Lumber is not simply wood, it is a complex wooden product that has many different classifications which vary how you use it. This can be classified into different ways, but a standard approach involves categorizing it by dimension and grade. Dimensionally, lumber is classified into structural planks and joists, decking, studs and in structural light framing. Further, it is grouped under these dimensional categories according to appearance, stiffness, and strength.
There are many different types of lumber, each has specific features and applications. The type of wood you select depends on your building infrastructure. So, before starting a construction project, it is wise to understand everything and seek expert lumber estimation assistance.
In this blog post, we will go through the nitty gritty of lumber wood, its 5 main classifications, types & applications to help you get the right wood material for your construction projects. Read on to explore the details.
What is Lumber?
Lumber is considered one of the most crucial materials when estimating any construction and woodworking projects. It is prepared wood that can be used in different applications, from easy DIY projects to intricate architectural designs during building construction. According to a study, Lumber is primarily used for construction framing, as well as assembling (window frames, floors, wall panels).
Lumber is a tailor made wood product that is used in building many industries construction projects and furniture products. It is processed into planks and wooden beams. If you are planning to start your lumber project, it’s essential to know about the different types, categories and grades of lumber. Let’s discover the specifics of each!
5 Basic Types of Lumber Wood
Primarily, there are 5 main types of lumber: Softwood, hardwood, engineered lumber, structural lumber, and appearance lumber.
Here’s an in-depth analysis of each category:
1. Softwood Lumber
Softwood lumber is derived from coniferous trees that produce needles wood instead of large leaves. The fir, pine, cedar and spruce trees are the main sources of softwood lumber wood. These trees are fast-growing, lighter and more flexible than hardwood trees. These types of wood are less expensive and easy to use for wooden interior work.
- Features- This type of lumber is lighter, fast-growing and more commonly available than hardwood.
- Softwood Lumber Types- Sourced from cedar, douglas fir, redwood pine.
- Uses- Frequently used for framing, decking, sheathing, and various other construction projects.
2. Hardwood Lumber
Hardwood lumber is sourced from angiosperms, which are broad-leaved trees. These trees take more time to grow. These types of wood are frequently denser, harder and more durable than softwood lumber, which is produced from gymnosperms. This is one of the finest types of lumber that is used for woodworking that needs strength and beauty like furniture, cabinetry and flooring.
- Features- Generally denser and harder than softwood.
- Origin- Oak, maple, hickory, walnut, birch, mahogany.
- Uses- Often used for furniture, cabinetry, flooring and other top-quality woodworking projects.
3. Engineered Wood
Engineered wood is a blended material collected from wood fibres and synthetic resins. It has several advantages, such as dimensional stability, moisture resistance, and bigger and easier availability. It is made by using adhesives to bind wood fibre (in veneers or strands) and aligning the fibres in particular ways to provide the required stability and strength.
- Features- Offers dimensional stability, resistance to warping, and consistent performance.
- Origin- Man-made wood products engineered from veneers, wood fibres, or thread that are joined together.
- Sources-Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), Plywood, Oriented Strand Board (OSB), and Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL).
- Uses: Commonly used for flooring, roofing, wall sheathing, and many other wooden work applications.
4. Structural Lumber
Structural lumber is one of the types of wood which is popular due to its longevity and strength. It is specially graded and selected for use in load-bearing construction applications. It is utilized for essential structural components like beams, joists, and framing where reliable strength and support are required.
- Features: Typically larger dimensions than framing lumber, providing greater strength and load-bearing capacity.
- Sources: Beams, timbers, joists, posts.
- Uses: Employ for framing, roofs, load-bearing walls, and other structural parts of buildings.
5. Appearance Lumber
Appearance lumber indicates softwood lumber that is rated more for its aesthetic appeal and visual quality than for its structural strength. It is utilized in making panelling, furniture, and interior trim applications where the appearance of wood is the primary focus. “Select” and “Common,” are the grades of appearance lumber that show the degree of knots and flaws.
