FAS
The FAS grade, which derives from an original grade 'First and Seconds', will provide the user with long, clear cuttings - best suited for high quality furniture, interior joinery and solid wood mouldings. The FAS grade includes a range boards that yield from 83.75% (10/12ths) to 100% clear-wood cuttings over the entire surface of the board. The clear cuttings must be a minimum size of 3" wide by 7' long or 4" wide by 5' long. The number of these cuttings permitted depends on the size of the board with most boards permitting one to two. The minimum width and length will vary, depending on species and whether the board is green or kiln dried. Both faces of the board must meet the minimum requirement for FAS.
Note : Minimum yield 83.75% clear wood cuttings on the poor face of the board.
FAS One Face (F1F)
This grade is nearly always shipped with FAS. The better face must meet all FAS requirements while the poor face must meet all the requirements of the Number 1 Common grade, thus ensuring the buyer with at least one FAS face. Often export shipments are assembled with an 80-20 mix, 80% being the percentage of FAS boards and 20% being the percentage of the F1F boards. These percentages are strictly left to individual buyer and seller agreement.
Selects
This grade is virtually the same as F1F except for the minimum board size required. Selects allow boards 4" and wider and 6' and longer in length. The Selects grade is generally associated with the northern regions of the USA and is also shipped in combination with the FAS grade.
Often export shipments of the upper grades are simply referred to as FAS. The conventional business practice for American hardwoods is to ship these upper grades in some combination. Working closely with the supplier will enable the buyer to be sure that the expected quality will be received. Whether FAS is combined with F1F (Face And Better) or Selects (Sel And Better) every board in the shipment must have a minimum of one FAS face.
Prime grade: This grade has evolved from the NHLA grade of FAS for the export market. It is square edged and virtually wane free. The minimum clear yield will be select and better with appearance being a major factor. Minimum size of boards varies, depending on the species, region and supplier.
Comsel grade: This grade has evolved from the NHLA grades of Number 1 Common and Selects. For the export market the minimum clear yield should be Number 1 Common or slightly better with appearance a main factor. Minimum size of the boards varies, depending on the species, region and supplier.
Note: The terms Prime and Comsel are not standard NHLA definitions and therefore fall outside the official range of the NHLA grading rules.
The following show characteristics that occur in US hardwoods. Some are inherent to certain species and others are generic to all. These characteristics either occur naturally in the lumber or as a result of the drying process.
The NHLA grading rules allow the following characteristics in the clear cutting percentages for all grades and they are therefore not considered defects.
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HEARTWOOD and SAPWOOD
Heartwood is the mature wood, which is often darker, extending from the sapwood to the pith. Sapwood is the lighter coloured wood growing from inside the bark to the heartwood. | BURL
A swirl or twist in the grain of the wood that does not contain a knot.
| GUM STREAKS
Mineral like streaks of colour naturally occurring only in cherry.
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MINERAL STREAKS
Steaks of colour ranging from olive to blackish-brown, which typically follow the grain pattern.
| GLASSWORM
Random mineral like tracts. Usually associated with ash.
| STICKER MARK
The mark left on the board from a seasoning sticker, which can be removed in the surfacing planing process.
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The NHLA grading rules do not allow the following characteristics in the clear cutting s for all grades and they are therefore considered defects.
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BARK POCKET
A bark-filled distortion in the grain pattern.
| BIRD PECKS
Small blemishes in the grain pattern, resulting from birds pecking, that sometimes contain ingrown bark. An exception to the rule is hickory and elm. | CHECK
A lengthwise opening on the face of the board resulting from rapid or fully drying.
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DECAY OR ROT
The breaking down of the wood substance by fungi. The dis-colouration of the sapwood indicates the initial evidence of decay. | UNSOUND KNOT
A circular area that once formed the based of a branch or twig and has a pith centre (in some cases the wood may be missing). | SOUND KNOT
A knot solid across its face, which shows no indication of decay.
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SPLIT
A lengthwise separation of the wood created as the wood dries. Shake is a separation between the annual growth rings. | STICKER STAIN
Stain that is typically grey in colour occurring from stickers used to season lumber.
| WANE
Bark or the lack of wood caused by the round nature of the tree or log.
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WORM HOLES
Holes in the wood ranging in size from 1/16" to over 1/4". | PITH
The small soft core at the structural centre of the tree. | GRUB HOLES
Holes larger than 1/4".
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** Images courtesy if of the American Hardwood Export Council www.ahec-europe.org