How to Not Buy Crappy Lumber

Summary by Krater

The presenter demonstrates how to inspect lumber at a full-service lumberyard, identifying defects like heart center, wane, knots, pitch seams, and growth ring density.

From the video

Answers: How do I choose good quality lumber and avoid defects?

• lumber inspection
• identifying wood defects
• Douglas fir lumber
• selecting quality timber
• wood grain characteristics

What it concludes

• Kiln-dried lumber is less likely to experience twisting, bowing, cupping, or crowning than green lumber.
• Lumber with the heart center in the middle is more prone to twisting as it dries.
• Wane reduces the cross-section and strength of a board, making it harder to work with.
• Excessively large knots with cross-grain patterns have no structural value and can cause boards to break.
• Wood with too many growth rings per inch grows too fast in a hothouse-like environment and lacks strength and durability.
• Pitch seams can compromise the integrity of a board and should be faced in compression rather than tension.