The force behind the stamp: Redwood lnspection Service

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

ITfUSTOMERS frequently ask, V"How do I know I'm purchasing quality redwood lumber?" The only way a retailer can be positive he is selling redwood lrmrber manufactured to accepted industry standards is to request Redwood Inspection Service grade stam@ or certified lumber.

The Redwood Inspection Service, which is a division of the California Redwood Association, is the organization exclusively authorized by the American Lumber Standard Committee to fonnulate grading mles for redwood lumber. These rules, the Standard Specifications for Gradcs of California Redwood Lumber, are established in accordance with Voluntary Product Standard PS 2094, the "American Softwood Lumber Standard" issued by the U.S. Deparmrent of Comrnerce.

All retail redwood lumber personnel should have a copy of the RIS grade book readily accessible and should familiarize themselves with the grade rules.

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

(2) General Grading Provisions and Redwood Sizes; (3) General Purpose Grades, and (9) Glossary and Temts. Sales people should be familiar with the information appearing on

Mill

ONE B R[5. REDWOOD official RIS grade marks. This information includes: the quality assurance mark - RIS - consisting of the initials of Oe Redwood Inspection Service, the grade designation, identification of the green or dry seasoning condition at time of surfacing on lumber under 5 inch nominal thickness and the identification of the manufacturer.

The official grade mark may be incorporated in marks giving additional infonnation such as pattern 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 Califomia Redwood Association.

A four-page color brochure, illus- ffating the general purpose grades of redwood, Redwood Grafus an^d Uses, is available from the California Redwood Association.

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

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

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

O RIS headquarters in Novato, Ca., cornmunicates 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 frequently used on highly visible structures, such as decks and siding, consumers sometinps object to the presence of grade stamps. In response to this, some CRA member mills stamp the lumber on the ends or use ink that will fade more rapidly when exposed to the elements. An altemative to grade stamping is an official RIS Certificate of Inspection.

Here is how the Redwood Inspection Service operates:

O Expert RIS supervisors act as grading monitors of the redwood products produced by the redwood mills throughout Northern California. Their authority assures the products of a RIS member mill conform to the well defined strndard of the industry.

The official RIS grade mark or Certificate of Inspection is a positive assufiurce that the architect" 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 counties in California average more than two inspections per month at member mills. This far exceeds the minimum l0 inspections per year required under ALSC regulations.

RIS provides inspection services to industrial and government clients requiring certification of redwood lumber prior to its fabrication into critical structures and supervises the grading of whitewoods in accordance with Western Wood Products Association and West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau grade rules.

For information on RIS services, redwood grades or a copy ofthe ofricial redwood grade rules ($4), contoct RIS in Novato, Ca., at (415)382-0662 or in Eureka" Ca., at (707) 444-3024 - Editor.

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