece,somelumberyardsselllumberbytheboardfoot.Thismodulewillhelpyouunderstandboardfeetandhowtopriceandcalculatequantities.

Board Feet & Lineal

•Aboardfoot(BF)is144cu.in.oflumber.Thinkofitasapieceoflumber12”squareand1”thick.Itcould,forexample,bea2x6thatis1’long,oranycombinationthatequals144cu.in.

•Linealfeet(LFT)istheequivalentofplacingthelumberendtoendandjustcountingthetotallength.Itissometimescalledrunningfeet.Forexample:10piecesof2x4sthatare10’longwouldbe100LFT.

Reading Board Foot Tables

• Toreadaboardfoottable,firstreadthenominalsizecolumntofindthelumbersize.

• Nextreadacrosstothecorrectcolumn.Thenumbershavealwaysbeenroundedup.

• Usetheleftcolumntofindouthowmanylinealfeetareinacertainnumberofboardfeet.

• Forexample,howmanyLFTof2x4saretherein300BFof2x4s?Tofindtheanswer,lookinthetabletofindhowmanyLFTthereareinoneBFof2x4.Thenumberis1.5.Multiply1.5x300.Theansweris450LFTof2x4in300BF.

• Usethesecondcolumntofindouthowmanyboardfeetareinacertainnumberoflinealfeet.

• Forexample,howmanyBFaretherein450LFTof2x4s?Thetabletellsusthereis.6667BFperLFTina2x4.Calculate.6667x450=300BFin450LFTof2x4.

• Tofindhowmanyboardfeetthereareineachpieceoflumber,lookfirstunderthenominalsizecolumnforthesizeyouwant,thenfindtheappropriatelength.

• Forexample,a22’long,2x12boardhas44BF.

Board Feet Formula

• Youcanalsocalculateboardfeetwithoutthetable.

• Usethisformula:NUMBEROFPIECESxTHICKNESS(ininches)xWIDTH(ininches)xLENGTH(infeet)=BOARDFEET(dividedby)12.

• Here’sanexample.HowmanyBFarein20pcs.of2x6-16’?Tofindtheanswer,multiply20x2x6x16=3,840.Then3,840/12=320.Theresultis320BF.

• Asecondformulais:LINEALFEETxTHICKNESS(ininches)xWIDTH(ininches)=BOARDFEET(dividedby)12.

• Forexample,howmanyBFarein500LFTof2x10?Theansweris500x2x10=10,000.Then:10,000dividedby12=833-1/3.833.34BF.

19

Converting Board Feet To Lineal Feet

• Remember,linealfeetissimplyhowmuchlengthoflumberyouhave.Sometimesyoumayhavetochangeboardfeetintolinealfeet.

• Todothat,firstfindouthowmanyboardfeetareinonelinealfootofthegivensize.Dothiseitherbylookingatthechartorusingeitheroftheboardfootformulasjustdiscussed.

• Second,dividethatnumberintotheboardfeetgiven.

• Here’sanexample.HowmanyLFTof1x3lumberisthereis1,000BF?First,usethecharttofindthat1pieceof1x3,1’longcontains.25BF.Thenmakethecalculation:1,000BFdividedby.25=4,000.Answeris4,000LFT.

Converting Board Feet To Number of Pieces

• Anestimatorinyourstoremaygiveabuilderaprice“bythethousandboardfeet.”Thecontractoracceptedthebidandnowit’stimetodeliverthematerials.You’llhavetoconverttheboardfeettoactualpieces.

• Todothis,firstfindouthowmanyboardfeetthereareinonepieceofthedesiredsize.

• Nextdividethatnumberintotheallottedamount.

• Finally,roundupordowndependingonthesituation.

• Forexample,thebidyouweregivenshows2,000BFof2x8satacertainprice.Thecustomerwants14’lengths.Howmanyshouldyoudeliver?

• Answer:Lookonthechartandseethat1pieceof2x8-14’contains18.667BF.2,000totalBF/18.667=107.14pieces.Youshoulddeliver107or108pieces.

