Mill variation in bending strength and stiffness of in-grade Douglas-fir No. 2 2 × 4 lumber

Visually graded Douglas-fir (DF) has wide variability within grade. Variability for 2 × 4 lumber has likely increased because harvest has shifted from federal forests to private plantation forests that contain high percentages of juvenile wood. To investigate resource variability, six No. 2, 2 × 4 DF packages were acquired from six mills. From each package, 124 samples were destructively tested in bending. Mean modulus of elasticity (MOE15) ranged from 9.8 to 13.4 GPa, and three mills did not meet the grade requirements (11.0 GPa). Bending strength (Fb) ranged from 5.5 to 11.3 MPa, and three mills did not meet the grade requirements (9.3 MPa). ANOVA of MOE15 % and Fb showed significant differences at the 0.05 significance level. MOE15 explained from 50 to 78 % of the variability in strength. These data suggest that variation between mills is high and destructive testing is critical for more accurate characterization of lumber properties.