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Inhabited buildings inspectors and graded lumber stamps

Started by EZland, August 06, 2013, 03:11:52 PM

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EZland

Inhabited buildings inspectors and graded lumber stamps

How do you timber frame guys get around the problem that stick frame guys have with building inspectors for rough sawn lumber?    I am hearing horror stories of requirements for grade stamps that inspectors require.  I live in GA.  I have been sawning for a guy that will do a remodel and he is restoring beams and replacing some 2 by walls. 


Ed
EZ Boardwalk Jr. 30", Husky 455, Kioti 5010 w, FEL , And I just moved to Ohio.and still looking for logs.

God is great!  I will never be as good as the "Carpenter's Son"

Jim_Rogers

The simple solution is to hire a traveling grader to come to the site and inspect and grade stamp the lumber.

I've had the traveling grader come here to my sawmill yard and do timbers for a barn to be built in a nearby town.

The customer/owner of the structure has to have an informal talk with the building inspector for his area.

He has to ask the questions correctly. What I mean is if he asks: "do I need these timbers/lumber grade stamped?" The building inspector is going to say: "why yes, of course you do."
But if you tell him that you want to use rough sawn over sized stock from a local mill. And then ask him: "do you have any issues with that?"
He may, and then again he may not.

Each situation is different.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

jwilly3879

Here is the text of the NY 2010 Residential Code on grade stamps:

R502.1 Identification. Load-bearing dimension lumber for joists, beams and girders shall be identified by a grade mark of a lumber grading or inspection agency that has been approved by an accreditation body that complies with DOC PS 20. In lieu of a grade mark, a certificate of inspection issued by a lumber grading or inspection agency meeting the requirements of this section shall be accepted.

Exception: Dimension lumber which is neither identified by a grade mark nor issued a certificate of inspection by a lumber grading or inspection agency may be used for load bearing purposes under the following conditions when authorized by the authority having jurisdiction:
1. The producing mill shall sell or provide the lumber directly to the ultimate consumer or the consumer's contract builder for use in an approved structure.2. The producing mill shall certify in writing to the consumer or contract builder on a form to be provided by the authority having jurisdiction that the quality and safe working stresses of such lumber are equal to or exceed No. 2 grade of the species in accordance with the conditions set forth in American Softwood Lumber Standard (PS 20-99) published by the United States Department of Commerce. Such certification shall be filed as part of the building permit application.

giant splinter

This is the first time in my experience that a residential code has cut any trace of slack to a producing mill, ultimate user, contract builder or anyone involved in construction. This however  ---------->  Exception:
Dimension lumber which is neither identified by a grade mark nor issued a certificate of inspection by a lumber grading or inspection agency may be used for load bearing purposes under the following conditions when

"authorized by the authority having jurisdiction", 1. The producing mill shall sell or provide the lumber directly to the ultimate consumer or the consumer's contract builder for use in an approved structure.2. The producing mill shall certify in writing to the consumer or contract builder on a form to be provided by the authority having jurisdiction that the quality and safe working stresses of such lumber are equal to or exceed No. 2 grade of the species in accordance with the conditions set forth in American Softwood Lumber Standard (PS 20-99) published by the United States Department of Commerce. Such certification shall be filed as part of the building permit application.

To me is confusing, who is the "authority having jurisdiction" what am I missing here?. Is there more to this than what we are seeing, by the term used ( producing mill ) they must be referring to small or private mills as the larger mill have lumber graders and stamps on site, if this is intended to be used for mills such as private mobil sawmills for example, what qualifies the sawyer to certify in writing his load of lumber ?.
I must have not read it correctly or understood the text in some way.
                                                                                                      GS


roll with it

jdtuttle

QuoteTo me is confusing, who is the "authority having jurisdiction"
It's the person appointed by the municipality to enforce the building codes, Or, in other words the Code Enforcement Officer.
Have a great day

Leigh Family Farm

In PA, you can use rough sawn lumber in residential buildings three stories and under. The building inspector has the authority to approve the use of the rough sawn lumber, so he may still require you to get them grade stamped. I agree with Jim Rogers in that how you phrase the question will get you the answer you need. Also, you might try bringing the inspector out to your mill for a educational visit so he fully understands that the timbers you are producing exceed the requirements.
There are no problems; only solutions we haven't found yet.

jwilly3879

The 2010 Residential Code for NY is based on the 2007 International Residential Code. Many states have adopted the International Codes with additions or in some cases deletions of certain requirements.

Here in NY where I am a Code Enforcement Officer in the Adirondacks I see a lot of lumber sawn on portable mills used locally.

The producing mill needs to provide a letter stating that this lumber is #2 or for the species in question, here it is usually EWP.
The problem I run into is people using lumber that definitely would not meet #2, huge knots, red rot, etc. It is not so much a problem with contractors who are familiar with lumber, what's good and what's not. I had a homeowner using his own lumber for a garage and some of his 2x8 rafters had 4" knots right on the bottom edge and he was mad when I told him they needed to be replaced. He just couldn't see that he basically had a 2x4. He finally gave in and sistered the bad rafters with nice ones.

Had the lumber been graded this wouldn't have happened.

For those using EWP -- it is significantly weaker than the equivalent size in SPF -- usually requiring the next size joist of rafter.

chainsaw_louie

Here is a page from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service in NYS that talks about using locally produced lumber and has a link to a form that can be used by the sawyer to 'certify' that the wood is safe to use.  In the end, somebody has to sign-off and take responsibility for the product.


(NAME) (TITLE – i.e., OWNER, PRESIDENT)
certify that the quality and safe working stresses of lumber
being supplied to:
(CONSUMER/CONTRACT BUILDER)
meets or exceeds No. 2 grade of the species in accordance with the
conditions set forth in American Softwood Lumber Standard (PS20-99).
PRODUCING MILL:
ADDRESS:
PHONE: FAX:
E-MAIL:
PROJECT LOCATION:
LUMBER SPECIES:
LUMBER DIMENSIONS: X X X
QUANTITY SUPPLIED:
SIGNATURE:
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
DATE REC'D:
PERMIT #:

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