Pricing Lumber

• Manytimes,you’llpricelumber“bythethousand”boardfeet,abbreviatedMBF.Thereareseveralwaysyoucancalculatethisandarriveatthesameanswer.

• ThefirstoptionistocalculatethepriceperM,or1,000BF.

• FirstmultiplythepriceperMxthenumberofBF.

• Next,divideby1,000.Theeasiestwayistomovethedecimalpointthreeplacestotheleft.

• Forexample,howmuchdoes350BF.of2x10scostifthepriceis$500/M?Tofindtheanswer,multiply350BFx$500(whichequals175,000)thendivideby1,000.Price:$175.00

• AsecondoptionistodivideBFby1,000thenmultiplybythe“perM”price.

• Athirdoptionistodividethepriceby1,000thenmultiplybyBF.

Units

• Lumbercomesfromyoursupplierinunits,orlargebundles.

• Whenorderinglumberfromyoursupplier,itishelpfultoknowwhatquantitiesmakeupstandardunits,asitisusuallyadvantageoustoorderfullunits.Thepriceisbetter,bandedunitsareeasiertoloadandunloadanddeliveryisusuallyfasterbecauseofeasierhandling.

• Themainreasonyouwouldchangequantitieswithsizeistotrytokeepalltheunitsapproximatelythesamesizetosimplifywarehousing.

• Therearestandardlumberunitquantitiesandsizes.Forexample,2x4scommonlycomeinunitsof180,192and294pieces.SeetheAppendixformoreexamples.

• Youmayalsoorderlumberbythecompletetruckloadorrailcarload.

20

Module 2: Estimating Lumber Coverage

Product Knowledge:

Estimating Lumber Coverage

• Becauselumberissoldinboardfeetandcalculatedonthenominalsize,somepeoplearemisledastohowmucharealumberwillcover.Theproblemisthata1x8,forexample,isactually7-1/4”wide,notafull8”.

• Alllumberhasthissameproblem.Ifyouhavetherighttablesavailableyoucaneasilytellhowmuchtoaddtomakeupforthedifferenceinnominalandactuallumbersizes.

Waste

• Youcancalculateexactlyhowmuchlumbertoaddtomakeupforthedifferencebetweenactualandnominalsizes.

• Therewillalwaysbewastewhenusinglumber.Duringconstruction,piecesthatarecutoffmaybetooshorttobeused,ortheremaybe“badspots”thatmustbecutoff.

• Theamountofwastedependsonthebuilder.Typicallythewasteis5%,whilesomebuilderswillcalculate10%.Addthiswastetothetotalamountneeded.

• Incasesofinstallingaboarddiagonally,therewillbeextrawaste.Thetablewe’llusecalculates6%wasteforthis.

Reading Coverage Tables

• Thistablewillhelpyoucalculatehowmuchlumberyouneedtocoveragivenamountofspace.

• First,selectthekindoflumberyouplantousefromthetwocolumnsonthefarleft.

• Next,multiplythesquarefeetofareatobecovered(lengthxwidth)timesthemultiplierfromoneofthelasttwocolumns,dependingonwhetheryouwanttoincludewaste.

• Thecolumnlabeled“IfDiag.”isfortheextrawasteproducedwhencuttingboardsdiagonally.

Problem #1: HowmanyBFarerequiredtocoverafloor15’x20’ifyouareusing1x8S4Sboardsandwanta5%wastefactor?

Answer #1:

• Figurethesquarefootageoftheroom:15x20=300sq.ft.

• Multiplyby1.15(themultiplieracrossfrom1x8S4SBoards,in5%wastecolumn)

• Answer:345BF.

Problem #2: Howmuch1/2x8bevelsidingwillcover8,000sq.ft.ofwall(including5%waste)?

Answer #2:

• Locatemultiplierof1.33acrossfrom1/2x8bevelsiding.

• Multiply1.33x800=1064(1/2”inlumberisstillfiguredas1”forfindingboardfeet).

