Rough Lumber

Cupping A board that bends across the width of its face is cupped. Cupping, which occurs mainly in plainsawn lumber, affects a board’s finished thickness. Boards that are slightly cupped are easy to flatten. Joint them with the concave side down. This keeps both outside edges in contact with the…

Top-grade boards aren’t always pretty Spectacular boards cost no more than ordinary ones,because lumber grades depend on yield, not aesthetics. The presence of off-color sapwood and funny-looking figure isn’t a factor. Buy more than enough It’s a big mistake to buy the exact amount of wood your project requires. If…

Buy smart to get the best deals and the best wood. By Tim Johnson Start out thick Rough lumber thicknesses are measured in 1/4-in. increments. The thinnest rough-cut boards, labeled 4/4, and called four quarter, are 1-in. thick. It’s tough to get surfaced stock thicker than 13/16-in. from 1-in. rough…