study guide: Lumber - North American Retail … · 2018-06-25 · study guide: Lumber ... a 2x4...

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study guide: Lumber

Learning Objectives:• Thefeaturesandbenefitsoftheproductsyousell.

• Howtoansweryourcustomers’product-relatedquestions.

• Howtohelpyourcustomerchoosetherightproducts.

• Howtoincreasetransactionsizesbylearningmoreaboutadd-onsalesandupsellingtechniques.

Product Knowledge:

Chapter 1: Types of LumberModule 1: Softwood Lumber

Fir

• FirisoneofthemostavailableandcommonwoodsinWesternCanada.

• Itislightweight,versatileandstrong.Itisusedinconstructionandhasgoodperformanceagainsthighwindsandearthquakes.

• Firholdsnails,platesandgluewell.Italsorespondswelltousewithmachineorhandtools.

• Itisusedforframinginresidentialconstructionandawiderangeofcommercialapplications.Italsostainswellandisoftenusedforexposedapplications,suchaswindows,doors,panellingorbeams.

• ThemostcommontypeisDouglasFir.WesternLarchisanotherwoodspeciesthatisoftenmixedwithDouglasFirindimensionallumberproducts.However,theyareseparatedinappearance-gradelumber.

• DouglasFirandWesternLarchhaveessentiallythesamephysicalandworkingcharacteristics.

• Theyhaveasmoothtextureandastraightgrain.Theircolourcanbealmostpurewhiteororange/red,dependingonwhichpartofthetrunktheyarecutfrom.

• AmixtureofDouglasFirandWesternLarchismarked“DFir-L”or“DF-L”.

Hemlock

• Hemlockisstrong,freefrompitchandeasytowork.

• Hemlockhasastraightgrainandafinetexturethatresistssplittingandholdsstainwell.

• Itscolourrangesfromanoff-whitetoafaintreddish-brown.

• Popularusesincludeframing,trusses,decking,panellingandcabinetwork.

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

• TheHem-Firvarietyisapopularchoiceforpressuretreatedwoods.

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

NOTE:Alwaysconsultyourlocalandprovincialcodes

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Pine

• Pinehashighstrengthandnail-holdingability.

• Itisusedforavarietyofapplications,fromconstructiontofurnituremaking.

• ThemostcommontypeofpineisSouthernPineorSouthernYellowPine.

• AnothertypeisPonderosaPine,whichhasasoftertexture.Thistypeisbestforlightframingapplicationsandoutdoorapplications.Italsoholdsstainwellandisoftenusedforfurnitureandwoodwork.

• JackpineandLodgepolepinearecommonlyusedinconstruction.Theyworkeasily,holdnailsandgluewell,andtakepaintwell.

• Westernwhitepineandeasternwhitepinearethesoftestpines.Theyworkeasilyandholdnailswell.Theyarealsogoodforpainting,stainingandvarnishing.

Spruce

• Spruceisusedforavarietyofgeneralconstructionwork,aswellashighlyspecializeduses,suchasbuildingmusicalinstruments.

• Itisoftencombinedwithpineandfir,whichsharesimilarcharacteristics,includinghighstrength,lightweightanddurability.

•Amixtureofspruce,firandpinewoodisreferredtoasSPF.

Cedar

• Cedarisusedforsiding,deckingandfences,aswellasinteriorpanelling,moulding,doors,windowsandfurniture.

• OnecommontypeisWesternRedCedar.Itisthelargestofallcedars.Itcontainsnoresinandisaverydecayresistantspeciesforbothinteriorandexterioruses.

• Itscolourrangesfromwhitetoadarkreddishbrowntoalightyellow.Italsohasastrongaromaticorspicyodor.

• Ithasafine,straightgrainanduniformtexture.

Common Defects in Softwood

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

• Twistiscurvingsothefourcornersarenolongerinoneplane.Theboardiscurvedinaspirallikeway.

• Cuppingisadeviationfromtheflatplane.Thewidesurfaceoftheboardiscurvedacrosstheface.

• Bow isthelengthwisecurvatureofthewidefaceoftheboard.

• Crookisthelengthwisecurvatureofthenarrowedge.

• Knotsareclassifiedbysize,frompinknotstolargeknots.

Foranexplanationofmoredefects,seetheappendix.

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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,whichmeansthelumberisstackedoutsideuntilthemoistureevapouratesfromthewood.Lumberusedinhomesmustbedriedbeforeitisused.Otherwise,itwillshrinkandcauseproblemsinthestructure.ItisoftenlabeledKDonthestamp.