• Answer:1,064BF.

21

Reading Rafter Tables

• Customersmayalsoneedyoutohelpthemfindhowlongarafterforahomeshouldbe,whichwillhelpyoudecidehowmuchlumbertheyneedtobuildtherafter.

• Thereareafewtermsyouneedtoknowasyoureadthistable.

• Thecommonrafterrunisthehorizontal,orflat,distancetheraftercovers.

• Theslope,orpitch,ofaroof,isaratiooftheriseandrunofaroof.Itisdeterminedbytheverticalrise,ininches,foreveryhorizontal12”length,orrun.

• Forexample,ifaroofhasa4/12pitch,thenforevery12”oflength,theroofrises4”.

• Tofindhowlongaraftershouldbe,firstfindthecommonrafterrunincludingtheoverhang.Afterthat,findtheslopefromtheraftertable.

Rafter Table Examples

• Forexample,ifthehouseis26’wideandhasa2’overhang,thecommonrafterrunis15’.Halfofthehousewidthis13’,sincetherafterspeakinthemiddleofthehouse.Afteryouadd2’fortheoverhang,youget15’.

• Next,youneedtofindoutwhattherafterslopeshouldbe.Forourexample,assumetheriseandrunwillbe4/12(4in12).Find4in12underthe“Rise&Run”columninthetableandreadacrosstothe“CommonRafter”column.Thatnumberis1.054.

• Finally,taketherafterrunlength(15’)andmultiplytimesthecommonraftercolumnnumber(1.054)tofindtheactualrafterlength.You’llneedtouse16’stocklumber.

• Anothertypeofrafterrunisoneforahip/valleyrafter.Tofindthistypeofrafterrunforthesameroof,multiplytherafterrunbythemultiplierinthefarrightcolumn(“Hip/ValleyMultiplier”).Thefinalanswerwillbe21.8’,or22’stock.

Reading Rafter Tables Problem Problem: Assumeabuildinghasa5/12rise/runanda2’overhang.Findrafterrunsforbuildings22’,28’and32’wide.

Answer:

• 22’widebuilding:14.08’(22’÷by2=11’.Adda2’overhang,andlength=13’.13’x1.083=14.08’).

• 28’widebuilding:17.33’.

• 32’widebuilding:19.49’.

22

Module 3 Reading Span Tables

Product Knowledge:

Readingspantablesmaybethemosttechnicalpartofsellinglumber.Butbuildersandremodelersarehigh-volumecustomersandtheymaylooktoyoufortechnicaladvice.

Span Tables

•Spanisthebuildingwidthinaroof.Itisalsothedistancefromonesupporttothenext.

•Structuralmembersarewhatcarrytheweightinabuilding.Itisaseriesofbearingwalls,joists,raftersandtrusses.

•Theamountofweighteachstructuralmembercancarrydependsonitsstrength,itsspeciesandgrade(howmanydefectsithas),lumbersize(whetherit’sa2x4,a2x10,etc.),whatitisbeingusedfor(joist,rafter,etc.)andwhetherornotitisusedbyitselforwithagroupofothermembers.

•Spantablesprovideaneasyreferencetodeterminethesizeoflumberforaspecificpurpose.Theyhelpanswerquestionsthatpertaintobuildingcodessuchas:“WhatsizefloorjoistshouldIbeusing?”or“WhatsizelumberdoIneedforthewindowheaderI’mbuilding?”

A Word of Caution

• Remember,theinformationprovidedhereistogiveyouabasicunderstandingofspantables.Neverguessatoroffertodesignstructuralmembers.Referthequestiontoaqualifiedengineer.

• NeverrecommendstructuralmembersthatarenotspecificallystatedintheSpanTableyouareusing.Beawarethereisahighliabilityofriskifyouguessatwhatsizeofboardyourcustomershouldbeusing.

• Alwaysrefertolocalcodesfirst.Thetablesprovidedherearelegitimate,butareonlyguidestohelpyouunderstandthespantablesthatmaybeineffectinyourarea.

