Furniture Grade Pine

[Tony Joyce]

I'll agree that "furniture grade" is pretty much a meaningless term, though generally I'd expect it to be more or less equivalent to C Select rather than one of the common grades. Just as in hardwoods where FAS doesn't mean NO defects for the entire board, Select grading allows defects including small knots, but limits the number significantly, so that the overall effect is clear.

Just ordering "furniture grade" really doesn't say much, just as ordering "cabinet grade" plywood doesn't either, when what you really should be saying is terms from specific grading standards. Of course, a seller should be asking what you mean when customers specify using non-official terminology.

In the case of "Furniture Grade Pine" it is an official grade set by the "Northeast Lumber Manufacturers Association" (see other post for link) It just seems to be used as a generic definition by most to mean clear (wrongly so). But armed with this new information from readers feedback, it's not likely to happen here again.

I agree furniture grade, cabinet grade, instrument grade are all too vague a term to be used.

[Steve Griffin]

I use the term "furniture grade" frequently with my customers. I explain that I cannot use "lumber yard pine", as it is often not dried well and comes too thin to flatten out any warps or bows. I explain that I use either knotty or clear white pine from my hardwood suppliers. So for me, it's simply a helpful term to use in conversation with clients.

-Steve

BTW, I can't think of the last time I used clear pine. If I ever ordered using the "furniture grade" pine term, I'd expect it to have knots.

[Paul Ryan]

Forgive me if I am not following the flow of the thread I didn't read most of it. But I prefer knotty, but it is up to you. My local yards sell both but I dont think they call any of it furniture grade. And the select boards at the BORG's are a pain in the rear to build anything with. They are warped, planed goofy to say the least, pron to cracking, and in general crap. The premium boards are expensive almost the cost of hard wood. So it depends what you are going for. My time is worth something to me, and it takes forever to find good boards at my BORGS in the select pile. And I wont pay the prices they get for their premium.

[george wilson]

Williamsburg used to use a very high grade of soft white pine for a lot of things in the maintenance department. It was nearly completely free of knots,and cost as much as maple at the time. they now use the correct Southern yellow pine,gotten from demolished old buildings,roller coasters,etc.. It is mostly heart pine,and VERY expensive.

I went to an auction of a commercial cabinet shop that was closing out in the 80's. They were using a lot of the same pine. They auctioned off a bunch of LONG planks,and they went for high prices.

In a tractor trailer body that was used as a receptacle for their dust collector was a big pile of the same pine in lengths from 7' to 3'. I made 1 bid of $35.00,and GOT IT ALL. I couldn't believe that no one else bid. I mean,what do you make out of 16' boards anyway?

When I got it home,I counted the board footage at the current going price,and found that I had $6000.00 worth of prime pine.

Since then,I've made several shelves and some furniture from it. I still have a lot stored in my basement.

It's not for sale!!

[Frank Drew]

The only pine I've seen that I'd consider suitable for high quality furniture is the reclaimed Southeastern forest longleaf yellow pine that George mentions; around here we call it Old Pine, or Heart Pine. It can have an occasional knot or two, but it in no way resembles Knotty Pine. The best stuff is really special, and priced that way.

Moulding grade white pine is fine for painted millwork since it machines so nicely, but I don't consider it a much of a furniture wood.