No. 1 Common is a standard grade lumber with a knotty look. No. 2 Common has larger knots.
Number 1 lumber is the highest quality grade, with numbers 2 and 3 sequentially lower in quality. The fewer flaws and knots a board has, the higher the grade. The higher the grade, the better the quality.
No.
2 lumber is the most common grade for framing. Lumber of this grade contains few defects, but knots are allowed of any quality as long as they are well spaced and do not exceed the size regulations.
Typically wood that is two or more inches thick is graded only for strength, denoted by #1, #2 and so on. And because stronger lumber has fewer and smaller knots, it's typically more attractive. So the general rule of thumb for lumber grades is this: the lower the number, the more strength and better appearance.
Number 1 Common (No.
The Number 1 Common grade, also called cabinet grade, is used to produce kitchen cabinets and furniture parts. The Number 1 Common grade requires call for: a minimum board size of 3” wide. a minimum length of 4' long.
Teakwood is one of the hardest and most durable of all natural woods. It is resistant to rotting, sunlight, rain, frost, and snow, making it suitable for outdoor construction and furniture. However, it is expensive and sometimes hard to find.
Of locally available woods, Black Ironwood is typically the strongest type of wood you can find in America. It's found in Florida and has a 3,660 lbf (16,280 N) Janka rating. Other strong North American woods include species of hickory, maples, oaks, walnuts, and beeches.
Grade – lumber grade is determined by the number of defects in the wood and thus reflects its quality. For framing, choosing grade 2 or better is recommended.
Price Differences Based on Grade and Species
#1 SYP mill prices are 10% – 20% higher than #2 SYP.
Lastly, there are “strong” 3 woods too. These are the opposite of 4-woods and have even less loft, typically 13.5 degrees, and are only recommended for skilled golfers. Since there is even less loft, they're harder to hit, especially off the fairway.
The higher the golf club number, the shorter the club shaft length. A 3 wood is the longest fairway wood (usually 43”-42”), the 5 wood (42”-41”) and the 7 wood (41”-40”), although length will vary depending on the manufacturer.
One of the biggest advantages of the 2 wood is also that it can be easily hit of the fairway. It's almost the same as with a 3 wood and much easier than with a driver.
There is also #1 Grade wood that has been stress graded for use in framing, studs, rafters, etc. #2 Grade – The uses for #2 Grade wood are similar to #1 Grade, but has more (and bigger) knots, and may have more wane. This is considered standard lumber and is often what you see in the big box stores.
Douglas-fir, popularly known as Doug-fir, is undoubtedly the best and most common structural lumber. It is most architects' and engineers' go-to lumber species and this is not just because of its remarkable dimensional stability. It is also among the strongest and most durable softwood lumbers.
A “quarter” system is commonly used in the hardwood lumber industry when referring to thickness. 4/4 refers to a 1 inch thick board, 6/4 is 1-1/2 inch, 8/4 is 2 inches, and so on. This convention is not normally used for softwood lumber although softwood decking is often marketed as 5/4 thick.
Characteristics of balsa wood make it a unique hardwood albeit, when weight for weight basis is excluded, it is the weakest of all commercial species.
Select the species
Lumber is also classified by its species, which affects its density, hardness, and moisture resistance. Some of the most common species used for framing are pine, spruce, fir, and hemlock. These are softwoods that are relatively inexpensive, easy to work with, and widely available.
Quality is affected by the number and/or size of characteristics and the way these characteristics affect strength and appearance. Most lumber used in house building is a No. 2 grade or better.
Fir. Douglas fir is one of the most common woods used to make 2x4s. It is one of the cheapest types of softwood 2x4s. This makes it easy to screw into but still strong enough to be used for any project, including a house.
However, the advantages of using 2 x 6 framing are: Structural strength of building is increased significantly. There is a big difference in compressive strength, resistance to buckling, and lateral deflection between a 9' 2x4 wall and a 9' 2x6 wall. More space for insulation, R-21 vs.
Wood studs are light, structural timber boards milled from softwood trees. After sawn and machine-planed to the standard dimensions of 2×4″, 2×6″, 2×8″, etc, they're spaced 16 or 24 inches on center along the wall, running between the floor and ceiling.
According to the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, Oregon is the top producer of softwood lumber, producing more than 16% of the nation's softwood. Other top-lumber producing states include: Washington. Georgia.
African Blackwood
It is considered as the most expensive wood in the world because not only it is challenging to work with hand or machine tools, its trees are already near-threatened. But as expensive as it may seem, African Blackwood is worth the price.
Choose Rot Resistant Wood for Your Project
Well-known domestic examples include cedar, redwood, old-growth cypress, mulberry, yew, osage orange, and black locust. Tropical wood examples include ipe, lignumvitae, purpleheart, and old-growth teak.