• Forexample,howmanyboardfeetaretherein450linealfeetof2x4s?Thetabletellsusthereis.6667BFperLFTina2x4.Calculate.6667x450=300BFin450LFTof2x4.

• TofindhowmanyBFthereareineachpieceoflumber,lookfirstunderthenominalsizecolumnforthesizeyouwant,thenfindtheappropriatelength.

• Forexample,a22’long,2x12boardhas44BF.

Codes

• Inmostareas,buildersandremodelersmustfollowcertainbuildingcodesthatspecify,amongotherthings,whattypeoflumberandwhatsizetheycanuseforspecificapplications.

• Variousgradingagenciespublishinformationforthespeciesoflumbertheygrade,sotheremaybeseveraldifferentsourcesforspantables.

• Thiscoursewillusethespantablesfromthe“InternationalResidentialCode(IRC)forOne-andTwo-FamilyDwellings.”Itisbestsuitedforanintroductiontospantablesandforanationwidecoursesuchasthis.

• Beawarethatthebuildingcodeyouareunderisdeterminedbyyourlocale,whichmayimposevariationsonthiscode.Alsoknowthatsomeareasareundernobuildingcodes,butitisagoodpracticetoalwaysrecommendconstructionthatfollowstheminimumsfoundinthecodes.

• Thetablesrepresentedinthiscoursearejustasampleofthemanyavailablefordifferentconfigurations.Consultthe“IRCforOne-andTwo-FamilyDwellings”andyourlocalbuildingcodeofficialsfortablesapplicabletoyourarea.

23

Load

• Thestructuralsystemofthehouseismadetoresisttheloadsplacedagainstit.

• Dead loadsaretheweightofthebuildingmaterialsandobjectsinstalledinoronthestructure.Therearestandardcalculationsfordeadloadsandtwoareincludedonoursamplespantables.10psf(persquarefoot)isstandard.20psfiscommonifthestructureissupportingmoreweightthannormalsuchasagroutbedfortile.

• Live loadsareweightsthatcomefromuse(likefurnitureandpeople),windandsnow.Thisloadisimpossibletocalculateaccuratelybecauseitchanges.Thereareestimatedliveloadsbasedonuseofthebuildingandgeographiclocation.Forexample,aloadof30psfiscommonforsleepingrooms.

• Total loadisdeadloadandliveloadcombinedandisusuallyrepresentedonspantables.Checkwithyourlocalbuildingcodetodetermineifthespecificsituationyouaredealingwithmatcheswhatisdescribedinthetables.

• Thetypesofstressastructuralmembercanendurealsoaffectthesizeoflumberandspan.

Lumber Stress Types

• Anunderstandingofstresstypesinlumberwillexpandandsupplementyourknowledgeofspantables.

• Raftersandjoistsmustendureavarietyofstresses.Arafterorafloorjoisthastobedesignednottobreakorevenbendundertheloaditiscarrying.

• Spantablesaresetupwithanunderstandingofthestresslimitationsofeachsizeandgradeoflumber.Theywillnotrecommendauseforapieceoflumberthatwouldcauseittobreak.

• Understandingthetypesofstressesapieceoflumbermustendurewillhelpunderstandthelimitationsspantablesplaceonlumber.

Common Stress Types

Hereisabriefdefinitionofthecommonstresstypesonlumber.Pleaseseetheappendixforamoredetailedexplanation.

Extreme Fiber Stress In Bending

• AbbreviatedFb.

• Usuallythelimitingfactorinrafterdesign.

• Liveanddeadloadsonastructuralmembercausethemtobend.Thiscreatesstressonthewoodfibers.

• Themostextremestressoccursalongtheverytopedgeandbottomedgeofthelumber.

• Asstressisplacedonthelumber,thetopedgehasatendencytogetshorter,ortocompress.

• Asthetopportioniscompressed,thebottomportionwantstolengthenorpullapart.Thisiscalledtension.

