LUMBER GRADING

RESOURCES

Even though each type of wood has its own grading system, the purpose of grading lumber is the same; a method to communicate between buyer and seller of what is and isn’t acceptable.

HOW SYNERGY WOOD GRADES LUMBER

The wood that enters our facility is fist graded using standardized grading at the lumber mills. Below is a list of the species and grading rules used by Synergy for our initial inspection of incoming lumber. The Synergy Wood Grading Guide is a basic description of what we typically accept for each type of wood we process.

Governing Grading Standards Used by Synergy:

RED GRANDIS: National Hardwood Lumber Associations Rules

SOUTHERN PINE: Southern Pine Inspection Bureau Grading Rules, 2014

During our production process, Synergy inspects each piece of lumber by hand. Wood is a natural product and therefore, each piece is going to be uniquely different.

The result of Synergy’s extra grading process is an easy to install product that reduces on-site installation waste to 5% or less.

Every board that is delivered to a job site is usable. See our guide “How To Use What’s Delivered” for more information.

Red Grandis: SB GRADE
What Synergy Allows:
- Manufacture - Medium manufacturing defects allowed (from machining operations such as the molder, end matcher or sander): chipped grain, loosened grain, medium torn grain, heavy skip, machine burn or machine gouge.
- Knots - usually small amounts of or smaller knots, pith knots, slight peck, shake and checks.
- Splits - Equal to the length of the piece in inches.
- Items not limited: Pitch, pith, shake, checks & splits.
E-PECK®: RED GRANDIS & SOUTHERN PINE #2
We developed E-Peck® to simulate old growth peck. This proprietary process was designed to have just the right amount of peck in each board. Our process creates a random pattern in each board - and over a series of boards.

What Synergy allows:
Similar to the #2 grade, E-Peck® will have unlimited surface checks and knot holes included. Lose knots or knot holes may have tape backing. In some applications, if the knot holes are undesirable, the installer can cut these areas out and create starting or ending boards. Check out our “How to Use What’s Delivered” guide.
Southern Pine: #2 GRADE
What Synergy allows:
- Manufacture - admits very heavy torn grain; raised grain; very heavy loosened grain; up to 1/16” deep machine bite; up to 1/16” deep machine gouge; up 1/16” deep chip marks; knife marks.
- Decay - in streaks of heart-center decay not to exceed 1/2” wide by 1/4 length of piece, or equivalent in unsound red heart.
- Holes - up to 1/4” not limited; one through hole over 1/4” but not over 1”; surface pits and cavities limited to 2” diameter in 6” wide board.
- Knots - sound, firm, encased, and pith, limited to 3” diameter in 6” wide board; all knots fixed or tight, except loose knots limited as through holes.
- Items not limited: Pitch, pith, shake, checks & splits.
Southern Pine: C GRADE
What Synergy allows:
- Manufacture - medium torn grain; light raised grain (not over 1/32”); light loosened grain (not over 1/32” separation); very light machine bite.
- Checks - medium surface checks (not over 1/32” wide but over 4” long and not over 10” long); through checks not over 1/32” wide are allowed if not longer than width of piece.
- Holes - average of not over 6 pin holes (1/16” or less) per surface foot.
- Knots - sound or firm and tight, limited to small size (not over 3/4”), except on medium (over 3/4” and not over 1.1/2”) allowed in 5” and 6” widths.

Need more information? Contact us at info@synergywood.com or call direct at 866-791-6714.

GET SAMPLES

Our Central Florida showroom is open M - F from 8am - 4pm.

3031 S Mellonville Ave 866.791.6714

Sanford, Florida 32773 info@synergywood.com