Lumber vs Timber - What's the Difference?
A special thanks to our engineers at Bison Built for this post:
Lumber and timber are words used interchangeably to refer to wood, but in certain places the words contain distinctions. Traditionally timber is wood that is erect and attached to the ground - in other words, a tree. Timber is also seen as wood that still has it’s bark and is unprocessed. On the other hand, lumber, a term that arose during the late seventeenth century, has been debarked and processed to a smooth, planed finish.
What the Builders Say -
Within the construction industry lumber is the term used for wooden boards, while timber is the term used to mean either large members or smaller wooden boards that have been rough or saw cut. Timber is generally cut to actual referenced measurements (A 4x4 would be 4 inches by 4 inches), while lumber has predefined dimensions that are slightly smaller than the referenced sizes (A 2x4 piece of lumber would measure 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches).
Another variation in the use of the terms timber and lumber hinges on the type of building being constructed. Wood members in log homes or large timber framed structures like resorts and ski lodges are referred as timbers. Lumber is the more common term used in construction of “stick-built” homes or buildings constructed in urban neighborhood settings.
Why Bison Built Uses Terms Timber and Lumber
At Bison Built, we take into account the difference in terminology between timber and lumber when creating our products. We do this in order to bring the customer the best possible fit for the required construction project. On a Timber Framing application, where terminology will tend toward “timber”, our standard brackets will be designed using 7 gauge or 1/4 inch steel material thickness. We refer to these brackets as Timber Plates or Timber Brackets. These Timber Brackets will also generally have dimensions that closely approximate the actual dimensions of rough cut timber. In other words, a Timber Bracket for a 4x4 will be 4 inches by 4 inches.
You will find at BisonBuilt.com that we have Lumber Bracket categories that will correspond to our Timber Bracket categories. Our Lumber Plates and Brackets will be similarly constructed but will take into account the defined dimensional difference between the referenced measurement and the actual measurement (a Lumber Bracket for a 4x4 will take into account the actual 3.5 inch x 3.5 inch measurement of the lumber - refer to our Lumber Size Chart Link this up to resource Common Lumber Measurements). Because stick built construction generally uses lighter weight materials than timber, we will also decrease the steel material thickness to 11 gauge on lumber units. This allows us to lower the cost per part and include a pre-galvanized steel material for the lumber parts. Thicker steel material requires a hot dip galvanizing process after production which can be costly in low volume runs. Our goal is to make your project safe, affordable, and built tough.
As always, Bison Built is able to customize any plate or bracket requirement to meet your specific application. You are not limited here. We let you roam free like the Bison! Let us know what you need and we will get you a quote for it. Remember that whether you purchase from our stock designs or have a custom run of construction brackets made, your brackets will be made right here in the USA. Visit us at www.bisonbuilt.com.
