Grading Rules I

	The NHLA Grading Rules for hardwood lumber are determined by the "Grading Face" (Best Face or Poorest Face) depending on the NHLA grade. FAS 1 Face and Selects grades are graded from the best face of the board with the poor face to grade not below the #1 Common grade.
Best Face vs. Poor Face	-
Hardwood lumber grades consider only the minimum board requirements. all boards within the specific grade must equal the minimum grade requirements and better.
NOTE: If all of your order were "minimum grade standards" for FAS 1 Face or Selects, you would consider your order to be "poor" at best. WHY? NHLA Grading Rules are "minimums" as far as grading requirements. Meaning...the order your receive must include the minimum grade requirements up to a clear board to meet the NHLA Grading Rules. This applies to the grades of FAS 1 Face, Selects and #1 Common.

Cutting Units

Cutting units are what we at Hogan Hardwoods & Moulding refer to as "Foot Long Hotdogs"....i.e., 1" x 12 " in dimension. EXAMPLE: A "cutting" of 6" x 10' = 60 cutting units or 60 foot long hotdogs.

12"

= 1 cutting unit

12"

= 12 cutting unit

= 1 cutting unit

The above diagrams illustrate the Cutting Unit (Foot Long Hotdog) as defined in the NHLA Grading Rules Book of 1" x 12" or equivalent piece 2" x 6". The rules accept any combination of length and width as a "cutting unit" as long as it equals 12 square inches or a "Foot Long Hotdog."

Also illustrated the diagram indicates the "cutting units" in one square foot of surface measure is the equivalent of 144 square inches or 12 "cutting unit." Surface Measure considers only width and length and does not apply to the thickness of the lumber.

1 Cutting Unit (Foot Long Hotdog) = 12 Square Inches

1 Square Foot = 144 Square Inches Or 12 "Cutting Units"