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”thickx5-1/2”wide.

• Lumbersizedbetween2”and4”thick(nominal)isoftenreferredtoasdimensionallumber.

• Whenreferringtothenominalsizeofdimensionallumber,referfirsttothicknessthenwidth.Whenlengthisstated,itistheactuallength,notnominallength.

• Whensellingpackagesoflumber,youmaysellintermsofboardfeet.We’lldiscussthatinChapter2,module2.

• Inthechartonthefollowingpage,you’llseesomeofthecommonnominalsizesfollowedbytheactualsizes.

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

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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

• DimensionlumberinCanadamustconformtogradingrulesmeetingCanadianandU.S.requirements.Eachpieceoflumberisinspectedtodetermineitsgrade.Astampisappliedindicatingtheassignedmilloforigin,agreenordrymoisturecontentatthetimeofmanufacture,thespeciesorspeciesgroup,andthegradingauthoritywithjurisdictionoverthemilloforigin.

• Lumberisgradedvisually.Gradeisbasedonavisualobservationofcharacteristicssuchastheslopeofthegrainandthelocationofknots.

• Eachpieceisthenassignedeitheranappearancegradeorastructuralgrade.Thelumbergradermustbeanintegralpartofthelumbermanufacturingprocess.

• Lumbergradersbasetheirgradeonacorrelationbetweenappearanceandstrength.Gradersassignastrengthgradebasedonappearancecriteria,suchasthepresence,sizeandlocationofknots;thepresenceofwane(barkremnantontheouteredge);andtheslopeofthegrainrelativetothelongaxis.

• Inthechartbelow,youcanseeasampleofafewofthecriteriausedtoassessgradefora2x4structurallightframingorasastructuraljoistandplank.

• DimensionlumberinCanadaisgradestamped2’fromoneendofthepiecesothestampwillbevisibleduringconstruction.

• Gradesmaybegroupedtogether.Forexample,thereisanappearancedifferencebetweenNo.1andNo.2Canadiandimensionlumber,butnotastrengthdifference.ItiscommontomixNo.2andbetter,iftheappearanceofNo.1gradelumberisnotneeded.

• Donotriporresawgradedlumberanduseforengineeredapplications,sincethiswillchangethelocationofknotsandgrainsloprelativetotheareasofhighstressconcentration.Cuttinggradedlumberwillchangeitsgrade.

Characteristics Select Structural No. 1 & No. 2 No. 3Edge of wide face knots 3/4” 1-1/4” 1-3/4”Slope of grain 1 in 12 1 in 8 1 in 4

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Light Framing

• Lightframinglumberisusedwherehighstrengthvaluesarenotrequired.

• ItistypicallyavailableinSPF,orspruce,pine,fir.

• Itisusuallysized2”to4”thickand2”to4”wide.

• Mostoftheusesfor2x4sinresidentialconstructionarenon-structural.

• Itisavailableinconstruction,standardand,utilityandeconomygrades.

Studs

• Studsareusedforstructuralpurposes,includingloadbearingwalls.

• Itssizesareusually2x4or2x6and10’longorshorter.

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

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

• 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.

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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.

• Dependingonlocalbuildingcodes,trussescanbeplaced24”oncentre(asopposedtothestandard16”)sofewermaterialsandlesslabourareneeded.


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Truss Types

• TwoofthemostcommontrussesaretheScissorandWtrusses.

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

• Floor trussesareflattrussesthatreplacefloorjoists.

MSR Lumber

• MSRlumber,ormachinestress-ratedlumber,isgradedbytestingitonamachine.Thisisdifferentthanmostothertypesoflumberthataregradedvisually.

• Byputtingthelumberonamachinetogradeit,themanufacturercanfinditsactualstrengthandcanusepiecesthatarejusttherightstrengthfortheapplication.

• StrengthandstiffnessaretheimportantfactorsindeterminingthespecificationofMSRlumber,andaremarkedontheMSRgradestamp.

Treated Wood

• Treatedlumberhasbeenchemicallytreatedtoresistdecay,insectsanddeteriorationovertime.Amouldinhibitorisaddedduringtheprocess.

• Themostcommonpreservativeisalkalinecopperquaternary(ACQ).ThewoodscommonlytreatedareLodgepoleandJackPine.TheywillalsoincludeDouglasFir,HemlockandSpruce.

