Lumber, Plywood, and Other Wood Products - Carpenter's and Builder's Math, Plans, and Specifications - page 71

Most appearance lumber grades are described by letters and com-
binations of letters (B&BTR, C&BTR, D), as shown in Table 3-3.
Appearance grades are also often known as Select grades. Descrip-
tive terms such as prime and clear are applied to a limited number
of species. The specification FG (flat grain), VG (vertical grain), or
MG (mixed grain) is offered as a purchase option for some ap-
pearance lumber products. In cedar and redwood (where there is a
pronounced difference in color between heartwood and sapwood,
and where heartwood has high natural resistance to decay), grades
of heartwood are denoted as heart. In some species and products,
two (or, at most, three) grades are available. A typical example is
casing and base in the grades of C&BTR and D in some species and
in B&BTR, C, C&BTR, and D in other species. Although several
grades may be described in grade rules, often fewer are offered on
the retail market.

Ta ble 3-3 Standard Lumber Abbreviations

Abbreviation Meaning

AD Air-dried

ALS American Lumber Standard

AST Antistain treated. At ship tackle

(western softwoods)

AV or avg Average

AW&L All widths and lengths

B1S See EB1S, CB1S, and E&CB1S

B2S See EB2S, CB2S, and E&CB2S

B&B, B&BTR B and Better

B&S Beams and stringers

BD Board

BD FT Board feet

BDL Bundle

BEV Bevel or beveled

BH Boxed heart

BM Board measure

BSND Bright sapwood no defect

BTR Better

c Allowable stress in compression in pounds per

square inch

CB Center beaded

(continued)