May 2, 2024 · The Rules for the inspections of hardwood lumber are uniform in construction and application but also carry with them the element of stability. The NHLA Hardwood Lumber Grading Rules are the products of the process of evolutionary development, and that …

In general, a softwood board is graded as a whole piece, whereas a hardwood board is graded on its usable content aside from any parts which may be considered undesirable for its use such as knots, wane, splits, etc.

In addition to sorting for grades or selecting specific widths, various species are commercially sold at an added value when colour is also considered. It is important to note, color in this explanation refers to sapwood and heartwood.

The NHLA grading rules provide both the buyer and seller with a consistent language to use in specifying hardwood lumber transactions. Although the NHLA grading rules are targeted for the U.S. marketplace,

We are not only the premier North American hardwood trade association, but we are also the founder, keeper, and educator of the NHLA Hardwood Lumber Grading Rules and the unified voice of the hardwood industry.

Jul 26, 2024 · Grading rules, created by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), are intended to offer a measurable percentage of defect-free or “clear” wood for each grade. Offering long and wide cuttings, higher grades (FAS & Selects) are most commonly used for: The common grades (Number 1 Common, 2A/2B, & 3A/3B) are most commonly used for:

A simplified explanation of the NHLA grading system, which is the national standard for the U.S. hardwood lumber industry and forms the basis for export grading.

Hardwood lumber grading is a complex process using rules maintained by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA: www.natlhardwood.org). The NHLA rules were designed to provide the furniture industry a mathematically measurable method to grade lumber for its amount of clear, defect free wood.

The NHLA grades are based on the percentage of clear-defect free wood on a board. The measurements of this percentage are referred to as clear-cuttings. Other than the FAS grades, the grade of the board is determined from the percentage of these clear cuttings and do not consider defects outside of the clear areas. MEASUREMENT

This video workshop provides a simplified but informative explanation of the grading rules for American hardwood lumber. Presented by Dana Spessert, Chief Inspector of the NHLA, the rules were established over 125 years ago by the, then …