If you ' re not familiar with how wood is sized , the purchasing process can be anything but easy . That ' s because the size you see isn ' t really what you get .
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How to : buy suitable boards
If you ' re not familiar with how wood is sized , the purchasing process can be anything but easy . That ' s because the size you see isn ' t really what you get .
By Kreg
Purchasing process of wooden boards isn ' t easy .
IMAGE : WEATHERWISE
If you use a project plan , the materials list may state a certain size but this will change after it has been machined . If you are drawing your own project plan , make sure that you use the actual dimensions for all the boards . If you accidentally design your project using the nominal dimensions , it may not go together as you had planned .
When building projects , you also need to understand how boards are described in terms of thickness , width and length . This is because a project plan may call for a board that is as wide as , or wider than it is long .
“ It ’ s important to remember length is measured in line with the grain , width is measured across the grain and thickness is measured on the edge of the board ,” says Greg de Villiers from Vermont Sales . “ Once you understand board sizing , you ’ ll be ready to purchase what you need for your projects . But don ’ t think you can purchase just any boards off the lumber rack and get exactly what you need .”
Boards tend to bow , warp and twist . “ So , you need to examine each board to make sure it ’ s flat and straight . To do this , hold the board out , and look along the length of the board . Look at the edge first to check for twisting and bowing . Then look at the face to see if the board is bowed or crooked ,” says De Villiers .
" You need to examine each board to make sure it ' s flat and straight ."
48 DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 //