Instructions / Assembly

ManualsBrandsMendocino Forest Products ManualsBuilding materials1-3/8 in. x 1-3/8 in. x 4 ft. Redwood Beveled Baluster

Grains

Lumber has either flat or vertical grain

depending on how it was cut from the

log. Garden grades are sold with mixed

grain patterns. To minimize cupping and

grain raising, flat grain lumber should

be used with the “bark side” up or

facing out. Vertical grain lumber provides

the smoothest surfaces for railings

and benches.

Seasoning

Seasoned or unseasoned garden grade

lumber is suitable and most economical

for decks and other outdoor projects.

Architectural grades marked “Certified

Kiln Dried” are pre-shrunk and have

superior stability. They are good for areas

requiring tight joints, such as outdoor

shelves, cabinets and detail work.

Textures

Redwood is generally available with a

smooth, planed surface on all four sides,

known as S4S. Larger dimension timbers

(4x4 and greater) are often available

rough. Surfaced lumber is best for

sitting and walking surfaces or areas

to be painted.

Sizes of Garden Grade Lumber

Surfacing and seasoning reduce the

dimensions of lumber. As a result, the

actual dimensions of all lumber are

different from the nominal dimensions.

The chart below lists the actual and

nominal dimensions of redwood garden

grades.

Specifying Redwood

When you order or specify redwood

lumber, it is important to list the following:

intended use, grade, seasoning, size

and texture.

For Example: Redwood lumber for

(use) decking shall bear the Redwood

Inspection Service grademark and shall

be (grade) Construction Common,

(seasoning) unseasoned, (size) 2x6,

(texture) S4S.

■ Suitable grade for use

Most economical grade for use

Construction

Heart/Deck Heart

Construction

Common/Deck

Common

Merchantable

Heart

Merchantable

Clear

All Heart

Clear

B Heart

B Grade

Architectural ——— ——— ——— ———

■ ■ ■ ■

Garden

■ ■ ■ ■

——— ——— ——— ———

Knots ■■■ ■

——— ———

■ ■

Sapwood ———

■

———

■

———

■

———

■

Posts ■ ——— ——— ——— ■

———

■

———

Beams ■ ——— ——— ——— ■

———

■

———

Joists ■ ——— ——— ———

■

———

■

———

Decking

■

——— ———

■ ■ ■ ■

Rails

■

——— ———

■ ■ ■ ■

Fenceboards

■ ■ ■

■

■ ■ ■ ■

Benches

■ ■ ■

■

■ ■ ■ ■

Planters ■ ——— ■ ———

■

———

■

———

Trellises

■ ■ ■

■

■ ■ ■ ■

Furniture

■ ■ ■

■

■ ■ ■ ■

Annual Rings Bark Side Pith Side

Vertical Grain Flat Grain

Garden Grades

Garden grades of redwood are tailor-

made for decks and they are not expensive!

They have knots which give them a rustic

look that blends well with landscaping and

other natural materials. Redwood garden

grades are available in dimensions from

heavy timbers 20 feet in length to light-

weight benderboard often used for edging

garden walkways. Grades that have the

word “heart” in the name are entirely

decay-resistant heartwood.

Construction Heart/Deck Heart

All-heartwood grade containing knots; rec-

ommended for work on or near the

ground and for posts, beams, joists and

deckboards. Deck Heart is graded for

strength characteristics and is available in

2x4 and 2x6 only.

Construction Common/Deck Common

Similar to Construction Heart and Deck

Heart except containing sapwood;

recommended for most above-ground

applications such as railings, fences,

deckboards and trellises. Deck Common

is graded for strength characteristics and

is available in 2x 4 and 2 x 6 only.

Merchantable Heart Most economical

all-heartwood grade, allowing larger knots

and some knotholes; used for retaining

walls and garden or utility structures on or

near the ground.

Merchantable Same characteristics as

Merchantable Heart but containing sap-

wood; suitable for fenceboards, trellises

and above-ground utility applications.

Architectural Grades

Architectural grades of redwood are vir-

tually knot-free or in the case of B Grade,

contain knots of limited number and size.

Architectural grades are the top of the

redwood line. These grades are usually

kiln dried to pre-shrink the lumber, but

they are also available unseasoned. Often

used for quality siding and interior panel-

ing, architectural grades can be used for

highly-visible landscape architecture

where maximum stability is necessary.

Clear All Heart All-heartwood, free of

knots; recommended for highly-visible

applications like deckboards, railings,

overhead shade structures.

Clear Similar quality to Clear All Heart

except containing sapwood; uses include

railings, fences, deckboards, benches

and trellises.

Heart B All heartwood grade containing

limited knots and other characteristics not

permitted in clear grades; uses same as

Clear All Heart.

B Grade Similar quality to Heart B

except containing sapwood; uses same

as Clear.

Redwood

Grades

and Uses

S4S Dry Sizes (Inches)

Thickness Width

Nominal Actual Nominal Actual

⁄16 21

⁄2

⁄4 143

⁄2

⁄2 65

⁄2

⁄4

10 9

⁄4

S4S Green Sizes (Inches)

Thickness and Width

Nominal Actual

⁄16

⁄2

10 9

⁄2