If you’re building, whether by hiring a professional or doing it yourself, remember that the materials you use are equally as important as the workmanship that goes into the project. You can find good selection of all needed materials at any Greenhouse Ltd.

Wood is the starting point for any woodworking project. If you are just beginning in woodworking, there will be a lot to learn about the large array of types and grades of lumber as well as the various sizes and different wood types. You can secure friendly and expert help from Greenhouse employees. You’ll need to know the different types of lumber and how it is sold and sized.

There is softwood and hardwood. Softwoods are from conifers and hardwoods from deciduous trees. However, this can be misleading because although hardwoods are usually harder than softwoods, some softwoods are actually harder than some named hardwoods such as poplar and aspen. Softwoods are usually less expensive, easier to work with, and more readily available. Hardwood may be more expensive, but it is usually because of its greater richness, wide range of color, grain, and texture.

Lumber is sold either by the lineal foot or the board foot. It may even sometimes be sold by the pound. The lineal foot is the length of the piece itself. The board foot is the most common way to order for volume. Greenhouse Ltd., used to quote prices by one thousand board feet. Now prices by the piece or cbm is the most common methods.

Most woodworking beginners would assume that a 2×4 board is actually two inches thick by four inches wide. Never assume! This is considered the nominal size of the lumber–its size sliced from the log. However, after the piece is dried and planed, it’s actually reduced to a smaller size. Almost all softwood lumber is planed (surfaced) on four sides, but some species are also sold un-surfaced for outdoor use. Dimensions can vary. Be sure to ask an employee at Greenhouse LTD.,  for the actual size–not the nominal size. Greenhouse lumber experts offer advice for your knowledge and information.

Hardwoods may be sold in random widths and lengths, odd-size thickness, and many times are sold with rough edges. Hardwoods are usually surfaced a little thicker than softwoods.

Wondering what plywood, hardboard, or particle board is? They are manufactured products and do offer some advantages. One is its availability in large sheets and the other is cost. Plywood is most likely the most well known, but the other sheet materials of hardboard, particle board and even fiberboard are slowly gaining popularity.

1. Dimensions:

1.1 Sawn lumber is subdivided:

1.2. Nominal thickness and width are guided by standard GOST 24454-80, where thickness of the lumber shall not exceed 100 mm.

1.3. Lengths of lumber are ranged:
from 1500 mm and up with a step of 300 mm;
from 450 mm up to 1350 mm with a step of 150 mm;
Lumber with length from 450 mm up to 1350 mm is manufactured by an order of State foreign trade organization.

1.4. Nominal dimensions of lumber are established for the wood of MC (moisture content) 20%. With MC of more or less than 20%, actual thickness and width of lumber shall be more or less than nominal dimensions in correlation with shrinkage value according to standard GOST 6782.1-75.

1.5. Limiting deviations from nominal dimensions of lumber shall not exceed in mm:

Volume of lumber with maximum admitted deviations shall not exceed 25% of total volume of lumber.

2. Technical Requirements

2.1. Lumber shall be manufactured in accordance to the requirements of the present technology standard for the wood of Pine, Spruce, Fir and Larch species.

2.2. Lumber is subdivided by quality of the wood and by its machining into 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 grades.

2.3. Lumber is arranged:
By dimensions;
By species;
By grades:

U/S Unsorted (combining 1, 2, 3 grades together, the percentage correlation of which shall correspond to the natural recovery of lumber while sawing);

            4 grade separately;

            5 grade separately;

            Up to 15% of Fir is admitted in a load of Spruce lumber.

2.4. MC moisture content of lumber shall not exceed 22%. Variation of the moisture content is admitted by custom orders.

2.5. Antiseptic treatment of lumber is per standard GOST 10950-78.

2.6. Quality of the wood and manufacture of lumber shall correspond to the requirements specified in tables 1-3.

Pine and Larch Lumber                                                                                                                          Table 1

Spruce and Fir Lumber                                                                                                                          Table 2 

Table 3  

 Values of crook warping for lumber by length and grades:

This is a list of standard lumber abbreviations that are commonly encountered in the buying and selling of lumber in the United States.

Common Terms:

Checks: Gaps or separations along the length of a wood member, crossing the annual rings. Caused by rapid shrinkage or uneven seasoning of the wood.

Shake: Shakes are gaps parallel to the annual rings. Unlike checks, shakes occur before the felling of the timber. Caused by uneven stresses along the trunk.

Pitch: Pockets of tree sap. As the lumber cures, the pitch pockets empty or harden leaving an imperfection in the wood.

Knots: Knots occur at the intersection of trunks and branches. Wood grading limits the presence and location of knots in the lumber.

Yes, we do supply retail customers but we a predominately an importer and distributor supplying merchants and trade.

You can pay by a card, Bank transfer, WeChat, Alipay or Elecronic Cash (BTC, ETH).

We supply samples free of charge subject to your location. Only delivery charge must be prepaid (Usually we use DHL, TNT, UPS, EMS or International Post) .

Yes, we can supply specific lengths to order e.g cut to size but this will increase the delivery leadtimes.

Yes, we supply fixings for details on the recommended fixings visit the additional information on the products tab on the online shop.

Yes, we do please send us your enquiry and we will assist if not shown on our website

We expect our cladding to last minimum 25 years externally UC3

Measure the total area you need to cover and divide by the board laid measure or actual board coverage every board tends to have a different laid cover request for information on the laid measure.

Example; if you need to clad or deck an area of 50m2 you need to establish your board laid measure or actual board coverage is e.g if 125mm, you divide the 50m2 by the 0.125mm = 400 linear metress as a general rule of thumb add 10% to 15% for waste e.g trimming or crosscutting waste for 50m2 we would suggest ordering approximately 440mtrs based on the example above.