• ACQiscorrosivetoferrousmetalsthatmakeupmostfasteners.Useafastenerthatwillstanduptothatcorrosion,suchasstainlesssteelorhot-dippedgalvanized.

• Thereareanumberofdifferentchemicalsusedacrossthecountrytotreatwood.Pleasecheckwiththesupplieroftreatedwoodforyourstorefordetailsonfastenerstouseandhandlingprocedures.

Scissor

“W”


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.

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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.Theseareoftensoftwoodsinfinishgradesanduseboardgradingrules.

Thickness

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

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

Width

• Boardsaretypically2”andwider.

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

Length

• Typicalstockforastoreisboardsinevenfootlengthsfrom8’to16’.

Patterns

• Someboardsareprecutintostandardshapesforusessuchaspanelling,siding,flooringorshiplap,whichisaboardwithnotchededgessoadjoiningpiecesoverlap.

Grading

• Boardsaregradedontheirappearanceratherthantheirstructuralqualities.Theirintendedusedependsontheirgrade,orhowmanydefectstheyhave.Theyhavelowmoisturecontentandarekilndried.

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Select Board

• Theselectboardcategoryconsistsofboardsofvarioustypesofspecieswhereappearanceismostimportant.

• Selectsaregradedbasedonappearanceandtheyarealsoknownasappearancelumber.

• Thisisthetypemostcommonlycarriedbylumberyards.

• Westernwhite,easternwhiteandredpine(WWPine,EWPineandRPine)mayusespeciesspecificgradeand/orproductnamesfortheselectproduct.

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

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

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

Common Board

• Commonboardsareusedforutilityandconstruction.

•Thistypeofboardhasenoughblemishesordefectstomakeitunsuitableforworkwhereappearanceisimportant.

Herearethetypicalgradesofcommonboards:

• Grade 1 Common (Colonial - WW Pine):Usedwheretheultimateinaknottyappearanceisdesirable.Allknotsaresoundandtight.Oftenusedforpanellingandshelving.

• Grade 2 Common (Sterling - WW Pine):Usedforhousingandlightconstructionwhereitwillbeexposedandwhereafineknottyappearanceisdesired.Oftenusedforpanellingandshelving.AllowsforlargerandmoredefectsthanNo.1.Noknotholes.

• Grade 3 Common (Standard - WW Pine):Usedwhereappearanceandstrengtharebothimportant.Oftenusedforpanelling,shelvingandsidingandespeciallysuitedforboxes,crating,sheathingandmanyindustrialuses.OccasionalknotholespluslargerandmoredefectsthanNo.2.

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

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

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Alternate Board

• Alternateboardsarenotsuitableforworkwhereappearanceisimportant.

• Thegradeofthisboardisdeterminedfromitsbetterface.Therearetwocommongrades:

• Select Merchantableisusedforpanelling,shelvingorwhereaknottytypeoflumberisdesirable.

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


Q: Can I buy more panelling that matches what I already have in my house?A:Ifthedesignisastandardpattern,ithasanumberandiseasytoreorder.We’llchecktheNationalLumberGradesAuthority(NGLA)StandardGradingRulesofCanadianLumberforcommonpatterns.

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.


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Module 5: Deck and Fencing

Product Knowledge:

Wooden Deck Board

• Woodendeckboardisusedforoutdoorandgardenapplications,suchaspatios,decks,benches,trimandfencing.

• Itisalsoknownaspatiodeckingorradius-edgedpatiodecking.

• Itisgenerallymadetobeinstalledflatandusedforloadbearingapplications.Themaximumspanis16”oncentre.

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

• SpeciesusedfordeckingboardsareusuallyPonderosaPineandWesternCedar.

• Cedarneedstobemaintainedwithastainorwoodpreservativetomaintainitsappearanceandextenditslife.

Grades of Fencing and Decking

• Herearesomegradesyou’llfindfordecking:

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

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

Plastic Deck Board

• Plasticdeckboardismadefromextrudedvinyl,usuallyPVC.

• Sometypesarehollow,butbettertypeshaveanopen-cellPVCconstruction.

• Plasticdeckboardislowmaintenance,anddoesn’tmouldorrot.Sometypescanbeworkedlikewood.

• Itisavailableinavarietyofcolours.Somemanufactureshaveboardsthatcloselymimicwood.

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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.

