Government plans to promulgate new standards in March

To many, though not all, it appears that the long wrangle over the standards for lumber is finally coming to an end. In keeping with the controversy that has been the industry's most divisive subject in the decade of the sixties, some still maintain that technical factors will prevent promulgation of the new standard as planned on Mareh 1, 1970.

After two years of governmental indecision by the U.S. Commerce Department, seven years of arguing by the lumber in' dustry and two earlier rejections by the industry, the Commerce Department last month said it would put the new standards into effect March L

They did this after 2I of the 22 mem' bers of the American Lumber Standards Committee and B7/o of a Census Bureau poll of lumber producers, distributors and user-consumers agreed to the new standard. The two previous polls did not re' ceive the required 75/o support.

The nominal 2"x4" will be lr/r"x3r/2" ata 19% maximum moisture content; green lumber under the new standard will be | 9l\6'rx3 9116". The 2"x4" has not actually been that size since 1904.

Maurice H. Stans, the Commerce Secretary, described the revised standards, which replaced a previous version dating from 1953, as 'oan important step for the consumer," largely because the old guidelines did not take into account the fact that green lumber shrinks as it dries," so the lumber user could never be sure of the performance of the product he was purchasing.

Those who support the minority posi' tion feel that the most important aspect of the change in standards is not equating size and moisture content. Under the new standard, species such as hemlock and true firs would be grouped together and an average strength value would be as. signed. A provision of the standard could allow hemlock to be marketed separately; the rernaining specie might still be grademarked as hemfir with the stress value based upon an average of both species. The resulting disparity between actual strengih and that assigned on the basis of grouping for an average, could have serious engineering ramifications, they contend.

Story dI d Glqnce

After a long and bitter fight, the industry reaches consensus on new standards for softwood lumber. opponents still think planned promulgation won't come off March 1, new nomenclature sought tor 2 x 4... lumber users must be acquainted with new sizes.

Opponents of Voluntary Product Stan' dard 20-70 also note that the present SPR 16-53 sizes are standard and any devia' tion, i.e., lL/rt' lttmber, must be shown on the grade stamp. The lr/2" dry lumber size has been cut and marketed in sizeable quantities for some years.

Some city building code groups are vague when asked if they will accept the new standard, according to new standard opponents. Those favoring VPS 20-70 say this is not a problem.

Wendell Barnes, exec. vp. of the Western Wood Products Assn., remarking that the new standard should be welcomed by all progressive lumbermen, noted that for the first time, construction lumber manu' factured in mills as widely scattered as New Mexico, Washington, Mississippi and Maine will bear common grade names and will be graded under common rules.

Builders and speci{iers, he contended, will welcome grade and size standardiza' tions because it will simplyfy ordering the right lumber products for the job.

L. L. Stewart, president of Bohemia Lumber Co., Eugene, Ore., and current president of the National Forest Products Assn., said the decision for a new standard would conserve wood fiber, re. duce shipping costs and return savings of approximately $I50 to each buyer of a typical single-family home.

Other proponents have forecast a $175 savings in a $30,000 house under the new rules. These figures have been sharply attacked as being floating comparisons and not being based on any provable data.

Some builders say that the smaller sizes might affect span distances and strength requirements to the point where the new rules might add $50 to the lumber cost of an average home.

Secretary Stans, in other comments said, "I am also hopeful that we will have widespread acceptance of an optional provision in the new standard which authorizes the machine grading of lumber."

Still to be worked out, the Secretary noted, is the continued use of nominal designations, such as 2x4, rather tJran actual lumber sizes. "I am concerned about this practice which has come about through common usage and I am pleased that the American Lumber Standards Committee, which has done a fine job in the revisions announced, has agreed to {ocus its attention on the nomenclature problem."

The committee has plans for a broad educational campaign designed to acquaint all consumers, including the do-ityourself occasional purchaser, of the actual dimensions of "standard" lumber.

Secretary Stans offered the full cooperation of the Commerce Department to the Federal Trade Commission in the development of appropriate trade regulations which might be necessary to protect consumers from the misgrading of lumber.