Grading Wood

[The Natural Philosopher]

Its not much worse on shrinkage really. 10% across the grain and 1% along it is average for any wood.

[The Natural Philosopher]

My chippies charge twice that, plus VAT, and are in great demand.

BTW I trotally agree with you about BCO etc. The BCO will reject anything obviosuly suspect, but will be totally happy with over engieered green wood beams, as long as he feels you and the carpenters understand the shrinkage implications. I have had EXTREME problems in one area where I used a kiln dried and outdoor treated bit of wood. The bugger has EXPANDED on me. INDOORS!!!

[Andy Dingley]

Then that's very cheap and you should snap them up.

The 7.50 is what experienced framers are _paid_ by one well-known framing outfit. They charge them out at twenty-something.

Unless you're running your own business though (and many people just don't want to do this), then you're earning twenty and getting paid seven.

What else can it do ? Timber doesn't just "shrink" on seasoning in some asymmetric and irreversible manner, it pumps in and out with changes in moisture in either direction (after a few years it setles down a bit)

[Andy Dingley]

Yes. The skill is in understanding this.

I use green larch a lot. You have to deal with shrinkage which is easy, the bigger problem is its far greater tendency to twist compared to oak.

[G&M]

Okay. Here's my reasoning. Compliance with the Construction Products Directive (CPD) is mandatory for all items of construction which are 'intended to be incorporated permanently in the works', i.e. building or structure.

BM TRADA is the only authority I am aware in the UK who can give this compliance, though of course there are others in other EU countries.

In any case CE marking of constructional materials will become mandatory in due course so unless you cut the tree down and prepare it yourself I don't see how one can use ungraded wood after that. That doesn't mean that 'green' oak can't be used, just that it has to be checked it complies with some standard.

Agreed - but EU rules generally don't assume best practices :-)

[Ian Stirling]

AIUI, (though I am coming at this from the electronics side) it's perfectly legal to CE mark the stuff yourself, you only get into trouble if it's later found not to comply.

[G&M]

I'm actually on the electronics side myself and unless you have some pretty major levels of indemity insurance I wouldn't recommend this route.

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[Capitol]

Isn't it the traditional British builder way of operating?! Helps not to have any assets though!

Re electronics, I can remember one case where the UL approval inspector went through the Taiwan factory and found one of the supervisors practicing forging his signature on the duplicate forms!!

Regards Capitol

[G&M]

Sounds right. Used China for building a product some time ago. Provided a BOM with approved parts on and prototypes came through okay-ish after two trips there. But as soon as they had free rein we got all sorts of crap back.

[Ian Stirling]

Only if you're sure it does comply of course, or at the very least, you should be able to make a case that it does.