• Cedarisapopularwoodusedforfences.Itisresistanttodecay.Itisoftengradedaccordingtodifferentcategoriesthanthepine.

• Whenlookingforwoodsuitableforafence,appearanceisanimportantfactor.Uniformitywillbeanimportantfactortoconsider.Refertogradingguidelinestoseewhichgradesaresuitableforusebelowground.

PVC Fencing

• PVCfencingismadeofvinylinavarietyofstylesthatmimicwood.

• Severalcoloursareavailableandthisfenceneedsnopainting.Onhigh-qualityfences,thecolourgoesallthewaythroughtoresistscratchingandchipping.

• Thistypeoffencingresistsrottingandsplintering.

• Stylesincludeornamental,picket,postandrailandprivacy.Accessorieslikepostcapsandfinialsarealsoavailable.

• Itassembleswithscrews.

• Eachmanufacturerofthisproductwillhaveitsownuniquesetoffeatures.Knowthesellingpointsthatdifferentiatetheproductyourstoresellsfromotherproductsonthemarket.

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Q: Do I need to stain or paint my cedar fence?A:Cedarisnaturallyresistanttodecayandwhenitweathers,itwillturnasoftsilvergreyandevenblackinsomeareas.Toprotectitscolourandprotectfrommildew,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:InmostpartsofCanada,theminimumdepthis4’.

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.


Composite Fencing

• Similartocompositedecking,compositefencingisgenerallymadefromacombinationofplastic,woodand/orothermaterials.

• Itiseasytomaintainanddoesn’trequirestainingorpaintinglikewoodenfencing.

• Italsoresistsfading,warping,rotting,splittingandinsects.

• Avarietyofstylesareavailable,similartothestylesavailablewithothertypesoffencing.

• Itisusuallyeasytoassembleandrequiresfastenersspecifiedbythemanufacturer.

Upselling Skills

• Alsoremindcustomersoftheadvantagesofcompositedeckingandfencingmaterials.Whilethesehaveahigherinitialcostthanwood,theylastlonger.Eachmanufacturerofthisproductwillhaveitsownuniquesetoffeatures.Thesefeaturesshouldbeyoursellingpointsasyoushowcustomerstheirdeckingoptions.

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Add-on Sales

• 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-browncolour.

• Oakisusedinawidevarietyofapplicationsincludingflooring,furnitureandcabinetryconstruction.

White Oak

Red Oak

Birch

• Birchhasafinegrainpatternandexcellentworkingproperties,whichmeansitissuitableforavarietyofprojects.

• Thereisawidevariationbetweensapwoodandheartwoodbirch.Thesapwoodhasacreamyyellowcolourandtheheartwoodhasarichreddish-browncolour.

• Somecustomersmayspecifyallwhite(sapwood)orallred(heartwood).

• Birchisusedinkitchencabinetsandothercarpentryforthehomeandoffice.

Walnut

• Walnuthasarichbrownappearanceandtypicallyhasnumerousknots,tightburlsandwavygrains.

• Itisafavouriteofhomeworkshopsandcabinetmakersbecauseitworkswellwithmachineandhandtools,anditnails,gluesandholdsscrewswell.

• Walnutfinishes,turns,sandsandcarveseasily,andcanbepolishedtoahighsheen.

• Onetype,American black walnut,driesveryslowlyandissuitableforsteambending.

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Cherry

• Cherrytypicallyhasareddish-browncolour,butfreshlycutwoodmaybelighter.Thesapwoodcanbeacreamywhite.

• Itismoderatelydurablewithmediumstrengthandlowstiffnessandhasatendencytodarkenwithageoraftercutting.

• Cherryworkswellwithhandandpowertools.

• Itnails,gluesandstainswellandcanproduceasmoothfinish.

• Italsohasgoodbendingproperties,andisoftenusedforturningandcarving.

• Cherryisverypopularforuseinfinefurniture,forflooring,moulding,panelling,doorsandmusicalinstruments.

Ash

• Ashisstraightgrainedwithacoarse,uniformtexture.

• Thesapwoodislightcoloured,andtheheartwoodisgreyishbrowntolightbrown.

• Itmachineswell,andholdsnails,screwsandgluewell.Itissuperiorforsteambending.

• Ashhasgoodstrengthqualitiescomparedtoitsrelativelightweight,aswellasgoodshockresistance.

• Itisusedforcabinets,joinery,plywood,oarconstruction,sportinggoodsandtoolhandles.