• Theclosertothemiddleofthepiece,thelessstressthereis.Thereisapointatthecenterofthepieceoflumberwherethereisnobendingstress.Thisiscalledtheneutralaxis.

Modulus of Elasticity

• AbbreviatedE.

• Usuallythelimitingfactorforfloorandceilingjoists.

• Elasticityishowmuchapieceoflumberwillsagordeflectinrelationtotheloadplacedonit.

• Inceilingjoiststhisisaproblembecauseasaggingceilingjoistmeansthedrywallattachedtoitwilldevelopnailpops.Or,afloorjoistthatsagswillcauseanywallsattachedtoittosagandalsocausenailpops.

• Thebuildingcodewillsetalimitonhowmuchapieceoflumberisallowedtodeflect.Thesearereflectedinthespantables.

24

Compression Parallel to Grain

• AbbreviatedFC.

• Anormalstressonapost,column,stud,etc.

• Typicalstresswheretheloadissupportedontheendofthepiece.

• Thefibersinthewoodareuniformlystressed.Stressisparalleltoandalongthefulllengthofthewood.

• Thisisrarelyaprobleminhomeconstructionasmostlumberisverystrong.

Compression Perpendicular to Grain

• AlsoabbreviatedFC.

• Thestresswhenafloorjoist,ceilingjoistorbeamrestsonasupport.Theloadtendstocrush,orcompress,thefibersatthebearingpoint.

• Thebearingareahastobelargeenoughsothattheloaddoesn’tcrushthefibersatthesidegrain.

• Buildingcodessetminimumbearingsforlumber.

Horizontal Shear

• Stresswhenwoodfibersslideoverthemselveshorizontallyrightatthetoptobottommid-pointofthemember.

• Theonlytimewhenthisstressisaproblemisinshort,heavilyloadedbeamsthataredeep.

• Thesolutionistoincreasebeamcrosssection.


Q:Who publishes the building codes?A:Therearethreemajorbuildingcodesthathaveevolvedasmodelbuildingcodes.TheInternationalCodeCouncilisacooperationofthesethree.Inanefforttostandardizebuildingcodes,theycooperateastheInternationalCodeCouncilandpublishthe“InternationalResidentialCode(IRC)forOne-andTwo-FamilyDwellings.”

Q: May I use these span tables for engineered lumber?A:Thespantablesforengineeredlumberandstandardlumberproductswillbedifferent.Thesuppliersoftheseproductsdesignthemandtheirusesarebrandspecific.Tousethem,refertoinformationspecifictoeachmanufacturer’sproduct.

Q: Does everyone use the same building code?A: No,asthebuildingcodeyouareunderisdeterminedbyyourlocale,whichmayimposevariationsontheinternationalcode.Someareasareundernobuildingcodes,butitisagoodpracticetoalwaysuseconstructionmethodsthatfollowtheminimumsfoundinthecodes.

Q: Why is it important to use span tables?A: Spantablesassurethatyouhavetheproperspacingofsupportsunderraftersandjoists.Arafterorafloorjoisthastobedesignednottobreakorevenbendundertheloaditiscarrying.Spantableswillrecommendtheproperusesforapieceoflumbersothatitwillnotbreak.


25

Module 4: Reading Span Tables

Product Knowledge:

Joists & Rafters

• Joistsaresupportingmembersofahousethatsupportaceilingorfloor.Theyrestonwalls,thefoundationoronbeams.

• Arafterisaslopedstructuralmemberdesignedtosupporttheroofdeck.Itrestsonawallplate.

• Tocorrectlydeterminethesizeoflumberneededforajoistorrafter,firstlocatethecorrectspantable.Thereisaseparatetableforeachtypeofstructuralmember.

Using a Floor Joist Span Table

• Find the live load.Makesuretheliveloadratingmatchesthetypeofroomyouareconsidering.

• Find the dead load.Determinewhetheryouwillbebasingyourcalculationsonadeadloadof10psfor20psf.Formostpurposes,youwilluse10psf,andthat’swhatwe’llusehere.

