The force behind the stamp: Redwood Inspection Service

By Charles J. Jourdaln Vice President Technical & Inpection Services California Redwood Association

t\USTOMERS frequently ask, V"How do I lnow I'm purchasing quality redwood lumber?" The only way a retailer can be positive he is selling redwood ltrmber manufactured to accepted industry standards is to request Redwood Inspection Service grade starr@ or certified lumber.

The Redwood Inspection Service, which is a division of the Califomia Redwood Association, is tbe mganization exclusively authorized by the American Lumber Standard Committee to fomrulate gading rules for redwood lumber. These rules, the Standard Speciftcations for Grades ot California Redwood Lumber, are established in accordance with Voluntary Prodrct Studard PS 209[, the "American Softwood Lumber Standard" issued by the U.S. Department of Corrmerce.

All retail redwood lumber personnel should have a copy of the RIS grade book readily accessible and should familiarize tbemselves with the grade rufes"

Sections of particulr importance include: (1) Redwood Grade Marks;

(2) General Grading Provisions and Redwood Sizes; (3) General Rrpose Crrades, and (9) Glossaryard Terms"

Sales people should be familiar with the information appearing on

MILL ONE B R[5.REDWOOD official RIS grade marks. This informdion inchdes: ee quatity assuxilrqe mark - RIS - c@sisti4g of tbe initials of the Redwood tnspection Service, the grade desigodior, ideatification of the green or dry seasoning condition at time of surfacing on lumber under 5 inch nominal thiclness and the identification of tb manufacnrer.

The official grade mark may be incorporated in marks giving additional infonnation such as pattem number, nominal size or trade names. If the letters 'CRA" appear with the grade mark, the company responsible for the grading is a member of the California Redwood Association.

A four-page color brochure, illus- trating the general purpose gra&s of redwood, Redwood Grafus otd Uses, is available from the California Redwood Association.

O RIS trains graders for individual mill members and checks performance in accordance with ALSC regulations.

O RIS specialists supervise member mills' kiln drying procedures and test the kiln-dried products.

O RIS serves as an impartial arbiter in senling questions of product quality and quantity.

O RIS headquarters in Novato, Ca., communicates with code-writing agencies to establish or maintain building standards favorable to the use of redwood in regional and local building codes.

Since redwood is freqrrently used on highly visible structures, srrch as decks and siding, consumers sometimes objec to the presence of gra& stamps. In response to this, some CRA member mitls slamp the lumber on the ends o'r use ink that will fade mone rapidly when exposed to the elenents. An alternative to grade stanping is an official RIS Certificate of Inspection.

Here is how the Redwood Inspection Servfoe operates:

O Expert RIS supervisors act as grading monitors of the redwood products produced by the redwood mills throughout Northrn Califtrnia Theiraufrorityas$res the @uas of a RIS member mill confonn to the wefl defined standard of the indnsrv.

The official RIS grade mark or Certificate of Inspection is a positive assuiurce that the trchitect, builder or local building authority will find the redwood product acceptable for its intended purpose. Thus neither the purchaser nor seller has to prove that the lumber is acceptable.

RIS supervisors in Mendocino and Humboldt cotmties in California average more than two inspections per month at member mills. This far exceeds the minimum 10 inspections p€r year required under ALSC regulations.

RIS provides inspection services [o industrial and government clients requiring certification of redwood lunber prior to its fabrication into critical strlrctures and supervises the Crading of whitewoods in accordance with Western S/ood Products Association and West Coast Lumber Inspedion Bureau grade rules.

For informdion on RIS sewices, redwood grdcs or a copy of the offrcial redwood gradc rules ($4), contact R/S iz Novato, Ca., at (415)382-0662 or in Eureka, Ca, ar {707) 44+3U24 - Edinr.