Maple

• Maplehasastraight,close-grained,uniformtexture,butsometimeswillshowcurls.

• Thesapwoodiscreamywhitewithatouchofbrownincolour,whiletheheartwoodcanbelighttodarkreddishbrown.

• Itdriesslowlyandshrinkssignificantly.

• Mapleisgoodforsteambending.Ithasahighresistancetoabrasionandwearandhasgoodstrengthproperties.

• Itmachinesandgluessatisfactorily,butholesshouldbepre-boredfornailsorscrews.

• Itproducesanoutstandingfinishwhenstained.

• Mapleisafavoriteformakingbaseballbats.

Poplar

• Poplarhasastraight,closedgrain.

• Sapwoodiswhitishyellowincolour,whiletheheartwoodisstrawbrowntogreen.

• Poplarislightweightwithmoderatestiffnessandgoodstrength.

• Itworkswellwithhandandmachinetoolsbuthasaslighttendencytosplitwhennailed.

• Poplarholdspaintwellandtypicallybetterusedwithdarkstainsastheheartwooddoesn’tabsorbstainwell.

• Itisusedforpanelling,interiortrim,furniture,carvingandturning.

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Hickory

• Hickoryisaheavywoodknownforitsstrength.

• Ithasadensegrainwithhightoughness,stiffnessandshockresistance.

• Thesapwoodiswhiteincolour,whiletheheartwoodistantobrown.

• Hickoryisdifficulttomachine,orcut,andcanblunttools.

• Itstainsandfinisheswell.

• Hickoryisusedtomakesportinggoodsequipment,carvingsandveneersonpanelling.

Beech

• Beechhasaclosegrainthatmakesitsuitableforturningandcarving.

• Itistypicallywhite,palecreamorpalebrownincolour.

• 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.Usedforsomepanellingandflooring.

Cutting Boards

Boardsmayvaryinpriceandqualitydependingonhowtheyarecutatthesawmill.Thewayaboardiscutwillaffectitsappearanceandstability.Herearethethreemainwaysboardsarecut.

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

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

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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 colour variation among different pieces of hardwood?A:Hardwoodtreestakemanyyearstomatureandeachonedevelopsitsowncharactermarkings.Sapwood(woodtakenfromtheouteredgeofthetree)andheartwood(woodtakenclosertothecoreofthetree)oftenhavecolourvariations.Thecolourofthewoodalsoshowstheeffectsofvariousmineralsthetreemayhaveabsorbedasitgrew.


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.

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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.

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.

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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

• Lumbercomesfromthelumbermillinunits,commonlyknownaslifts.

• Whenorderinglumberfromyoursupplier,itishelpfultoknowwhatquantitiesmakeupstandardunits,asitisusuallyadvantageoustoorderfullunits.Thepriceisbetter,bandedunitsareeasiertoloadandunloadanddeliveryisusuallyfasterbecauseofeasierhandling.

• Themainreasonyouwouldchangequantitieswithsizeistotrytokeepalltheunitsapproximatelythesamesizetosimplifywarehousing.

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

• Youmayalsoorderlumberbythecompletetruckloadorrailcarload.

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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(5%waste)?

Answer #2:

• Locatemultiplierof1.33acrossfrom1/2x8bevelsiding.

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

• Answer:1,064BF.

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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’.

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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.

Codes

• Inmostareas,buildersandremodelersmustfollowcertainbuildingcodesthatspecify,amongotherthings,whattypeoflumberandwhatsizetheycanuseforspecificapplications.

• Variousgradingagenciespublishinformationforthespeciesoflumbertheygrade,sotheremaybeseveraldifferentsourcesforspantables.

• BuildingcriteriafromthesevariousagenciesarebasedonrequirementscontainedintheHousingandSmallBuildingsoftheNationalBuildingCodeofCanada(NBCC).

• ThetablespresentedinthiscoursearesimilartothosefoundintheNBCC’sPart9“HousingandSmallBuildings”andCanadianWoodCouncil’s“TheSpanBook”whichisasupplementtothewoodjoist,rafterandbeamspansfoundinNBCC.

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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 Fibre Stress In Bending

• AbbreviatedFb.

• Usuallythelimitingfactorinrafterdesign.

• Liveanddeadloadsonastructuralmembercausethemtobend.Thiscreatesstressonthewoodfibres.

• Themostextremestressoccursalongtheverytopedgeandbottomedgeofthelumber.

