Grade Stamped Post and Beam Timbers

Cowls Sawmill is one of a relatively few sawmills to have NELMA certified graders on staff for lumber as well as structural timbers, posts and beams. When required, grade stamped structural timbers enable your work to be fully compliant with all local and state building codes and specialized project engineering requirements.  Timber grading is not a visual grade stamp – it’s structural. If you’re looking for gorgeous timbers, our mill grade timbers are perfect. If your engineer or building code official have high structural standards, Cowls is ready to help. Grade stamping is a service that is furnished (and charged for) only for those structural timbers specified by the customer.  A significant and growing percentage of our customers require this service.  Both finished (planed) and rough sawn timbers are eligible and will accept the stamping process. 

The Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (NELMA) develops and publishes grading rules for lumber and timber and issues grade stamps to lumber and timber manufacturers that demonstrate their ability to maintain the quality standards set by NELMA.  This includes "on-the-job" grader training sessions and administering the written and visual tests required for obtaining grader certification. As a condition of membership, a manufacturer agrees to submit to regular inspections by a NELMA representative of the lumber product stamped and/or represented by any means to conform to a NELMA grade designation.  Random follow-up inspections are conducted as part of the complete overview process.