Lumber definitions

[Housewright]

Hi;

I am looking for sources (dictionaries and glossaries) of historically used lumber terms like: Board, Plank, Deal, Balk, Stave, and Cant.

The word plank is so basic but most dictionaries are extremely vague in there definitions. Do you make a distinction between hardwood and softwood when defining a plank? Is the word deal still used and does it still apply only to fir lumber? I am interested in there modern definitions and historical uses, especially in America. What would you call a hewn 7"x11" timber?


Thanks;
Jim

[Tom]

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/fplgtr113.htm
The wood handbook link as found in the knowledge base.


http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/gloss.pdf
A Glossary of terms found in the Wood Handbook

[Housewright]

Thanks Tom;

The Wood Handbook has a good glossary. I had not seen "flitch" before. I am still looking for several of my initial definitions, though.

Jim

[Tom]

you will find definitions of sizes within the handbook.  Anything thicker than 5" (the 7x11) is a "Timber", or defined by its use "cross tie", "Tie", "post", etc.  The Glossary defines a plank.  then there are boards (under 2" thick) and dimension(2" to 5" thick).  I've never heard Deal used as a lumber term.

[Don P]

Boy I have and have wondered what it was  8). I had assumed a pine from the context while reading documents from around the Revolutionary War period. That's cool to hear what it is.

[Tom]

Dictionary definition of Deal: a fir or pine board of any of several sizes
fir or pine wood

A wood that is easy to saw (fir or pine)

Adjective: That is a solid Deal Table. (all pine)

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I guess that is the same language as Scantling (2x4), eh?

[Dave Shepard]

I've heard of "deal topped" tables before. Never knew what it meant.


Dave

[raycon]

Boat stuff. Balk can be a beam. Beam is the width of the boat balk is a beam/timber . When I hear someone use the term balk I think of a boat cradle and one of the principle members. Could be its a beam in a cradle or  timber stock. Could be I'm off  and this is just a term used locally....Also hear it used in pier construction but not often.

[Housewright]

That is interesting that a deal can be pine too (at least in some locality). There is an intersting definition for deal in the Cyclopedia of Architecture available through Google books. It refers to a deal as being Fir only. I have also seen deal as simply a cut piece of lumber 3x9 to 3x10 with no reference to species.

Modern Practical Joinery by George Ellis (1908) has an interesting list of "Market Forms of Timber" including deal.
A Log is a trunk felled and lopped.
A Balk is the log squared by ax or saw.
A Plank in hardwood is any cut stuff upwards of 9 in. wide and 1 3/4 in. thick; in softwood upwards of 10 in. wide and 2 in. thick.
A deal is over 2 1/4 in. thick and less than 10 in. wide.
A batten between 1 1/2 and 2 in. thick and less than 9 in. wide.
A board less than 2 in. thick and over 6 in wide.
Die-square stuff is between 5 by 5 and 9 by 9.
Whole timber- uncut balks.
A flitch is half of a balk.
Quartering- 3 by 3 to 4 1/2 by 4.
Scantlings- misc. cut stuff.
A square is 100 sq ft
A hundred of deals is 120.
A  load of timber is 50 cubic feet
A float of timber is eighteen loads..
Ends are cutoffs of deals, planks and battens.
Poles are straight trunks free from branches and less than 8 in diameter.
Masts- ditto, exceeding 8 in. diameter.

And I'll add to this, Piles are square or round timbers driven into the ground. I do not know if there is a size limit.

Jim