Understanding lumber grades will help ensure you meet design expectations. Structural framing products are graded for their strength and other physical properties, as opposed to appearance products, which are graded for their aesthetic properties.
Below are resources for species-specific appearance lumber grades.
Douglas Fir
Western Wood Products Association:
Products Graded for Appearance: Douglas Fir
Eastern White Pine
Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association:
Standard Grading Guides for Northeastern Lumber
General Definitions and Instructions for Grading Eastern White Pine Boards
The 5 Grades of Eastern White Pine Grade – Photo Sheet
Hem Fir
Western Wood Products Association:
Ponderosa Pine
Western Wood Products Association:
Redwood
California Redwood Association:
Redwood Lumber Grades and Uses
Special Purpose Structural Grades for Decks
Southern Pine
Southern Forest Products Association:
Southern Pine Decks and Porches
Southern Pine Inspection Bureau: Standard Patterns
Western Red Cedar
Western Red Cedar Lumber Association:
Grades, Sizes, Grade Classifications and Specifications
How to Specify Western Red Cedar