Grades and Uses

Garden Grades

The garden grades, Deck Heart,
Construction Heart, Deck Common, Construction Common, Merchantable Heart and Merchantable, are offered seasoned or unseasoned. They are frequently specified for decks, fences and garden structures where knots or other characteristics have little or no effect.

All Heartwood

Construction Heart/Deck Heart
A heartwood grade containing knots of varying sizes and other slight imperfections. Available seasoned or unseasoned. This highly useful grade can be ordered surfaced or rough. Deck Heart has similar appearance and uses as Construction Heart but is also graded for strength. Deck Heart is available in 2x4 and 2x6 only.

Uses Decks, posts, retaining walls, fences, garden structures, stairs or other outdoor uses in contact with the ground.

Merchantable Heart
This economical heartwood grade allows slightly larger knots than construction grades; holes limited to size of knots. Allows checks, some splits and some manufacturing flaws. Available unseasoned, surfaced or rough.

Uses Fences, retaining walls, garden structures or other outdoor uses in contact with the ground.

Construction Common/Deck Common
Same general characteristics as Construction Heart, but contains combination of heartwood and sapwood. Unseasoned or seasoned, it can be surfaced or rough. Deck Common is also graded for strength and is available in 2x4 and 2x6 only.

Uses Decking, fence boards and other above-ground garden uses that do not require heartwood’s insect and decay resistance.

Merchantable
Has same characteristics as Merchantable Heart but contains sapwood in varying amounts. This economical grade is available unseasoned and can be ordered surfaced or rough.

Uses Fence boards, rails and other above-ground outdoor and garden uses. Also subflooring and temporary construction.

Architectural Grades

The architectural grades, Clear All Heart, Clear, Heart Clear, Heart B and B Grade, are normally sold kiln dried (preshrunk and stress free) for the finest exterior and interior architectural uses. No other wood equals these finish grades in beauty and dimensional stability. They are the choice grades for siding, paneling, trim and cabinetry where attractiveness and tight joinery are desired.

Clear All Heart
Finest architectural heartwood grade, normally Certified Kiln Dried (also available unseasoned), well manufactured, free of defects one face (reverse) face may have slight imperfections). Available surfaced or saw-textured.

Uses Siding, paneling, trim, cabinetry, molding, fascia, soffits, millwork. Also fine decks, hot tubs, garden structures, industrial storage and processing tanks.

Heart B
Quality heartwood grade containing limited knots and other characteristics not permitted in Clear All Heart and Heart Clear. Available kiln dried or unseasoned. This grade can be surfaced or saw-textured.

Uses Siding, paneling, trim, fascia, molding and other architectural uses. Quality decking, garden shelters and other outdoor uses in contact with the ground.

Heartwood and Sapwood

Clear
Same general quality as Clear All Heart
except contains sapwood in varying
amounts. Some imperfections not
permitted in Clear All Heart. Normally
Certified Kiln Dried (also available
unseasoned). Available surfaced or
saw-textured.

Uses Siding, paneling, trim, cabinetry,
molding, fascia, soffits. Also quality
decking, garden shelters and other
above-ground applications.

B Grade
Quality grade containing sapwood, limited knots and other characteristics not permitted in Clear. Certified Kiln Dried; also unseasoned. Available surfaced or saw-textured.

Uses Siding, paneling, trim, fascia, molding and other architectural uses; quality decking, garden shelters and other above-ground outdoor applications.