The Benefits of Using B-Grade and Downfall Lumber

In the US, over 26,200 billion board feet of lumber are milled each year. However, not all lumber is the same. Different categories and grades determine the value of the lumber and influence its use.

Knowing more about these categories and grades is an essential feature of the industry. This includes knowing the benefits of using B-grade and downfall lumber. Read on to find out more!

Why Is Lumber Graded?

Lumber is like most commodities in that when you buy it; you want to know that you are getting a quality product. The lumber grades are an indication of this quality level. A better grading indicates that some aspect of that lumber is better than other lumber.

However, lumber has a lot of different purposes. Sometimes you need a piece of wood that looks good but doesn’t necessarily need to be very strong. Other times, the opposite is true.

Because of this, lumber is graded differently depending on different factors. For example, stressed and non-stressed lumber grading gives each wood a numerical grade from 1 to 5, depending on the number of defects in the wood. Meanwhile, lumber graded on appearance is given a letter grade depending on how it looks.

Lumber Grading by Appearance

Sometimes, the appearance of wood is essential. When making hardwood furniture or adding hardwood features to a home, the look of the wood is a central part of the appeal.

In these cases, it is important to buy lumber graded by appearance. This lumber grading typically ranges from A to D, with A being the best and D being the worst. Buying lumber with a better grading will allow the final product to look better.

Knots are the biggest factor that impacts this lumber grading. A premium grade lumber should be free of knots altogether. Meanwhile, lumber with a lower grade has the potential to contain several knots.

However, knots are not the only factor impacting appearance-based lumber grades. Splits and other blemishes are generally more common as one moves down the grading scale.

With the appearance-based lumber grading system in mind, it seems like picking A-grade lumber is always the best choice. However, this is not true. There are many reasons to go with another grade of lumber, specifically B-grade.

Benefits of B-Grade Lumber

A big factor in the lumber buying decision is price. Lumber is expensive, and over the last few years, the price of lumber has experienced massive spikes and has seen some record highs. While prices have begun to fall again more recently, the price of materials is always a factor in a job.

One can save money on lumber by buying lower-grade lumber. Typically, the price of lumber falls as you move from a higher-grade material to a lower one. So, many choose to go with a lower grade option in order to save money.

The benefit of B-grade lumber is that it often looks very similar to A-grade lumber. It will have a few more flaws or defects, but these will not be so numerous. This is because, in order to obtain a B-grading, the lumber still has to be relatively free of these problems.

In fact, to the untrained eye, the differences between these two grades may be difficult to distinguish. Many lumber distributors even sell A and B grades together.

So, B-grade lumber allows one to save money without sacrificing quality. For this reason alone, it is a great choice in many cases.

Another reason to go with B-grade lumber is that, sometimes, a few flaws are actually desirable. A knot or two here and there breaks up the look of the wood and presents some variation. This means that everything created with lumber like this will look unique and different.

A few flaws also give the wood more character. For certain projects, this will give the final product a more handmade or rustic feeling.

Some choose B-grade lumber for these reasons. In projects where a unique look is required, B-grade lumber is a choice that works better and saves money while doing so.

Benefits of Downfall Lumber

Not every situation needs high-quality materials. There are plenty of jobs where almost any type of wood will do the trick.

In these cases, downfall lumber is a perfect choice. This type of lumber typically has a number of defects that would normally prevent it from being used in projects. However, if the quality isn’t a concern, there is no reason to avoid it.

For example, pallets often make use of downfall lumber. Pallets do not need to look nice and are not built to last forever. Downfall lumber works well as a pallet material because it does exactly what is necessary for the pallet to function without providing anything unnecessary.

Like B-grade lumber, the biggest advantage to using downfall lumber is the price. There is no reason to spend more on lumber when the final product is not improved by spending more. In choosing downfall lumber over alternatives, a lot of money is saved.

Imagine spending a ton of money on high-grade lumber only to see it used to make pallets. This would be a complete waste. However, downfall lumber gets the job done at a fraction of the price.

Using B-Grade and Downfall Lumber

With any project that uses lumber, using the right type of lumber is essential. There are plenty of situations where B-grade and downfall lumber will suit the job perfectly. In these cases, you can save money and hassle by going with these grades.

If you are a business interested in carrying these grades of lumber, make sure to contact the Silvaris Corporation today!