- Features- Generally graded for knot size, clarity, and color variations.
- Sources- Select finished lumber, grade lumber, and speciality woods.
- Uses: Commonly used in furniture, interior trim, flooring, and other applications where visual appeal is a surface consideration.
Selecting The Right Lumber- Quality, Cost & Best Uses
To give you an overview on primary factors of lumber classifications, we have designed an easy table for your understanding on the different kinds of wood:
| Types of Lumber Wood | Quality | Cost Ideas | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softwood Lumber | Lightweight, soft texture, may have knots | Budget-friendly – Cheapest option | Framing, fencing, basic construction |
| Hardwood Lumber | Dense, durable, smooth grain, fewer knots in top grades | Premium – Expensive due to quality | Furniture, cabinetry, top-quality construction projects |
| Engineered Lumber | Man-made, highly uniform, resists warping or splitting | Moderate – Good value for performance | Subfloors, cabinets, panels, furniture |
| Structural Lumber | Stable and strong, made to handle heavy loads | Mid-range – Cost varies by size | Beams, columns, heavy-duty framing |
| Appearance Lumber | Visually appealing, clean surface, minimal knots | Expensive due to bright and clean look finish | Interior trim, wall panels, decorative use |
What are Wooden Beams?
Do you know that “Wooden beams are composite wood that commonly used for structural supports of buildings. They shift loads from the building’s structure to its base in construction. Because wooden beans offer stability and support, thus they are crucial for floors, walls, and roofs. They can be built from various wood species, including sawn timber, engineered wood, and even mixed materials like LVL(laminated veneer lumber). Here is the specifics of different types of wood:
Dimensional Lumber
Dimensional lumber is pre-sized softwood material that has been cut to specified widths and thicknesses and is usually utilised in wood-frame construction. Standard sizes examples include 2×4, 2×6, and 4×4. Generally, length is measured separately of depth and width. This is the most popular type of wooden bean, used for framing, decking and different structural applications. Home Depot offers a variety of sizes and grades, including pressure-treated options for surface contact.
Wood Boards
The boards are rectangular, flat pieces of wood, either made or solid, that are used for many different things. They are useful for building, do-it-yourself crafts, furniture manufacturing, and more. Different kinds of wood boards including OSB, MDF, and plywood, have distinct qualities. These are available in a range of species, thicknesses and widths, suitable for various projects such as flooring, shelving, and siding.
Pressure-Treated Lumber
Pressure-treated timber is wood that has undergone high-pressure treatment with chemical preservatives to increase its resistance against insect infestation, rot, and decay. By doing this, the preservatives are guaranteed to firmly permeate the wood, offering durable protection. It is specifically designed for outdoor applications to resist insect damage.
Composite Decking
Composite decking is a top quality, long-lasting, and low-maintenance substitute for conventional lumber decking. It is made from recycled wood fibres and plastic composites, making it environmentally friendly and long-lasting—it may endure for more than 20 years. Because of the grain pattern’s natural appearance, it may even reflect wooden deck planks. It is a low-maintenance alternative to natural wood, which is often used for outdoor decks and patios.
Plywood
Plywood prepared by gluing and joining multiple fine thin layers of wood, called “laminations” or “plies”. It normally proceeds by moving the wood grain of the next layer at a 90-degree angle to the preceding layer. This is a strong, versatile material used for furniture, flooring and walls.
Other Wood-Related Materials
There are many other wood related materials selections catered to both professional and DIY, offering a wide range of options for different projects.
Veneer- Decorative thin wood sheets that are frequently applied to other materials.
Resin-Trees naturally generate resin, a material with a variety of uses.
Tall Oil: Used in many different industries, this by-product is produced when coniferous trees are pulped.
Lattice- A structure or design made of wood strips that are interwoven for balconies and fences.
Shingles- Overlapping, small pieces of wooden material used for siding or roofing.
What is Lumber Grading?
