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Aug 01, 2014
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Terms to Know Before a Trip to the Lumberyard

Imagine stopping by a pet store and simply asking for a dog.  Instead of just sending you on your merry way with the first dog they see, the clerk’s going to likely do some probing to see whether you’re looking for an indoor or outdoor pet, if you have a preference between shedding & non-shedding breeds and how big of an animal you’re looking to adopt.  Similarly, if you were to go to a lumberyard and request some wood, the specialist you speak with is going to want to know more about your specific needs.  To save yourself time and frustration, here’s some of the basic lingo you’ll want to understand.

Hardwoods vs Softwoods: All wood fall into one of these two categories.  Hardwoods come from trees that lose their leaves in the fall and softwoods come from evergreens.  Common types of hardwoods are cherry, maple, ash and oak.  Popular softwoods are spruce, cedar, fir and pine.

Grading: As you look through the different types of wood, you’ll notice that some have more physical blemishes than others.  Depending on the type of project you need the wood for, this may or may not be of concern.  The National Hardwood Lumber Association uses the below grading systems to allow a consumer to understand the quality of wood they are purchasing.  The rankings are listed best to worst.

Hardwood Grading

Grade Name

Abbreviation

Minimum Board Size

% Usable Material On One Face

First and Seconds

FAS

6-in x 8-in

83

Select

Sel

4-in x 6-in

83

#1 Common

#1 Com

3-in x 4-in

66

#2 Common

#2 Com

3-in x 4-in

50

 

Softwood Grading

Grade

What It Means

C Select

Almost completely clear of defects. Widely used for interior trim and cabinets.

D Select

Fine appearance, similar to C Select. May have dime-sized knots.

1 Common

Best material for high quality pine with a knotty look. Knots will be tight, meaning they won’t fall out, and are generally small.

2 Common

Tight knots, but larger than found in 1 Common. Often used for paneling and shelving. Very suitable for general woodworking projects.

3 Common

Knots larger than in 2 Common. Also used for paneling and shelving, but especially well-suited for fences, boxes and crates.

 

Other Terms You’re Bound to Hear around the Lumberyard Include:

Luster: This term relates to the amount of light a wood will reflect.  Luster can improve by applying a glossy finish to the wood, though some species will have higher than natural luster.

Wood Grain: Wood grain is the direction in which the wood cell fibers mature.  Much like your fingerprints, each tree has its own unique wood grain markings.  This means that two pieces of wood from identical species can look entirely different.

Density: This measures weight per unit volume.  The denser a wood is, the more likely it is to fend off indentations and scratches.

Reviews

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"I was very impressed that Lindus sent a safety inspector on day one and a quality inspector at the end. I did not expect this but sincerely appreciate this attention to detail. All of this demonstrates how Lindus stands by its work and differentiates Lindus from other firms. I would definitely consider Lindus for any future exterior needs."

Debbie E.
Plymouth, MN
February 27, 2024

"Over the past 18 years and 4 separate major home improvement projects, Lindus Construction has exceeded every one of our family’s expectations on each of these projects. Whenever anyone invests in home improvement, the homeowner’s concerns ultimately center on several critical factors: the ultimate quality of the final product, ease of working with the firm, honest communication and relationships, craftsmanship of the employees, timeliness, service after the sale, and of course, a manageable investment cost. We are proud to say that the Lindus team has been an outstanding partner in improving our house’s function, appearance, and market value."

Jim G.
Chanhassen, MN
February 8, 2024

"I did two big projects in 2023 with Lindus. First was removing and replacing attic insulation plus creating proper ventilation. Second was replacing roof and adding LeafGuard®. Did everything go perfectly? No but that is where a company shows its merits. All issues were resolved! I even received a check for unused supplies. I highly recommend Lindus. They are not the cheapest. You get what you pay for."

Jill D.
St. Paul, MN
December 14, 2023

"Lindus Construction is a company that provides the best possible workmanship, professionalism and customer service for each and every project. Lindus Construction is a great choice for roofing, siding, windows, doors, decking and LeafGuard® Gutter projects or any combination of those projects. Small jobs such as garden sheds to large homeowner associations with multiple buildings they are able to handle it."

Kelly P.
River Falls, WI
December 4, 2023

"We are quite pleased with the way our project went. The Lindus folks have successfully managed to instill a culture of quality and customer service in throughout the entire business, which is rare these days.  Everyone we worked with carried that same attitude of wanting to do it right and make us happy. The installation went well and we are very satisfied."

Tim M.
Minneapolis, MN
June 20, 2023

"Thorough, timely, efficient, good communicators. Excellent work, cleaned up well and took care of a few extra details without any hassle."

Carla U.
Minneapolis, MN
May 17, 2023

"Your services and products are wonderful!  (And we have used Lindus three times now). The crews were gracious and hard-working."

Alan W.
St. Paul, MN
May 11, 2023

"I would just like to compliment Randahl for excellent work and customer service skills.  Every time he was at our home, he was professional, thorough, extremely pleasant, and explained things well.  You are very lucky to have such an outstanding employee!"

Vicki F.
Blaine, MN
March 25, 2023

"Great job. Workers were friendly and cleaned up everything when they were done. They stopped to tell me they were ready to work and checked in when they were done."

Carolyn I.
Andover, MN
March 16, 2023

"This company has all ways been honest with us, took care of us and their workmanship is second to none."

Michael N.
Rosemount, MN
March 13, 2023

"Very professional, super quality work, everyone was very pleasant, would highly recommend, will continue to use Lindus for all future projects."

Chuck V.
Chaska, MN
February 18, 2023

"Service and work were excellent; thank you!"

Ron B.
Burnsville, MN
January 19, 2023

"The technician worked very efficiently and put in long hours to get the job done. Excellent work and we were very grateful."

Pam L.
Oakdale, MN
January 12, 2023

"I have used Lindus in the past and they once again, gave me excellent service. They stand behind their products and service. I have referred them to many friends."

Susan B.
St. Paul, MN
January 6, 2023

"We have had them do work at our home before and at my parents' house. They did great work!"

Sue R.
St. Croix Falls, WI
January 3, 2023

"The two young men that did the install were great.  They were personal and appeared very conscientious."

Jim H.
St. Anthony, MN
December 30, 2022

"Always polite and considerate. Last inspection was a quality control and I was impressed with him and his thorough inspection. Great job!"

Irene S.
Bloomington, MN
December 20, 2022

"We had a great experience with Lindus. The communication has been great. When I had a question I received a return email or phone call quickly. When Lindus employees were at our home, they explained what they were doing in great detail, my questions were always satisfactory answered. I will gladly continue to refer Lindus to friends and neighbors."

Roger D.
Shoreview, MN
November 29, 2022

"I highly recommend Lindus Construction. I have used them for three projects over the last few years and they are easy to contact, the people are friendly and they do very high quality work. Don’t hesitate to use Lindus for your next project."

Darrell M.
Lino Lakes, MN
June 9, 2022
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