Common Lumber Inquiries
Below are summaries of the most typical questions our team handles regarding wood sizing, calculations, and available services.
Understanding Lumber Terminology
- Rough vs. Surfaced Wood: Unfinished (rough) wood features a textured exterior that often retains markings from the saw blade prior to smoothing. Surfaced wood has been planed to ensure consistent thickness and a smooth finish.
- Nominal vs. Actual Sizing: Boards are identified by their initial, pre-planed dimensions. For instance, a board measuring 3/4" by 3 1/2" is commonly called a 1x4 because that was its size before the milling process.
- Linear vs. Board Feet: Linear footage strictly tracks the length of the wood in 12-inch increments, ignoring how thick or wide the piece is. Board footage, however, calculates volume based on a standard unit of 144 cubic inches, equivalent to a 1-inch thick, 12-inch by 12-inch square.
Calculations and Services
- Calculating Board Feet: Determine board feet by multiplying the material's thickness, width, and length in inches, then dividing that total by 144.
- Calculating Linear Feet: Linear footage requirements can be found by taking the total square footage, multiplying it by 12, and dividing by the width of the chosen product.
- Outside Material Servicing: Peacock Lumber strictly limits its cutting and milling services to products bought directly from their location.
- Installation Assistance: While the company does not perform installations themselves, they are happy to recommend reliable local contractors for your projects.
Pro-Tips: Find area by multiplying length by width, and factor in a 5% waste buffer when finalizing your linear footage requirements.
Plywood Reference Guide
Hardwood Plywood Grading
Hardwood face layers use an alphabetical grading scale where 'A' represents the highest quality and 'D' represents the lowest. The reverse sides are graded numerically, ranging from 1 (premium) down to 4. For projects requiring a clear coat, standard practice recommends using an A1 or A2 grade with a plain-sliced veneer.
Baltic Birch Face Variations
- B/BB: Features a premium, uniform face free of defects, paired with a back side that permits small, color-matched oval patches.
- BB/BB: Both surfaces permit minor mineral streaks and color-matched repairs, though open defects are not allowed.
- BB/CP: The back side (CP) drops in grade to allow for unlimited repaired knots and patches.
- CP/CP: Both sides allow unlimited patched defects; typically used for structural lamination rather than aesthetics.
- C/C: An unsanded structural panel permitting open knots, voids, and splits.
- PG: Material specifically designated for painting applications.
Softwood Plywood Grading
- "A" Grade: Sanded smooth and ready for paint, free from major repairs or knots.
- "B" Grade: A solid surface that may include small splits, tight knots, or factory repairs like wood filler.
- "C" Grade: Permits tight knots up to 1.5 inches, larger knotholes (up to 1 inch), and noticeable surface discoloration.
- "D" Grade: Allows extensive splits and large knotholes up to 2.5 inches, with no cosmetic repairs performed.
Industry Abbreviations
Common acronyms include VC (Veneer Core), PC (Particle Core), PG (Paint Grade), MC (Multi Core), IMP (Imported), DOM (Domestic), U (Urea Glue for basic water resistance), M (Melamine Glue for weather resistance), P (Phenolic Glue for boil-proof waterproofing), and S2S (Sound 2 Sides).