AtS Committee Recommendqtion On Grqde Stqndordiz<rtion

The highly controversial issue of grade standardization rolled on last month when the American Lumber Standards Committee met in San Francisco May 2nd and 3rd to adopt an eight point package which varied only slightly from the original "p.oposul put before ALS late last year.

Dry dimension manu{actured to lt/r,, thickness and dry boards surfaced to Vg" thickness passed another hurdle, but moisture content specifications contained in the original proposal were re_ laxed slightly to I9/o maximum moisturJ contenr.

Following is an outline of the ALS proposal which is now in the hands of th_e Department of Commerce-pending further study and recommendations by producer., "or.,r*"r, aid specifiers oi lumber:

I. American Lumber Standards sizes for dimension will be 11/rt' in thickness by present widths at a maximum l9o/a moisture content.

2. American .Lumber Standard sizes for boards will be B/+,, by present widths at a maximum l9/o moisture content except that a s7"" dry board will be considered standard if it ls identified as to thickness.

3. Provisions in regional grading rules for lumber surfaced at other moisture content levels will show size differentials in thickness and in width.

4. The differential between the American Lumber Standards dry sizes and lumber surfaced at a hieher moisture content must be technically equivalent and have the approval of the Forest Products Laboratory.

5. Unseasoned lumber need not be identified as to its moisture condition but lumber surfaced at I5/o or l9o/o moisture content must be marked in a manner that will be understandable to the layman.

6. An optional tolerance may be specified in grading rules pro- viding fior a 5/o variation above the maximum moisiure content in reinspections.

7. An editorial cornmittee will prepare a revised SPR-16-53 encompassing the foregoing and this document will be presented to the Justice Department and the American Lumber Standards Committee for comment.

B. The next meeting of the American Lumber Standards Committee will be held in sufficient time to permit the Department of Commerce to circulate the revised standard to its acceptor list for possible promulgation by January l, 1964.

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