Commercial lumber, round timbers, and ties

Abstract

When sawn, a log yields round timber, ties, or lumber of varying quality. This chapter presents a general discussion of grading, standards, and specifications for these commercial products. In a broad sense, commercial lumber is any lumber that is bought or sold in the normal channels of commerce. Commercial lumber may be found in a variety of forms, species, and types, and in various commercial establishments, both wholesale and retail. Most commercial lumber is graded by standardized rules that make purchasing more or less uniform throughout the country. Round timbers and ties represent some of the most efficient uses of our forest resources. They require a minimum of processing between harvesting the tree and marketing the structural commodity. Poles and piles are debarked or peeled, seasoned, and often treated with preservative prior to use as structural members. Construction logs are usually shaped to facilitate construction. Ties, used for railroads, landscaping, and mining, are slab-cut to provide flat surfaces. Because these products are relatively economical to produce compared with glulam, steel, and concrete products, they are commonly used throughout the United States.

Citation

Kretschmann, David E. 2010. Commercial lumber, round timbers, and ties. Wood handbook : wood as an engineering material: chapter 6. Centennial ed. General technical report FPL ; GTR-190. Madison, WI : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 2010: p. 6.1-6.25.