Use Common-Grade Lumber For These Projects
Posted on: 2 February 2021
When you shop for lumber at a local store, you'll see planks made from several different types of trees, including pine, cedar, and maple. Once you've decided on the type of wood that you want, your next priority will be to assess the various grades. At many retailers, you'll see lumber in such grades as "select" and "common." Select-grade lumber has a pristine appearance, while common-grade lumber may have knots or other small surface defects. Common-grade lumber, which is generally more affordable than its select counterpart, can be perfectly suitable for the following projects around your home.
Framing
There are all sorts of framing projects that you might wish to tackle around your home. For example, if you have a large room that you want to divide into two smaller rooms, a wall or even a half-wall can dramatically change the look of the space. If you're thinking about doing any framing, common-grade lumber is an appropriate choice. The knots throughout this type of wood won't be an issue because once you apply the drywall over the framing, the lumber will be out of sight.
Shelving
While it's possible that you might favor select-grade lumber for certain shelving projects — a stylish shelf in your dining room that you'll use to hold dishes or glasses, for example — common-grade lumber can be acceptable for many other shelving projects. Lots of people buy lumber to build shelving in their garages or in large garden sheds, for example. The presence of knots or small surface defects on shelving in these environments won't be an issue, and given that you'll likely be storing tools and other similar objects on these shelves, they may sustain dents and other marks in the years ahead. For such a project, there's little need to pay for select-grade lumber.
Fencing
If you're thinking about building a fence, you can generally use common-grade lumber for this project. The presence of knots won't be a detriment in such an application, and may even help to give the fence a rustic appearance that you find appealing. This type of lumber can work well whether you're erecting a large fence around the entire perimeter of your property, or perhaps building a smaller fence around a garden to prevent pests from gaining access to your plants.
Visit a local lumber supplier to learn more about common-grade lumber and price out the wood that you'll need for your project.
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