American hardwood grade

(Mr. Bob Sabistina is the former Chief Inspector of the National Hardwood Board Association and is currently the National Classification Board of the National Hardwood Board Association (NHLA) and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). He is a graded article written by several media around the world. It is considered to be the most authoritative interpretation of the NHLA grading rules.)

American hardwood products have been widely used throughout Asia for many years. In the past five years, hardwood exports to Southeast Asia have risen from $77 million in 2001 to $140 million in 2005, while the Chinese market Demand rose from $230 million to $478 million during this period. The annual output value of China's furniture industry has reached 42 billion US dollars, and its products are sold to both domestic and international markets. In the first half of this year, the US hardwood used in Vietnam increased by 22% year-on-year. During this period, Thailand also had a 10% increase. Why can American hardwoods be widely used in this area? There are three main reasons for their sustainability, diversity and quality stability.

Sustainability

American hardwood forest resources are the largest of its kind in any part of the world. Through reasonable forest management, the volume of wood continues to grow, and its growth exceeds the amount of harvest. In addition, most hardwood forests belong to small private forest land, and private forest owners have an important voice in how these woods are managed. These factors ensure that the hardwood forest generation can be managed sustainably.
Diversity
More than 25 commercial hardwood species are available to Asian buyers. They come in a variety of colors and wood structures and are suitable for almost all types of wood products. American Basswood and Cottonwood are suitable for blinds, Oak and Maple are suitable for floors and doors, Red Alder, Walnu, American Cherry Black Cherry and Ash are suitable for furniture and kitchen cabinets, and Yellow Poplar can be used for an unlimited variety of mouldings. Here is just one or two.

Quality stability
Since the end of the 19th century, the American hardwood industry has used a unified grading system, which was developed by the National Hardwood Board Association (NHLA). The National Hardwood Board Association's classification rules provide buyers and sellers with a common language in hardwood trading. Although the National Hardwood Board Association's grading rules apply only in the North American market, it is important for Asian buyers to understand the content of the rules in order to obtain the quality of the board. The grade of the board will play a decisive role in the cost and waste generated by the processing.

Hardwood grade
American hardwoods are usually graded according to the size and number of the facets or the number of facets obtained when sawing a piece of wood and using it to make a piece of hardwood. For the trade in furniture materials, the National Hardwood Board Association's grading rules take into account the measurable proportion of wood that provides clean, ie defect-free, grades for each class. The higher grades provide the user with a longer net-finished panel, while the normal grade provides a shorter net finish.

Higher grades include FAS, FAS grade single and special grades, which are especially suitable for longer surface smooth woodwork, joinery products such as door frames, interior trims and furniture, which require longer net finishes. Plate. Ordinary grades, Grade 1 and Grade 2, are best suited for making kitchen cabinets, most furniture parts, and block and strip floors.

It is worth noting that once the net surface obtained from the normal grade is re-sawing, the same net surface as the net surface obtained from the higher grade sheet can be obtained, but shorter or narrower. Grade refers only to the proportion of the net face in the board.

FAS

The original meaning of the FAS grade is "first-class and second-class", which requires the largest proportion of clean wood, and the minimum size of the sheet must be 6 inches wide or wider, 8 feet long or longer. The FAS rating includes a net yield of 831/3% (10 feet to 12 feet long) to 100% of all panels. The minimum size of the net face must be 4 inches wide, 5 feet long or 3 inches wide and 7 feet long. The number of these net faces varies depending on the size of the sheet, and the maximum number of sheets allowed is 1 or 2. The minimum width and length of the board will also vary depending on the tree species, wet material or kiln dry material. The front and back surfaces of the sheet must meet the minimum requirements of the FAS.

FAS-class single-sided (F1F) and selected grades
FAS single-sided and special-grade grades are usually mixed with FAS. For these two grades, the specifications will vary slightly depending on the area of ​​production, but more importantly, this will be noted. One of each of these grades must meet the minimum requirements of the FAS, and the poorer side must not be less than Grade 1.

Level 1
Grade 1 is usually referred to as a kitchen cabinet grade board. Because it is used in the US kitchen cabinet trade, it is also suitable for making most furniture parts because its net profile is suitable for most solid wood furniture parts. Claim. The minimum size of the Grade 1 sheet is 3 inches wide or wider, 4 feet long or longer, and the net draw yield is 632/3% (8 feet to 12 feet long); the smallest net gauge size is 3 inches. Width, 3 feet long or 4 inches wide, 2 feet long. The number of these net finishes also varies depending on the specifications of the board. The front and back surfaces of the sheet must meet the minimum requirements of Grade 1.

Level 2
Level 2 usually refers to the economic class, which is low in cost and widely suitable for making a variety of furniture parts. It can also refer to the grade used in the American hardwood flooring industry. The minimum size of the Grade 2 sheet is 3 inches wide or wider, 4 feet long or longer, the same as the Grade 1 grade, and the net draw yield is 50% (6 feet to 12 feet long); the smallest net finish Specifications are 3 inches wide and 2 feet long. The number of these net finishes also varies depending on the specifications of the board. If the poor side of the board is higher than the requirements of the second grade board, the level of the better side is irrelevant.

Grade for exporting materials
The loading of higher grade export materials is usually only FAS grade, and the American hardwood business practice is to mix these higher grade boards. Maintaining close contact with suppliers helps ensure that the plates received by the buyer meet the expected quality. Regardless of whether the FAS level is mixed with the FAS single-sided grade or the selected grade, each panel must have at least one FAS level.

Primary and Common (Prime and Comsel)

The grade names of these grades of boards are related to the export market. They are not rated by the National Hardwood Board Association (NHLA), but represent their grade. The primary level is sometimes sold at a similar cost to the FAS rating, but with a greater emphasis on the quality of the appearance. Plate specifications may differ from FAS, so communicate with suppliers to figure out the doubts. The general election level is sometimes used to replace the general level 1, as well as the primary level, but also emphasizes the appearance quality. (Contributed by the American Hardwood Export Council)

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