Looking for industrial/b-grade lumber? Browse live listings from suppliers across the US.
Browse ListingsAbout Industrial/B-Grade Lumber
Industrial or B-grade lumber is mill stock that did not make, or was never graded to, a stamped structural grade. It is sold for packaging and industrial use by its dimensions and a description of its defects, not by an agency grade, so it carries no design values.
What falls into this category varies by mill: excess wane, knotholes, off-size pieces, skip-planed faces or short lengths. That makes it different from #3 Utility, which has a defined agency rule behind the stamp.
It is widely used for pallet and dunnage production where the builder inspects the stock and designs around it. Ask the seller what defects the load contains and whether any pieces are stamped.
What to Look For When Buying
- No agency stamp; the seller's defect description is the grade
- Rot, deep splits and knotholes through the face
- Dimensional variation and skip-planed faces
- Length range against your cut list
- Moisture condition if the wood will be heat treated
Ideal For
- Pallet deck boards and dunnage
- Blocking and bracing
- One-way pallets and skids
- Cut stock for short crate parts
Not Recommended For
- Engineered crates that need design values
- Jobs that require a grade stamp
Buying Tips
- Ask for the mill's description of what the grade excludes
- Inspect a sample bundle before committing to a volume
- Keep it out of engineered or load-rated members
What buyers pay
$3.00estimate per unit
Estimate: fewer than 5 listings of this grade, so this figure is modeled from the producer price index, not read from listings. Lumber prices by grade and state
Common Misconceptions
- Industrial or B-grade is not an agency grade and has no design values