What is Lumber?
Answer:
When wood is between an unprocessed log and a finished
beam, it is considered lumber. Lumber that has not be trimmed or planed to a specific size is called rough lumber, and it is used primarily in the manufacturing industry. When lumber has been cut down to specific dimensions, such as two inches by four inches, it is called finished lumber. Most home builders and do-it-yourselfers use finished lumber for their projects.

Rough lumber is generally sold to manufacturers who will eventually cut it down to size themselves.  Finished lumber is often sold to professional building contractors and do-it-yourselfers alike, either in lumberyards or local building supply companies.  Finished lumber is usually available in a number of  height and width permutations, such as the standard "two by four" plank used most often in framing walls and other projects.  Lumber can be cut into all sorts of ratios depending on the purpose of the finished product.  A four inch by four inch piece of lumber, or "four by four", would be a very sturdy block of lumber used to build weight-bearing posts, but a one inch by one inch board, or "one by one", would be a thinner piece of lumber used to create slats for a fence or decorative molding.

Finished lumber is also graded according to the number and severity of natural deformities, insect damage, warping and other inherent problems with wood.  Some projects may require the highest grade of lumber available, while other projects could be completed using lesser-grade lumber.  Professional home builders often need to use the better grades of lumber to pass official inspections, but do-it-yourselfers can often save money by using lesser-grade lumber whenever possible.
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