• Determine the structure’s width.Askthecustomerhowwidethehouseisandhowwideisthespanbetweenmembers.Asanexample,considera28’widehousewithabearingwallinthecenter.Thatmeanseachspanwillbe14’.

• Determine joist spacing.Nextaskaboutthejoistspacing,sometimesreferredtoasthe“OnCenter”measurement.Forourexample,use16”.

• Determine the species and grade of wood.Forthisexample,useDouglasFir-Larch,No.2andBtr.Note:ThisincludesgradesNo.1andSelect,andmorethanlikelyyourstorehasamixtureinstock.SinceyourmixoflumbermayincludeamixofgradesSS,#1or#2,alwaysusethedesignvaluesforthelowestgradeoflumberpossibleinthemix.Inourexample,itis#2DougFir-Larch.

• Find a span value.Forthisexample,findaspanvaluethatisatleast14’.Theclosestwecanfindonthetableisaspanvalueof15’-5”.

• Find the correct size of lumber.Thesizeoflumberthetabledirectsustouseisa2x10.Thatsizeoflumberwillsupporttheloadplacedonitforaspanofupto15’-5”,enoughforaspanof14’.

Headers

• Whenanopeningiscutinawallforadoororwindow,someofthesupportingmembers(usuallywallstuds)mustbecut-offtomakespacefortheopening.Theweight,then,thatnormallywouldhavebeencarriedbythosemembersmustbetransferredtoanothermember.Headeristhetermgiventosupportingmembersthattransfertheloads.

• Thesizeoftheheaderdependsonseveralfactors,includinghowmuchweightitisexpectedtocarry,whereitislocatedandthestrengthofthewood.

• Headersaregenerallydesignedonthejobsiteoutofstandarddimensionallumber.Theyareusuallymadebynailingtwoormorepiecesof2xlumbertogether.

• Toknowwhatlumberyou’llneedtosellyourcustomerfortheheaderhewillbedesigning,you’llneedtoknowhowtoreadgirderandheaderspantables.ThesetablesarealsoprovidedbytheIRCforOne-andTwo-FamilyDwellings.

26

Non Load-Bearing Headers

• Someheaderswon’tcarryasignificantload.Theseareessentiallynon-loadbearing.

• Tocreatetheseheaders,youcanusea2x4turnedflat.Thepurposehereisjusttoframeanopeningforthewindow.

• Oneexampleisawindowplacedonthegableendofaone-storyhouse.Themainpurposeofthestudsistoprovidenailingandbackingforexteriorsheathingandsidingandforinteriorwallfinish.

• Anotherexampleisforinteriorwallsonthetopfloorofatrussedroofbuilding.Thetrusscarriestheweightoftherooftotheoutsidewalls.Studsforinteriorwallsdon’thavetocarryanyload.

Load-Bearing Headers

• Whentheheadermustcarryaload,itmustbedesignedaccordingtothespecificationsoutlinedbytheIRC.

• Somebuilderswilltellyouexactlywhatsizetheywant,soallyouhavetodoispriceitforthem.Othertimes,youmayneedtohelpsomeonefigureoutwhatsizetheyshouldbeusing.Remember,neverdesignastructuralmemberortrytoguesswhatsizesomeoneneeds.Ifthetablesdon’tansweryourquestionsexactly,thenconsultaqualifiedengineer.

• Theheadermustbesupportedbystuds,andthemoreweighttheheadermustcarry,themorestudsthereneedtobetosupportit.

• ThesestudsarecalledjackstudsandhowmanyofthemareneededisspecifiedintheIRCGirderSpanandHeaderspantable.

Using the Header Table

Aheaderspantablecanhelpyoufindtheappropriatesizeoflumberforthespanyourcustomerdesires.Herearethestepsyoushouldtaketohelpacustomerfindtherightheaderforawindowinahouse.

• Determine the width of the house.Inthiscase,thecustomersaysthehouseis28’wide.

• Determine the snow load.Knowthesnowloadforyourareaandchoosetheappropriatecolumnonthetable.Forthisexamplewe’lluse30psf.