• Asstressisplacedonthelumber,thetopedgehasatendencytogetshorter,ortocompress.

• Asthetopportioniscompressed,thebottomportionwantstolengthenorpullapart.Thisiscalledtension.

• Theclosertothemiddleofthepiece,thelessstressthereis.Thereisapointatthecenterofthepieceoflumberwherethereisnobendingstress.Thisiscalledtheneutralaxis.

Modulus of Elasticity

• AbbreviatedE.

• Usuallythelimitingfactorforfloorandceilingjoists.

• Elasticityishowmuchapieceoflumberwillsagordeflectinrelationtotheloadplacedonit.

• Inceilingjoiststhisisaproblembecauseasaggingceilingjoistmeansthedrywallattachedtoitwilldevelopnailpops.Or,afloorjoistthatsagswillcauseanywallsattachedtoittosagandalsocausenailpops.

• Thebuildingcodewillsetalimitonhowmuchapieceoflumberisallowedtodeflect.Thesearereflectedinthespantables.

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Compression Parallel to Grain

• AbbreviatedFC.

• Anormalstressonapost,column,stud,etc.

• Typicalstresswheretheloadissupportedontheendofthepiece.

• Thefibresinthewoodareuniformlystressed.Stressisparalleltoandalongthefulllengthofthewood.

• Thisisrarelyaprobleminhomeconstructionasmostlumberisverystrong.

Compression Perpendicular to Grain

• AlsoabbreviatedFC.

• Thestresswhenafloorjoist,ceilingjoistorbeamrestsonasupport.Theloadtendstocrush,orcompress,thefibersatthebearingpoint.

• Thebearingareahastobelargeenoughsothattheloaddoesn’tcrushthefibersatthesidegrain.

• Buildingcodessetminimumbearingsforlumber.

Horizontal Shear

• Stresswhenwoodfibresslideoverthemselveshorizontallyrightatthetoptobottommid-pointofthemember.

• Theonlytimewhenthisstressisaproblemisinshort,heavilyloadedbeamsthataredeep.

• Thesolutionistoincreasebeamcrosssection.


Q:Who publishes the building codes?A:CodesarepublishedintheHousingandSmallBuildingsportionoftheNationalBuildingCodeofCanada(NBCC).However,somejurisdictionsdeviatefromNBCC.NotalladoptthelatestversionofNBCCinatimelymanner.

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,asthebuildingcodeyouareunderisdeterminedbyyourjurisdiction,whichmayimposevariationsonthenationalcode.Someareasareundernobuildingcodes,butitisagoodpracticetoalwaysuseconstructionmethodsthatfollowtheminimumsfoundinthecodes.

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

Q: Do the codes use metric measurements?A: TheformalrequirementsfoundintheNBCCarespecifiedusingSImetricterminology.Constructionspractices,however,usetheCanadianImperialmeasurementsystem,soyouíllhavetoconvertthem.

Q: Are span tables the same as used in the U.S.?A: SpantablesdevelopedforuseinCanadaaredifferentthantheU.S.,eventhoughthesamespeciesandgradeofCanadianlumberisgoingtobeused.


25

Module 4: Reading Span Tables

Product Knowledge:

Joists

• Joistsaresupportingmembersofahousethatsupportaceilingorfloor.Theyrestonwalls,thefoundationoronbeams.

• NBCCprovidestwodifferenttablesforlistingmaximumspansforfloorjoists:GeneralCasesandSpecialCases.

• GeneralCasesconsistof“withstrapping,”“withbridging”and“withstrappingandbridging.”

• SpecialCasesconsistof“joistswithceilingsattachedtowoodfurring,withoutbridging”and“withbridging”and“joistswithconcretetopping,withorwithoutbridging.”

• Floorsconstructedwithoutbridgingorstrappingtendtobebouncy.Toreducebounce,orvibration,infloors,NBCCrecommendsseveralconstructionpractices.

• Strappingisapieceoflumbernailedtothebottomofthejoist.Itmustbea1x3locatedatnotmorethan2.1m(6’10”)fromeachsupportorotherrowofstrappingfastenedattheendstothesillorheader.

• Bridgingconsistsofsolidblockingorcross-bridging(1x3or2x2minimum)locatednotmorethan2.1m(6’10”)fromeachsupportorotherrowofbridging.

• StrappingandBridgingiswherebothmethodsarecombined.

