Nhla grading rule book

They were established over 100 years ago by the newly formed national hardwood lumber association nhla. This section is in the back of the rules book and is in no way intended to be applied as rules, simply a way to help apply rules and other aspects of grading lumber. Jul 16, 2019 the actual grading rules are pretty complex, so ill see if i can simplify things and compare walnut to some of the other hardwoods we carry. Nhla grading rules national hardwood lumber association.

When determining the poor side of a board, grade each face. Might give them a call and ask em to fax ya a copy. Interestingly, nhla rule books from the 1970s recognize birdseye and curl figure. Nhla rules book pages 51 100 text version fliphtml5.

Holt hogan the university of the south charlottesville. Today, nhla grading rules are not only the dominant grading system for hardwood lumber in the united states, but also form the basis for much of the international trade in hardwoods. The training will also empower participants to grow themselves and their. For complete information, consult the appropriate section of the nhla rule book. Below are resources for hardwood lumber grading rules. Other than the fas grades, the grade of the board is determined from the percentage of these clear cuttings and do. The nhla rules were designed to provide the furniture industry a mathematically measurable method to grade lumber for its amount of clear, defect free wood. The nhla is now a membershipbased trade association that serves two main purposes.

Nhla job board as a benefit of membership, nhla members have exclusive access to post any open positions within their companies to the nhla job board at no cost. These rules define the poorest piece in any given grade, but the respective grades shall contain all pieces up to the next higher grade. For more information on nhla grading and defects, be sure to check out understanding hardwood lumber grades. By the end of the 5day training, attendees should be able to successfully grade lumber. As of january 1, 2019, a new nhla rules book has been launched. If you need more info on what is included please give us a call. We are pleased to provide free pdf sections of the nlga standard grading rules for canadian lumber 2017 edition for your personal reference.

View details nhla rules book 2019 mandarin edition. When the nhla national hardwood lumber association came up with central grading standards over 100 years ago, they helped create order from chaos across the lumber industry. Lumber grading short course ohio forestry association. Hardwood lumber grading hardwood lumber grading is a complex process using rules maintained by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. The grading requirements for fas in paragraphs 55 to 63 inclusive shall apply to the better face of the piece. Training room, suite 101, 191 howard street, franklin, pa. Minimum board size is 6 and wider and 8 and longer. The following representations of yield are general in nature. Even considering the subjective nature of fas grading standards, they still provide a helpful system for evaluating lumber. We have gathered a summary of these changes contained in the new rules book. Washington seattle 20205 59th place south kent, wa 98032. Thus, there are no officially recognized birdseye figure grades.

Birdseye maple lumber 2020 commercial forest products 2019. It is a process of growth and expansion to meet the necessities of varying conditions and markets and will continue as long as the trade endures. A detailed explanation can be found in the nhla rules book. Aug 20, 2019 for more than a century, the hardwood lumber industry has held to a central grading standard established by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. When selecting wood for a woodworking project, consider the size of the boards required. Must register by march 25 or sooner we need 10 students to pay for the instructor this is a three day course taught by dale heitzleman retired nhla lumber grader. Nhla grading rules the fas grade, which derives from an original grade first and seconds, will provide the user with long, clear cuttings best suited for high quality furniture, interior joinery and solid wood mouldings. Nhla lumber grading course at pa woodmizer in shows, events. The value of rules conscious employees is a more carefully manufactured product, a more profitable yield from the log, and a better sense of the value of the lumber being handled.

Nhla rules book 2015 by national hardwood lumber association. Easily share your publications and get them in front of issuus. I didnt know there was any difference in nhla rules between the east and the west. Within the same grade, there is a range of quality and yields. Lumber grade rules this chart summarizes the main requirements for the standard grades. The measurements of this percentage are referred to as clear. Became knowledgeable with nhla grading rule book and began to learn how to apply that information. Most hardwood lumber produced in this country is graded using the rules developed and maintained by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Does anybody know if there have been changes in walnut, and. Vice president of operations woodworkers source were a familyowned lumber. The first rules committee met with 59 firms and nine markets represented, and the committee established the first standardized set of hardwood lumber grading rules.

Industry resources national hardwood lumber association. The nhla hardwood grading rules are the product of the process of evolutionary development and that process is still in operation. Nhla was founded in 1898 to establish and now enforce a standard uniform system for the measurement and grading of lumber. While most woodworkers would like to have a large, clear, defect free board this may be a waste of a valuable resource. A quick reference guide to american hardwood lumber grading, courtesy of ahec and the nhla. The following information provides a quick overview from the nhla grade rule book for the grading of most hardwoods. Understanding your needs and matching them to the correct product source can become extremely important in ensuring you obtain the best yields. If the proposal is passed by a twothirds majority vote, it then becomes official and is included in the rules book. Practical hardwood operators have an awareness of the obligation. The nhla lumber grading rules adopted by the us hardwood industry are based on an imperial. In general, a softwood board is graded as a whole piece, whereas a hardwood board is graded on its usable content aside from any parts which may be considered undesirable for its use such as knots, wane, splits, etc.