• Determine the species.Notethatitspecifiesthespeciescoveredbythesespecificationsaredouglasfir-larch,southernpineandspruce-pine-fir.Afootnotetellsusthattheassumedgradeis#2.Sothevaluesonthetablearevalidforamixoflumber#2&Btr.

• Determine what the header is supporting.Inourexample,wearelookingforawindow.Theonlyweighttheheaderwillbesupportingisaroofandceiling.

• Determine the windows rough opening.Thecustomersaysthewindowwillneedaroughopening(RO)of8’,sotheheadermustcoveraspanofatleast8’.

• Find the closest allowable span.Usingtheheaderspantable,wecanseethattheclosestspanthatallowsatleast8’is8’-5”.Fromthere,wecanlookunderthe“size”columntodetermineweneedtwo2x12piecesoflumber.

• Determine if jack studs are needed.Intheadjoiningcolumnlabeled“NJ”(numberofjackstuds),wefindweneedtwojackstudstosupportthatheader.

Notethatthisexamplecouldalsobeusedifwewerefiguringaheaderforadoororwindowonthesecondfloorofatwo-storybuilding.Youonlyhavetofiguretheweightforthestructureabovetheheader.

27

Girder

• Youmayalsoneedtousethespantabletofindthelengthofagirder,whichisalsoabeamthatcarriesbuildingloads,oftenafloorjoist.

• Thisisusuallyapieceofengineeredlumber,butalsomaybemadebynailingpiecesoflumber(usuallythreepieces)together.

• Insteadofjackstuds,girdersgenerallyrestontopofawallorpost.

• Example#1:

• We’llworkintheoppositedirectionofthetableaswedidfortheheaderproblem.Wewanttousethree2x10stomakethegirder.Howfarapartshouldweplacethepoststhatsupportthisgirder?

• Sincethegirderwillbesupportinganinteriorwall,usethetablelabeled“GirderSpansandHeaderSpansforInteriorBearingWalls.”

• First,ourexamplehouseis28’widewithonestoryandatrussroof.

• Tosupportonefloor,ifwearegoingtousethree2x10piecesoflumbernailedtogether,wewouldneedatleasta7’-7”spanbetweensupportingposts.

• Example#2:

• Yourcustomerwantstobuildagirderfora32’-wide,two-storyhouse.Heasks,“IfI’mgoingtousethree2x10stomakeupthegirder,whatisthemaximumspacingofthebasementposts?

• Tofindtheanswer,usethetableGirderSpansandHeaderSpansforInteriorBearingWalls.

• Sincethereisnocolumnfor32’,usethenexthighest,36’.

• Usetherowlabeled“TwoFloors”andfindtherowfor3-2x10.

• Thepostswillneedtobe4’-10”apart.

Q: What is the “on center” measurement?A: Thisishowmuchspacethereis,forexample,betweentwofloorjoists.YoumayseethisabbreviatedasOC.Iftwoframingmembersare16”oncenter,thentheyare16”inchesapart,measuredfromthecenterofonemembertoanother.

Q: What kind of header do I need for a window on the gable end of a house?A: Ifthewindowisonthegableendofone-storyhouse,youcanlikelyuseanonload-bearingheader.Tocreatethisheader,youcanusea2x4turnedflat.Thepurposehereisjusttoframeanopeningforthewindow.You’realsoprovidingnailingandbackingforexteriorsheathingandsidingandforinteriorwallfinish.


Q: How do I create a header?A: Headersaregenerallydesignedonthejobsiteoutofstandarddimensionallumber.Theyareusuallymadebynailingtwoormorepiecesof“2by”lumbertogether.

Q: How do I figure a header for the second floor of a two-story building?A:Figureitthesamewayyouwouldforaonestorybuilding.Youonlyhavetofiguretheweightforthestructureabovetheheader.

28

Board Feet Table

Estimating Lumber Coverage Table

29

Rafter Length Table

learning objectives - nrha | north american retail ... · learning objectives: ... wood is often...

Documents