| Lumber Basics |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-601 |
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Q: I'm new to woodworking and I want some tips for buying lumber. Also, can you please tell me what a "board foot" is? A: (Bruce Johnson, DIY woodworking and wood-refinishing expert) Most people typically buy lumber at a home improvement center, which is fine for ordinary household projects. But for fine woodworking projects, you'll want to seek out a lumberyard. There are four varieties of lumber typically available at most home centers:
These standard varieties of construction lumber are typically already priced by the piece and stickered with a price tag -- so there's no worrying about calculating price by board-feet. - Cedar (figure A) is frequently used for ordinary outdoor projects because it holds up well to weather and age. Frequently cedar boards are sold rough on one side and smooth -- or finished -- on the other.
- Pine (figure B) sold at home centers is sometimes referred to as #2 pine. Pine is the most common type of lumber sold at home centers, and is fine for most construction projects. For building furniture, however, pine is usually not suitable.
- Oak (figure C) is usually sold as "S4S" wood -- meaning "surfaced on 4 sides." Wood prepared in this way is ready for use in construction projects, but it's slightly more expensive.
- Poplar (figure D) is identifiable by it's lighter color, and is often available in thinner planks.
- Keep in mind that standard lumber can vary in terms of quality and condition. Inspect each board -- on both sides -- for splits, knots or other imperfections ( figure E) before you purchase.
Lumber-Yards and Wood Selection - For furniture-building and serious woodworking, you'll need to seek out lumber-yards , which stock ordinary lumber as well as specialty and exotic varieties of wood. Furniture-builders' favorites such as cherry, maple, walnut and mahogany , in addition to more unusual varieties, are available at lumber-yards. Lumber yards can also provide you with wood stock in thickness other than the standard ones (2x4, 1x6, etc.) that you see at home centers.
- Lumber sold at lumber-yards is frequently sold rough-cut -- not finished as with S4S lumber. Many lumber-yards will plane the lumber for you for an additional charge, but if you're going to do any serious woodworking, you should consider investing in a power-planer. Once used mainly by professionals, power-planers are now a staple among woodworking enthusiasts. Over the years, newer planers have gotten smaller, lighter and less expensive. This power-tool allows you to provide finished surfaces on rough lumber (figure F). The cost of the planer will ultimately be offset by the money you save buying rough-sawing lumber and surfacing it yourself.
- Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection and follow appropriate safety precautions when working with power planers or any power-tools.
- Lumber sold at lumber-yards is sold by the board foot. A board foot is calculated as equivalent to a board that is 1" thick by 12" wide by 12" long. This formula, along with the price per-board-foot, is used to calculate the cost of boards. So for example, a board 1" thick, 6" wide and 24" long would equal 1 board-foot.
- Shopping for wood at a lumber-yard can save you money in several ways. You should be aware that boards sold at home centers don't measure the exact dimensions that their names imply. For example a board termed a 1x6 is actually neither 6 inches wide nor 1 inch thick. In truth, it is around 5-1/2 inches wide and 3/4-inch thick.
- By contrast, lumber sold at lumber-yards is sold according to true dimensions. In fact, unfinished pieces have more wood than their names would imply (figure G).
- For example, a board from a lumber-yard sold as a 1x6 might measure 6-1/4 inches wide and 1-1/8 inches thick (figure H). The extra wood allows for the oversized board to be planed for smooth surfaces and milled down to final true dimensions.
- So for example, using rough-cut lumber and your own planer, you can end up with 1x6 boards that actually are exactly 1 inch thick and 6 inches wide. And the cost will likely be less than pre-finished lumber from a home center.
RESOURCES :
Woodworker's Guide to Wood: Softwoods, Hardwoods, Plywoods, Composite, Veneers
Model: 080836878
Author: Rick Peters
(2000)
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
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