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Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau has published a new 2024 edition of its grading rules book, WCLB Standard Grading Rules for West Coast & Imported Softwood Lumber, No. 18, 2024. The new rule book replaces the 2022 version and includes many updates and improvements from the previous edition.
PLIB is recognized by the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) as a lumber grading rules-writing authority. No. 18, 2024 edition is the second major revision to the rule book since the PLIB/WCLIB merger.
“The new rule book includes all updates to the NGR grade rules as well as revisions to other grades specific to the WCLB rules,” said Jeff Fantozzi, PLIB’s president. “There are also several improvements to make the book easier to navigate and the coil bound covers more tear resistant. We put a lot of thought into making functional improvements. “
Among the most significant changes are the inclusion of the latest revisions to the National Grade Rule (NGR) interpretations and WCLB rule interpretations. No.18, 2024 also features significant changes to the E-Rated Structural Laminations grade (para. 154), updates to MSR grade rules (par.135), revisions to the Alternative Beams and Stringers rules and Alternative Posts and Timbers rules (para. ALT 130 and ALT 131) and their interpretations, updated design value tables, and the addition of several new imported species from Sweden, South America, and Japan.
Fantozzi said the 2024 edition also added helpful graphics inside the cover pages illustrating knot, hole and slope of grain for common 2x4 grades, paragraph indexing on each page, and corrections from previous editions.
Coil-bound and perfect bound copies of No. 18 are available for purchase. Visit plib.org/resources or call 253-835-3344 for ordering information. A downloadable PDF will also be available soon.