• Floorjoistwithceilingsattachedtowoodfurring,nobridgingreliesonthefurringandgypsumboardtostiffenthefloorabove.

Selecting Lumber for a Floor Joist

• Locatethetable.Tocorrectlydeterminethesizeoflumberneededforafloorjoistforahouse,firstlocatethetablelabeled“MaxSpansforFloorJoists:GeneralCases.”Makesurethetableyouusematchesthestrappingorbridgingmethodthecustomerwilluseinconstruction.

• Determinethestructure’swidth.Askthecustomerhowwidethehouseisandhowwideisthespanbetweenmembers.Asanexample,considera28’widehousewithabearingwallinthecentre.Thatmeanseachspanwillbe14’.Also,assumehe’llbeusingstrapping,whichmeansyou’llrefertotheGeneralCasestableandusethecolumnlabeled“WithStrapping.”

• Determinejoistspacing.Nextaskwhatisthejoistspacing.Thisishowmuchspacethereis,forexample,betweentwofloorjoists.Forourexample,use12”.

• Determinethespeciesandgradeofwood.Forthisexample,useDouglasFir-Larch,No.2.

• Findaspanvalue.Findaspanvaluethatisatleast14’.Theclosestwecanfindonthetableisaspanvalueof14’-4”.

• Findthecorrectsizeoflumber.Thesizeoflumberthetabledirectsustouseisa2x10.Thatsizeoflumberwillsupporttheloadplacedonitforaspanofupto14’-4”,enoughforaspanof14’.

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Ceiling Joist

• Onetypeofceilingjoistspantabledealswithceilingsbelowanatticthatisnotaccessiblebyastairway.Thereisnoliveloadtocontendwithandthedeadloadisconsistent.Useaspantabledesignatedassuch.

Roof Joists and Rafters

• Arafterisaslopedstructuralmemberdesignedtosupporttheroofdeck.Itrestsonawallplate.

• Tablesforroofjoistsandrafterstakeintoconsiderationtheweightofsnow.Whenreadingthetables,youmustmakesurethecolumnidentifiesthesnowloadrequirementforyourarea.

• Roofjoistandrafterspantablesalsoconsiderslope.Spantablesalonereflecttheclearspanbetweensupports(orthehorizontalspan).Togetanaccuratemeasurementofthelengthoftherafter,youmusttakeintoconsiderationtheextralengthrequiredtoslope.

• Toaddtheextralengthfortheslope,convertfromthehorizontalspantotheslopingdistanceplusoverhangs,etc.UsetheConversionFactorsforSlopingJoists/Rafterstable.

• Tousethetable,multiplytheslopefactorbythehorizontalspan.Forexample,assumethehorizontalspanis14andtheslopeis4:12.Thetablegivesaslopefactorof1.054fora4:12slope.Theslopinglengthis14.76’.

• NBCCpublishesroof/joist/raftertablesforseveraldifferentsnowloads.

• Realizethatthedifferencebetweenrecommendationsforlumberlengthsfordifferentsnowloadscanbelarge,somakesureyouareusingthecorrectone.Underestimatingcanleadtojoiststhatarenotsafe,andbeingoverlysafecangiveyouthereputationofoverpricingmaterials.

Using a Roof Joists Span Tables

• Assumeyourcustomerneedslumberforraftersfora28’widehousewheretheclearspanis14’.Therewillbea2’overhang,theroofslopeis6:12andthesnowloadfortheregionis41.8psf.Whatlumbersize,o/c(oncentre)spacingandoveralllengthofrafterwouldyourecommendtoyourcustomer?

• Firstcalculatethe“trianglecut-off”+clearspan+bearing+overhang.The“trianglecut-off”isthesmalltriangularpieceoflumberthatrestsagainsttheridgebeamatthetopoftheroofpeak.We’llassumethisis9”or0.75’(thedepthofa2x10joist).Thebearingistheoutsidewallandwe’lladd3”or0.25’,thewidthofthetopwall.

• Thecalculationthenwouldbe0.75’+14’+0.25’+2’=17’.

• Theconversionfactorfora6:12slope(fromthetable)is1.118.

• Calculate17’x1.118=19.01’.Sinceyouselllumberin2’increments,recommendapieceoflumber20’inlength.

• Next,determinethesizeoflumberneeded.Remember,theclearspanis14’.

