Building Codes and Home-Sawn Lumber?

[SineWave]

Hello, all,

I bought a piece of timbered land in Virginia, and my plan is to get a bandsaw mill and mill some of the loblolly pine on the property for use in building a shop and a house, but in reading threads on this GREAT website, I now see that in some localities or states (I think NY was one), they won't let you build a dwelling with lumber that doesn't have The Man's® tax stamp grade stamp on it.

This would really foul me up if I went and spent $$$ on a saw and the rest of the associated equipment and then found that I couldn't use the lumber to build a house.

Can anyone tell me:

1. What such laws are called (for example "Lumber Grade Building Codes") so that I can try to figure out whether my county or state has such a law? and

2. Whether Virginia has such a law?

Thanks in advance for any information.

Jeff

[Kbeitz]

Search your county for building codes.

[taylorsmissbeehaven]

X2 each county has different versions of what is allowed and what is not. At least that's what I found in rural Tenn. Brian

[Magicman]

Here it is county by county and city by city.  I have sawn framing lumber for many homes where allowed, but then there is a certain city where I have to tell the potential customer to check with the building permit guy.  That is the end of that.   :-\

[Kbeitz]

In our county we can't use it for structural but we can use it for cosmetic in living quarters.

[SineWave]

Thanks fellas. Sounds like they go by the Intl Bldg Code in Va.  >:( I guess I should ask with the county folks.

[jdonovan]

I think every county in VA uses the VA USBC - Uniform Statewide Building Code. That requires graded/stamped lumber from a recognized grading organization. The only exception I am aware of is agricultural buildings that are exempt from building permits.

There is comparatively little cost in structural lumber in the average structure, so satisfy the code official and build the structural stuff with local home center boards. You can still use your boards for flooring, siding, trim etc.. which is where the higher cost lumber is found anyway.

[jdonovan]

and no sooner did I hit send, but I found the web site.

http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/index.php/va-building-codes/building-and-fire-codes/regulations/uniform-statewide-building-code-usbc.html

[Ljohnsaw]

Here in California, you must use grade-stamped lumber, with one loop-hole - If your engineer deems your wood to be sufficient.  I will have my engineer in R.I. (licensed in CA) ok my wood.  If you are having your structure engineered (likely?), check with your engineer to see if they can do that.

[Ox]

Here in cow country NY state it's county by county.  My county allows rough cut for everything as long as it's grade 2 or better.  It doesn't need any stamps either - it's up to you to grade it yourself.  The code guy will come around and check to see if your grading is up to par but after that you're OK.  I just don't use boards with any large open knots on the edges and I figure that's pretty safe.  I tend to want to overbuild so that also helps.

[Kingmt]

😉 You say your building a barn with up stairs storage?

I've heard of people converting barns it houses.

[NNKFarm]

First post, lingered awhile, saw a question in my neck of the woods about something I can answer so dove in....

I work in Virginia in local government and converse with our building official daily. Being a Dillon Rule state, every county in Virginia must follow state law and codes, so they will all be similar. The building official said that the lumber milled on site shall be graded and stamped, by IBC. There are graders around who will do this for a fee and I have heard that it is not an insurmountable obstacle. Have your best lumber you will use dried and ready to inspect... He followed up the conversation by saying that "a home built with milled lumber and the proper trees will be far and away stronger and all around better than anything built with that &%$# that passes for lumber I have to look at all day!" Have fun!

[Magicman]

Hello NNKFarm, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.  Thank you for your insight regarding this never ending question.

[jimdad07]

Here in cow country NY state it's county by county.  My county allows rough cut for everything as long as it's grade 2 or better.  It doesn't need any stamps either - it's up to you to grade it yourself.  The code guy will come around and check to see if your grading is up to par but after that you're OK.  I just don't use boards with any large open knots on the edges and I figure that's pretty safe.  I tend to want to overbuild so that also helps.

Same in my county, just have to sign off on it.  For ag buildings anything goes.

[SineWave]

😉 You say your building a barn with up stairs storage?

I've heard of people converting barns it houses.