No rules or regulations can be truly effective unless they are understood and correctly applied. First and most significantly, the nhla grading system, as its name implies, is limited to domestic hardwood lumber. The 2020 nhla annual convention will take place september 2325 at the newly renovated galt house hotel in louisville, kentucky. In 1901 the inspection bureau was created to fulfill the uniform application of the nhla grading rules. The national hardwood lumber association nhla was founded on april 8 th, 1898 in chicago, illinois to establish uniformity of inspecting hardwood lumber. Although the nhla grading rules are targeted for the us marketplace, a reasonable knowledge is essential for buyers worldwide in order to attain their expected degree of quality. Grades are according to use, manufacture, size and moisture content. I am looking for a link to the western hardwood rules published in nhla grade rule book. Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading. The nhla grading rules provide both the buyer and seller with a consistent language to use in specifying hardwood lumber transactions. What are the options for smallscale sawmill operators. Nhla job board national hardwood lumber association. The nhla rule book is the bible of grading rules for all lumber and nhla.

A hardwood log grading handbook university of tennessee. Black walnut lumber grade for more information on nhla grading and defects, be sure to check out understanding hardwood lumber grades. Before a rule is amended or a new rule adopted, the proposal is. The national hardwood lumber association nhla created grading standards for maple lumber. Course included nhla lumber grading rule book, you will recieve a certificate of taking the nhla short course. This handbook briefly summarizes common log grading rules for hardwoods. Must yield 83% to 100% clear wood in cuttings at least 3 x 7 or 4 x 5. For complete details the grading rule book can be purchased from the national hardwood lumber association.

The nhla rules were designed with the furniture trade in mind to provide a measurable percentage of clear, defectfree wood for each grade. Nhla grading rules for north american hardwoods downloadable pdf the american hardwood export councils illustrated guide to american hardwood lumber grades downloadable pdf nhla. Registration will be determined on a firstcome, firstserved basis. In the nhla rules book that he referenced there is a paragraph in the forward that states.

Learning to grade softwood dimension lumber spib blog. I have a 2003 nhla rules book, but dont know if any changes have been made since then. In addition to the rules changes and clarifications, in this update of the rules book, the nhla added a new section of tips and tricks. The measurements of this percentage are referred to as clearcuttings. If you are interested in becoming an nhla member, please visit our membership page. The nhla hardwood grading rules are the product of the process of. For 123 years, the nhla annual convention is where the hardwood industry has come together to trade, learn and discuss the important. Please note that, effective march 1, 2019, supplements to the nlga standard grading rules have been posted on this website under publications updates. You can publish your book online for free in a few minutes.

The only rule that changed pertains to aromatic red cedar on page 34 of the 2015 version of the nhla rules book. In the usa the grading rules for 2 dimension lumber. These rules define the poorest piece in any given standard or special grade, but the respective grades shall contain all pieces up to the next higher standard or special grade as defined in these rules. Grading rules standard chart vinyl wall chart is a quick reference guide for the nhla standard grades.

We help hardwood companies achieve profitability and solve their top business challenges with datadriven, expert advice and handson training. The grading rules are of further advantage in that. There are regional differences in pricing of logs and lumber products, because the wood quality of certain species is thought to be superior in some areas. Additionally, the rules were developed with random width and length. A good place to start would be to get in touch with the national hardwood lumber association and purchase a rule book. Thanks to the foresight of the early founders of the nhla in 1898, some order has been added to the chaos that had become the lumber trade. All widths, lengths and thicknesses mentioned in these rules shall be inclusive. The grading and measurement of hardwood lumber is not. The grade shall be determined from the poor side of the piece, except when otherwise specified. The grading and measurement of hardwood lumber is not a simple matter and should not be undertaken lightly.

Hardwood lumber grading by the nhla hardwood lumber this guide provides basic information on the grading rules. The nhla grades are determined on an imperial measurement system using inches and feet. This threeday workshop will include a thorough study and explanation of the nhla rules book, emphasizing the basics of hardwood lumber inspection. In the cutting grades the poor side of the board is determined by the side with the lower grade, or if both sides have the same grade, it is the side with the least number of cutting units. Today the nhla has over 2000 members worldwide, and the nhla rules are still the national standard for the us hardwood industry and form the basis for grading of export lumber. Nhla members are cautioned to become familiar with the laws in the. You need to get familiar really quickly with the basics of lumber grading.

Nhla hardwood grading rulebook free download as pdf file. Other than the fas grades, the grade of the board is determined from the percentage of these clear cuttings and do not consider defects outside of the clear areas. Nhla rules book intro to grading hardwood lumber illustrated guide to hardwood lumber grading trifold cards why north american hardwoods. The grade shall be determined from the better face of the board. The nhla grades are based on the percentage of cleardefect free wood on a board. Introduction to nhla american hardwood lumber grading hardwood lumber is usually graded on the basis of the size and number of cuttings pieces that can be obtained from a board when it is cut up and used in the manufacture of a hardwood product.

The rules under standard inspection and special inspection shall not be applied under any contract which specifies grade names different from. The change effects the thickness measurement for determining if it is miscut. To order a copy of the 2019 nhla rules book, please visit the nhla online store or. The actual grading rules are pretty complex, so ill see if i can simplify things and compare walnut to some of the other hardwoods we carry.

For more than a century, the hardwood lumber industry has held to a central grading standard established by the national hardwood lumber association nhla. Nhla used to have a single sheet of paper walnut grading rules that made it a bit simpler. A hardwood log grading handbook adam taylor university of tennessee a good understanding of log valuation will help landowners, loggers, log buyers and saw millers agree on the fair value for a load of logs. From the adoption of the earliest hardwood rules, no major alteration of standards has occurred that was not prompted by a noticeable change in the character of the hardwood timber supply. The grading rules are offurther advantage in that they apply generally to all. Black walnut lumber grade allow more defects and smaller sizes. Another useful rule of thumb available with usfs log grades is that no.