• FindlumberthatisS-P-FandeitherNo.1orNo.2.Usingthetable“MaximumSpansforRoofRafters,”recommendthesizesthatcometheclosesttothespanof14’.Thetwooptionsarea2x8pieceoflumberspacedat16”o/cora2x10piecespacedat24”o/c.Sincethereisabearingandoverhang,thetotallengthoftheraftermustbe20’.

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Headers

• Whenanopeningiscutinawallforadoororwindow,someofthesupportingmembers(usuallywallstuds)mustbecut-offtomakespacefortheopening.Theweight,then,thatnormallywouldhavebeencarriedbythosemembersmustbetransferredtoanothermember.Header,orlintel,isthetermgiventosupportingmembersthattransfertheloads.

• Thesizeoftheheaderdependsonseveralfactors,includinghowmuchweightitisexpectedtocarry,whereitislocatedandthestrengthofthewood.

• Headersaregenerallydesignedonthejobsiteoutofstandarddimensionallumber.Theyareusuallymadebynailingtwoormorepiecesof2xlumbertogether.

• Toknowwhatlumberyou’llneedtosellyourcustomerfortheheader,you’llneedtoknowhowtoreadtheappropriatespantablesfromtheNBCC.

Non Load-Bearing Headers

• Someheaderswon’tcarryasignificantload.Theseareessentiallynon-loadbearing.

• Tocreatetheseheaders,youcanusea2x4turnedflat.Thepurposehereisjusttoframeanopeningforthewindow.

• Oneexampleisawindowplacedonthegableendofaone-storyhouse.Themainpurposeofthestudsistoprovidenailingandbackingforexteriorsheathingandsidingandforinteriorwallfinish.

• Anotherexampleisforinteriorwallsonthetopfloorofatrussedroofbuilding.Thetrusscarriestheweightoftherooftotheoutsidewalls.Studsforinteriorwallsdon’thavetocarryanyload.

Load-Bearing Headers

• Whentheheadermustcarryaload,itmustbedesignedaccordingtothespecificationsoutlinedbytheNBCC.

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

• Theheadermustbesupportedbystuds,andthemoreweighttheheadermustcarry,themorestudsthereneedtobetosupportit.

Using the Header Table

Aheaderspantablecanhelpyoufindtheappropriatesizeoflumberforthespanyourcustomerdesires.Herearethestepsyoushouldtaketohelpacustomerfindtherightheaderforawindowinahouse.

• Determine the snow load.Knowthesnowloadforyourareaandchoosetheappropriatecolumnonthetable.Forthisexamplewe’lluse41.8psf.

• Determine the species.Notethereareseveralspeciescoveredbythesespecifications.LookforHem-FirNo.2.

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

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

• Find the closest allowable span.Usingtheheaderspantable,wecanseethattheclosestspanthatallowsatleast8’is8’-6”.Fromthere,wecanlookunderthe“size”columntodetermineweneedtwo2x10piecesoflumber.

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Girder

• Youmayalsoneedtousethespantabletofindthelengthofagirderorbuilt-upfloorbeam,whichisalsoabeamthatcarriesbuildingloads,oftenafloorjoist.

• Thisisusuallyapieceofengineeredlumber,butalsomaybemadebynailingpiecesoflumber(usuallythreepieces)together.

• Forexample,assumea28’widehousewithtwofloorsandthelumberweílluseisDFir-L,No.2grade.Whatmaximumspancanthecustomerachievewitha4-plybeam?

• Refertothetable“MaximumSpansforBuilt-UpFloorBeamsSupportingNotMoreThanTwoFloors.”

• Reviewthenotesonthetabletoensureitisbasedontheappropriatecriteria.Notethat“supportedlength”isdefinedasonehalfthesumofthejoistsonbothsidesofthebeam.

• Thehouseis28’widewithfloorjoiststhathaveaclearspanof14’.Soone-halfof14’is7’.However,thebeamsupporttheendsofthetwofloorjoist,so7’+7’=14’.Therefore,thesupportedlengthis14’.

• FindtherowdealingwithDFir-L,therowdealingwithNo.2gradeandtherowfor14’supportedlength.

• Findthecolumnsdealingwith4-plybeams.

• Readthespanswheretherowandcolumnsintersect:6’-5”forfour2x8s,7’-11”forfour2x10sand9’-2”forfour2x12s.Thelongestspanis9’-2”fora4-ply2x12built-upbeam.

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.

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Board Feet Table

Estimating Lumber Coverage Table

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Rafter Length Table

Always consult your local and provincial building codes.

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