Does my lumber need to be graded before I use it to build with?
When you buy a 2x4 from the lumberyard you may have noticed that it has a black ink stamp on it with some letters and numbers. What does this mean? It means that this piece of lumber has been inspected and approved for use as a structural piece in a home or other building.
There are many instances that you will not need to have your lumber graded such as:
Each State and County may have different requirements so it is always a good idea to get this information directly from your local building department.
Can I get my lumber graded? This is a good question to ask your Sawyer.
Yes. But it can be expensive to hire a traveling grader. They will come out to your sawmill and grade the lumber you have prepared. It is best to have the lumber all laid out ahead of time so that the grader can go through it quickly. They get paid by the hour, so the faster they can do their job the less it will cost you. How do you find a grader? Call some of the accredited bodies on the list at the ASLS website, they will have lists of graders that can help you.