I like the way you think, KingMt!  :D

[hackberry jake]

There is comparatively little cost in structural lumber in the average structure, so satisfy the code official and build the structural stuff with local home center boards. You can still use your boards for flooring, siding, trim etc.. which is where the higher cost lumber is found anyway.

X2 I have sawn a fair amount of building lumber on my mill, but realized my time would be better spend buying building material and sawing hardwood. Sell the hardwood and you are money ahead.

[Ox]

Jake - fiscally this makes alot of sense and I completely understand it.  I also know the feeling an independent person can get wanting to do it all themselves whether it makes financial sense or not.  Something about "beating the system".  It can be tough to buy lumber when you have a mill and trees to saw but sometimes you just don't have enough of that four letter word:  time.

One of my most favorite sayings - there's two forms of currency in this world:  time and money.  If you don't have one you better have the other!

[Kingmt]

I needed a permit to drill a well if I didn't already have water. I'm allowed to use spring water as long as I'm not using it in food. However I was hooked into the spring & not allowed to use it to consume I do fell into a loop hole that allowed me to have an emergency well drilled that didn't require a permit or at least that was the way it was explained to me. I've been enjoying my well for 10 years now without having to ask for permission.

I hate permits. There is something wrong with me having to ask for permission to use what is mine.

[Kingmt]

Another thing to consider. If your buying are you getting the same thing your sawing. The last time I needed 2x4s I only wanted 10 & had to get my money back because there wasn't anything in the stack good for anything. I couldn't even get framing lumber out of it.

[NNKFarm]

King Mt, I do understand your hatred of permits, especially because I work in the permit office.... The thing driving much of the building codes is not government but the insurance industry, sad but true. The underwriters want predictable risks and now that the building codes panels and board have large corporate suppliers sitting at the table, they go ahead and word things so that the "solution" ends up taking you to a proprietary product..often theirs. Just look at simpson strong ties...

A properly built structure with sawn lumber is often dollars ahead and structurally superior..just get a PE to stamp it to that effect and "mill" on!

[Ljohnsaw]

King Mt, I do understand your hatred of permits, especially because I work in the permit office.... The thing driving much of the building codes is not government but the insurance industry, sad but true. The underwriters want predictable risks and now that the building codes panels and board have large corporate suppliers sitting at the table, they go ahead and word things so that the "solution" ends up taking you to a proprietary product..often theirs. Just look at simpson strong ties...

A properly built structure with sawn lumber is often dollars ahead and structurally superior..just get a PE to stamp it to that effect and "mill" on!

So true.  On my timber frame plan, I went a little overboard.  I put both top braces and knee braces just about anywhere I could!  The engineer commented that it was a very stout frame.  I had no problem putting in the Simpson STHD14RJ straps that will hold down the 12 main posts.  I couldn't see just a few pegs through post's bottom tenons securely holding the building down!  However, code (seismic) required me to add 210 Simpson straps over every brace joint on the exterior frame braces.  At least they won't be visible.

[deadfall]

I have had two posts deleted from this thread in two days.  Someone doesn't want something I am saying here said.  Or, is it a robot that doesn't like a word I have used?  I think I should get some public explanation. Thank you.

[Mooseherder]

Political discussion belongs in the Restricted topics area.

[Jeff]

We have two choices, remove your post which is political in nature, that is not allowed on the regular forum, or move the whole topic  to a restricted area, because you decide that you want to make a political post where it is not allowed.  Or, we can delete the whole thing because you don't like the rules we have. You want a public explanation, you are getting one.  Read the rules and follow them and remember, I can see the wheels turning in your head right now. "But I have freedom of speech".  No you don't. This is my house.

And by the way, I am in the position where I may have to sell my land in the U.P. and give up my dream of building a cabin using my own mill and materials because of  building codes, but I'm not making political posts here in this topic about it ON MY OWN FORUM.
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2009/09/free-speech-in-online-communities-the-delusion-of-entitlement/

[deadfall]

Thank you for that, both of you. 

I do know I was not off topic.

I too was prevented from building a long dreamed of home.