Biweekly Newsletter prepared exclusively for Property Managers by The Porch People - trusted porch builder since 1980

March 5, 2008

Porch construction vs. type of lumber

The most common lumber used for porch construction is yellow pine. Yellow pine comes in different types (grades). The lower the number, the better quality of the wood. Grade 2 is allowed for porch construction because it will pass the structural calculations. Engineers don't take under consideration that grade 2 is lower quality. It has more rings and nuts. It will start to warp, twist and break fast (especially if exposed to sun and water). Application of grade 1 lumber should assure longer life of a structure PLUS the porch will look much nicer. How to distinguish grade 1 from grade 2? First - stamp (pictures on the left). Second - appearance (amount of nuts and rings).

To obtain free evaluation of your porches contact The Porch People via e-mail or phone: 773.325.0000