Lumber grading is a standardized system which is used to evaluate and categorize lumber or wood according to its appearance, quality and strength. This approach ensures that lumber meets the specific requirements and enables standard classification for different manufacturing applications and construction projects.
How is Lumber Grades Work?
Lumber wood is graded based on its quality, appearance and strength by experts. Trained inspectors use standardized criteria, including knots, grain patterns, and faults to grade timber. The proper categorisation made the use of lumber easier in manufacturing and construction and ensured that it met industry requirements.
Key Terms of Lumber Grades
Board Foot
A board foot is a unit of measurement for lumber volume that is calculated by multiplying the board’s width (in inches), thickness (in inches) and length (in feet). The volume of a board foot is equal to a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of wood that is 1 inch thick.
Surface Measure
It is a calculation in square inches that measures a board’s surface area. The width (in inches) multiplied by the length (in feet) and divided by 12 yields the surface measure. The final figure is the approximate surface area of the board and is rounded to the closest whole number.
Gross Tally (also called Green Tally)
Before the drying process, the entire quantity of board feet of lumber is represented by the gross tally, often known as the green tally. The final volume is usually overestimated by around 7% because of shrinkage that occurs during the kiln-drying process, which causes lumber to shrink.
Net Tally
This figure indicates how many board feet there are in the timber following kiln drying. After drying, the net tally is an accurate measurement that reflects the actual volume of the treated timber while accounting for shrinkage.
Conclusion
Hence, before starting work on your building construction it is essential to understand the basic classification of types of lumber and applications. It can help you choose the right material for your specific project requirements. Every type of wood has its own features and advantages and is used for specific wooden work applications.
Suppose, softwood lumber is perfect for basic framing and structuring, while hardwood lumber is used for aesthetic visual appeal and strength for furniture and flooring work. So, whether you’re planning to design your building, you need to be aware of all the types of woods to make cost-effective, and perfect choices. As any construction project requires expert skill to estimate material, cost and professional understanding of the project and appropriate tools, it is better to hire a professionals to do this job. At Lumber Estimator, we offer reliable and expert assistance in the US to elevate building projects. From lumber takeoff, and cutting to lumber budget, bidding and preliminary estimation, our experts are ready to deliver high-quality services.
Get in touch today to make stress-free and cost-effective decisions!
FAQs
What are the 5 main types of lumber wood used in construction projects?
There are five main types of lumber that are commonly used in construction and woodworking, categorized as softwood, hardwoods, engineered, structural and appearance wood. Softwood lumber is flexible and lighter while hardwood lumber is durable and stronger. Engineered wood is tailor-made from fibre wood and other materials, offering special quality and applications. Structural wood lumber is generally evaluated for strength and used in applications such as framing while appearance lumber is used for aesthetic quality to complete items like cabinets and furniture.
How to choose the right type of lumber for a construction project?
While choosing a lumber for your project, you need to consider your project’s requirements, such as intended usage, budget, durability, aesthetics, and environmental issues. Some important considerations for both indoor and outdoor uses include wood type, grain pattern, hardness, and insect and moisture resistance.
Is hardwood better than softwood?
Hardwood is often regarded as superior to softwood because of its greater density and durability, which makes it appropriate for uses requiring strength and longevity. Softwood, on the other hand, is more readily worked and frequently more affordable, which makes it appropriate for applications where these factors are highly prioritized.
What’s the most budget-friendly type of lumber?
Softwoods lumber like fir, pine, and spruce are the most budget-friendly options for woodwork. These lumbers are available readily, grow quickly, and are flexible for different uses. However, softwoods are often the most affordable type of lumber but the cost may vary depending on the project nature, quality, size, and availability.
What makes engineered wood a good choice?
Due to its durability, stability and affordability, engineered wood is considered a good lumber choice as compared to hardwood lumber. It is often used in various residential projects and flooring applications as it is less likely to warp, expand or contract depending on weather conditions like temperature and humidity.
