WOOD TREATMENT & GRADING SERVICES by AtoZWoodCompany

Wood treatment is a process that involves treating wood to enhance or change some of its attributes, which may include strength, durability, physical characteristics such as color and appearance, dimensional stability, and resistance to some insects or decay. If you are looking to enhance your wood’s natural characteristics, our timber treatment services might fit all your needs.

We at AtoZWoodCompany provide different types of timber treatment services, such as fire protection timber treatment, insect and fungal proofing, wood hardening, and dimensional stabilization. Contact our team today to book a timber treatment service.

How Timber Protection Treatment Works

Timber protection or prevention is the process of enhancing the physical characteristics of timber to make it resistant to specific insect attacks and damage by fungi, mould, termites, blue stains, pests, etc.

The first step in the timber protection process is to ensure that the moisture content of timber is at the optimum level. Too much water content can quickly damage timber and make it unsuitable for commercial applications. It can also attract wood-damaging pests to further damage your wood products. Our timber drying service can help make your timber strong and sturdier by achieving optimum levels of moisture content based on your intended timber application.

Based on how you want to use your wood, it may also need to be treated with one of the following timber treatment techniques:

  1. Pressure treatment – treating wood with chemical preservatives under high pressure
  2. Charring – sustainable treatment by burning the wood’s surface
  3. CCA tanalising – timber is treated with a mixture of copper, chromium, and arsenic
  4. Light Organic Solvent Preservative (LOSP)
  5. Hot and cold open tank treatment
  6. Brushing/Spraying

Our Timber Treatment & Grading Services

At AtoZWoodCompany, we use the following two popular methods of timber protection grading:

  1. Grading individual wood pieces according to the number of “standard” defects per square foot.
  2. Grading based on defect-free portion in the wood. In this method, we determine the percentage of clear square surfaces compared to the complete size of the wood piece.

The second method of timber grading is more efficient and popular across global timber grading associations, including the National Hardwood Lumber Association Rules (NHLA), Malaysian Grading Rules (MGR), and the SATA Rules Sciagos Avivés Tropicous Africains: Traditional African Sawn Timber.

However, old timber grading methods often confused people due to the same name given to different quality lumber, which is why the following rules for wood grading were finalized by a global association of wood traders:

General Timber Treatment Grading Rules

The rule says that timber should be in well-sawn condition while measuring and dimensions must be more than what is mentioned in the contract to leave enough scope for timber shrinking when drying it to meet the optimum moisture content level of 20%.

Each parcel is a sum of individual timber species and grades. Apart from being named, each timber piece must be graded separately based on its worst case condition. Percentages should be computed by volume only (unless mentioned otherwise). The parcel quantity should always be within the limit of ±10% of the total volume with a max fluctuation of 20 m³ (or 700 cubic foot), Although for fixed dimension parcels, the quantity should be within the limit of 5% of the volume with a max variation of 10 m³ (or 350 cubic foot).

Standard Timber Grades

  1. First and Second Grade – (FAS)

    2. This is the highest-grade wood and is practically free of defects. The sapwood is not more than 10% of the total width of timber. It should have good texture and interlocked grain should not exceed 3% of the total volume.

      • Max 1 defect allowed in a piece under 100 m²  or less than 10 square feet
      • Max 2 defects in a piece with a size between 1.00 m² to 150 m² (10 to 16 square foot)
      • Max 3 defects in a piece with a size over 1.50 m² ( 16 square foot)  
  2. Number 1 Common and Select Grade

    3. In the Number 1 Graded wood, sapwood should not be more than 20% of the total width. Slight variation in texture and grain compared to FAS is allowed in this grade.

      • Max 1 defect allowed in a piece under 0.60 m (less than 6 square feet)
      • Max 2 defects allowed in a piece with a size between 0.80 m² to 100 m² (6 to 10 square foot)
      • Max 3 defects allowed in a piece with a size between 100 m² to 150 m² [10 to 15 square foot)
      • Max 4 defects allowed in a piece over 150 m² (over 16 square feet)
  3. Number 2 Common Grade

This is a low grade of wood with no restriction on the amount of sapwood in a piece. Defects including small to medium blue stains and dead pinholes (individual and/or in clusters, not more than half of the surface and a max of 10% of the piece in the single parcel) are allowed. Pieces with irregular grains are allowed given that the flatness and strength of timber are not compromised. Colour and density may also vary.

    • Max 1 defect allowed in a piece under 0.60 m (less than 6 square feet)
    • Max 2 defects allowed in a piece with a size between 0.80 m² to 100 m² (6 to 10 square foot)
    • Max 3 defects allowed in a piece with a size between 100 m² to 150 m² [10 to 15 square foot)
    • Max 4 defects allowed in a piece over 150 m² (over 16 square feet)

SPECIAL TIMBER TREATMENT GRADES

Some specific timber species are graded according to special rules, as follows:

  1. Prime Grade

This type of timber must be free from defects. The percentage of sapwood and the number of defects by size should be below the set limits.

  1. Prime Narrows Grade

Timber pieces that are straight and free from defects are assigned this grade.

  1. First and Second (FAS) Shorts Grade:

In specs of 15 cm (6 In.), pieces of 20 cm (8 in.) or wider are permitted with one defect.

In specs of 7.5 cm(3 inc.), pieces of 15 cm (6 in) or wider are permitted with one defect.

  1. Prime Strips Grade

The main face of the piece should be defect-free. The other side and 1/3rd of the thickness of its adjacent sides can each have one defect within each 1.20 m (4 ft) of length.

Want to discuss your timber treatment protection grading requirements with an expert? Contact us today and we’ll sort out all your concerns and provide complete timber grading services. We sell the finest grade timber, wooden logs and products with a quality and price guarantee. Contact us today for timber treatment and grading services.