Dear James: There are many indoor and outdoor house repairs I have to make. There is a big range in lumber prices. How do I determine what type is best for various projects? — Stan H.

Dear Stan: If you think it is difficult to select among the various types and grades of lumber at a big-box home center, a professional lumberyard would stagger your mind. For most DIY projects, your local home center should have an adequate variety to satisfy your needs.

The two primary factors to consider when selecting lumber are its physical properties and its cost. The most important properties are strength, durability and stability. Costs can range as much as 500% from rough framing lumber to high-quality finishing lumber.

The types of lumber can be broken down into framing lumber and finishing lumber. In general, framing lumber is strong and durable, but it's not seen when the project is complete. Finishing lumber is exposed, so its appearance is often more important than its strength characteristics.

Another distinction for lumber is the type of tree it comes from, either softwood or hardwood. Softwoods usually refer to conifer trees (needles), and hardwoods refer to broadleaf, deciduous trees. For framing, softwoods, such as pine and Douglas fir, are most often used.

This hardwood/softwood distinction does not necessarily relate to the actual hardness of the wood itself. Poplar, a hardwood, is softer than yellow pine, a softwood. Softwoods, such as cedar and redwood, have natural resins, which resist rot and insect damage. Yellow pine is very strong and stable for framing, and it can easily be painted with good results.

The surface of hardwoods can be finished more cleanly than softwoods, so they are more often used for finishing lumber. Typical finishing hardwoods are maple, walnut, cherry, oak and ash. They are considered to be higher-quality lumber, and more work is needed to create a smooth surface, so their costs are much higher than yellow pine lumber.

Particularly among softwoods, there are many grades from which to select. The three characteristics that determine lumber grade are surface appearance, surface quality and strength. The grade of lumber that is 1-inch thick or less is based upon its best side, since only one side is usually visible. Check the backside to make sure there are not any significant imperfections, which might affect strength.

For higher-quality finishing lumber, the grades range from B to D (in descending order of quality). The types of flaws that are considered in this grading procedure are wormholes, knots, checks, stains, torn grain and straightness.

Unless you are a cabinetmaker, most of the lumber you use for remodeling projects is called common lumber. The grading system for common lumber ranges from 1 (best) to 5 (worst). For most home projects, grades 1 through 3 are of adequate quality, and you may not be able to notice a significant difference among them.

When you are framing walls, roofs or floors, where reasonable strength is required, select a light framing grade of lumber. The grades in this group of lumber range from utility-grade (lowest quality) to construction-grade (highest quality). Where extremely strong lumber is needed, such as roof trusses, structural light framing lumber is recommended.

Send your questions to Here's How, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244, or visit www.dulley.com. To find out more about James Dulley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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