What are the different cuts and grades of lumber?
There are three general cuts of lumber: plainsawn, riftsawn and quartersawn. Because of the moisture content of fresh cut wood, as wood dries out it seeks equilibrium moisture content with the environment, and once it reaches that equilibrium, it will fluctuate seasonally with changes in the relative humidity of its surroundings. When a board is cut from a tree, its length is cut parallel to the trunk, so that the strength of the grain is aligned with the length of the board. However, the grain pattern at the end of the board can follow one of the three typical patterns, providing insights into its future behavior. Some great information is out there regarding cuts and grades of lumber, specifically at wisegeek.com for ways to cut lumber and woodbin.com for hardwood and softwood lumber grading.
