Softwood lumber is manufactured from trees that typically do not lose their leaves in the winter, i.e.: firs, pines, and cedars.

Softwood lumber is most often cut to specific lengths and widths as shown in the chart below:

Typical lengths available are 8', 10', 12', 14', and 16'.

Softwoods are dried to a range of 10% to 19% moisture content dependent on the intended end use.

There are numerous lumber associations that formulate grading rules for the different species of softwood lumber and as a result there are several different sets of grading rules that cover softwood lumber.

Please see "Solid Wood Cutting Grades " for help in determining what cutting grade is required for a given part.

Softwood Lumber Grades

Private lumber associations establish softwood lumber grades.  Typically the rules favor maximized returns for the lumber producers and not necessarily for the end users.

Typical Softwood Lumber Grades Are:

Clears   (BEST)

B & BTR

C

D

#1 Common

#2 Common

#3 Common

#4 Common  (WORST)

There are many other grades of softwood lumber that are not listed here that are used for various specialized uses.

The grade of lumber reflects the quality of the entire board and should not be used to define the quality of lumber required for a given part.  Many times a perfectly acceptable part can be cut out of a lower grade material at significant cost savings.  This is called "Defect Cutting" of lumber where the clear pieces are cut out of a board while the knots, splits, wormholes, etc. are discarded.

The grade of lumber to be used should be determined by the wood manufacturer with the end user or designer defining what the finished part must look like.  Please see "Solid Wood Cutting Grades" for help in determining what cutting grade should be specified for a given part. 

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