This document discusses various factors related to timber grading and marketing. It aims to maximize the value of logs and trees by understanding different timber grades and markets. Various defects that can impact grading are defined. The Forest Service factory grading system is also outlined, which divides logs into four faces and grades the third best face. Understanding these quality factors is important for successfully selling timber.

1. Marketing
Timber
&
Understanding Tree
Grades
www.foreconinc.com

2. Industry Goal?
Maximize the Value
of Every Log
Produced!

3. Landowner’s Goal?
Maximize the Value
of Every Tree
Sold!

4. Timber
Quality Can
Vary Greatly
From This…

5. Or This…

6. To This…

7. Or This…

8. At FORECON
Our Goal Is To Be
Consistent
In How We Present Forest
Products To The Market

9. In Order To Be
Successful In
Selling Your
Timber…
YOU MUST
KNOW YOUR
MARKETS!
• Veneer
• Specialty Products
• Stave Logs
• Export Sawlogs
• Peelers
• Forest Service Grades (Factory Grades)
• FS1
• FS2
• FS3
• Local Use Products
• Ties
• Pallets
• Pulp/Fuelwood

10. Some Things To Consider
Scaling vs. Grading
• Scaling - Determining net board foot
volume (QUANTITY)
• Grading – Determining potential/net
value (QUALITY)

11. Scale Deduction
Rules
•Rule 1: Length
Deduction (ROT)
•Rule 2: Pie Cut Fractions
(MISSING WOOD)
•Rule 3: Sweep Deduction
•Rule 4: Crook Deduction
•Rule 5: Interior Defect
Deduction

12. Sections Total #
in 4 foot of 8 foot
increments Sections
60-64 2 100
56-60 3 100
52-56 3 100 4 90
48-52 3 100 4 90
44-48 5 100 4 90 4 90
40-44 5 90 5 90 5 80
36-40 7 100 6 90 6 80 6 80
32-36 7 90 7 80 7 80 6 80
28-32 9 100 8 90 7 80 7 70 6 70
24-28 10 90 9 80 8 70 7 60 7 60
20-24 13 100 11 80 9 70 9 60 8 60 8 50
16-20 14 90 11 70 10 60 9 50 9 50 8 40
12-16 21 100 15 70 12 60 11 50 9 40 9 40 8 40
8-12 23 80 17 60 14 50 12 40 11 30 10 30 9 30
4-8 39 100 26 60 19 40 16 30 13 30 12 20 11 20 10 20
0-4 61 60 30 30 22 20 17 20 14 10 12 10 11 10 10 10
Total # of 8' sections
These columns represent the % volume in each 4 foot section
These columns represent the cumulative merchantable volume
* Merchantable height must be equal to or exceed this figure to qualify as a saw log.
Example of using the chart.
Measure a tree with one 8 foot log. The first 4 feet has a defect that reduces that sections volume by 20%.
Total section volume is 61%. Multiply 61% by 20%. The resulting 12% is the defect % to enter in 2 dog.
8
62ft 0in
Minimum Merchantable Height *
PERCENT VOLUME DEDUCTIONS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3
2
1
8ft 6in 12ft 6in 21ft 0in 29ft 0in 37ft 6in 45ft 6in 54ft 0in
8
7
6
5
4

13. Here’s A
Tough One!

14. Forest Service
Factory Grades
• Similar to Clear
Faces Method
• Divide Log/Tree
into 4 grading faces
• Disregard the Worst
Face
• Grade the third best
(second worst) faceTotalscalingdeduction 40% 50% 50%
3/4 2/3 2/3 ½
Sweep
If<¼ofendinsound
defects
15% 30% 50%
If>¼ofendinsound
defects
10% 20% 35%
Length 10’+ 10’+ 8’-
9’
10’-
11’
12’+ 8’+
Clearcuttings on3rd
best/2nd
worstface
Length 7’ 5’ 3’ 3’ 2’
Number 2 2 2 2 3 Nolimit
Yield 5/6 2/3
Positionintree Butt
only
Buttorupper Buttorupper Buttor
upper
Diameter 13”-
15”
16”-
19”
20”+ 11” 12”+ 8”+
Table 3. Summary ofForestService Hardwood Log Grading Rule.
Adapted fromMcKenna, 1981.
GradingFactor Grade1(F1) Grade2(F2) Grade3(F3)

15. Forest Service Factory Grades
(Clear Cuttings Method)

16. Clear Faces
Method
•Divide Log or Tree into 4
faces
•Disregard the Worst Face
•Grade the Third Best
Face (Second Worst Face)
•This is a Number Two
FS Sawlog

17. Clear Faces
Method
Remember!
Clear cuttings
are permitted for
two thirds the
length of the
grading face

18. Clear Faces
Method
Remember!
Clear cuttings
are permitted for
two thirds the
length of the
grading face

19. Clear Faces
Method
Remember! Clear
cuttings are
permitted for two
thirds the length
of the grading
face

20. Types of Tree Grading Defects
• Bulge
• Bumps
• Burls
• Butt Scar
• Butt Swell
• Cankers
• Galls
• Lesions
• Conks
• Epicormic Branches
• Flanges
• Flutes
• Forks
• Gum Lesions
• Holes
• Knots
• Limbs
• Overgrowths
• Seams
• Splits
• Surface Rise
• Wounds

21. Surface
Defects
Within slab area
= no deduction
i.e. Sapsucker
Damage for
construction
grade logs, etc.

22. Overgrowths
Limb Scars
Healed Injuries
Occluded Bird Peck

23. Heavy
Overgrowths

24. Medium
Overgrowths

25. Light
Overgrowths

26. Fungi …

28. EAB Holes

29. Lumps,
Bumps, and
Bulges

33. That was a quick tour through some of the
considerations a forester deals with when
looking at a landowner’s timber. The
merchandizing/marketing of trees certainly
takes some knowledge and experience,
especially if the goal is to maximize the value
of the timber being sold.

34. We have that knowledge and experience, and would
be delighted to apply them to your benefit.
Please visit our website at www.foreconinc.com to
find out more about our services!