Surface Textures
Saw Textured The saw textured surface, obtained during the milling process which uses either circular or band saws, is present on all four sides.

Rougher Headed The lumber receives its texture from a milling process which uses roughened planer knives. The rough texture is clearly visible on all four sides.

Surfaced Four Sides (S4S) The smooth surface on all four sides presents a uniformly sized product with a high quality appearance. Sizes from 2×4 (51mm x 102mm) up to 6×6 in. (152mm x 152mm) are generally available. Larger sizes are produced on special orders.

Grade	Description
No. 2 and Better Clear
	This grade should be specified when the finest quality rough lumber is desired. The lumber is sound and well manufactured. Its natural characteristics do not detract from the woods fine appearance. Grading Rule Paragraph Export R List 401
D and Better Clear
	This grade consists of D Clear, C Clear, and B Clear. The C and Better Clear grade offers good appearance in high quality, well manufactured lumber. Suitable for high quality landscape structures and as exposed posts and beams in heavy timber construction. WRCEA members produce this grade without cut-outs. In most cases, this grade is sold with a specified allowance of D grade. D Clear grade permits larger and more numerous natural characteristics which are widely accepted in the construction of outdoor structures. Some pieces of D Clear may require trimming to yield clear lengths for the intended use. Available surfaced or rough textured.
Appearance Knotty
	A non structural product manufactured to meet the appearance requirements of quality projects. This material has highly restricted wane allowances to give well defined corners. Contains no holes or other characteristics. Represents good value for appearance end uses. Available rough sawn or rougher headed in nominal 2″ (51mm) and thicker sizes. Note: Upon request, Appearance Knotty timbers are available with structural grading. Be certain to specify Appearance Knotty structural lumber when strength characteristics are required. Grading Rule Paragraph Proprietary
No. 2 and Better Structural
	Material of this grade is evaluated for structural strength characteristics. The classification includes pieces meeting the grades of Select Structural, No. 1 Structural, and No. 2 Structural. Lumber of this grade is intended for engineered applications where strength is more important than appearance. Available surfaced or rough textured.

— Mary, Kansas City, Missouri

A: Tom says: Cedar wood does contain a lot of tannic acids, especially red cedar, but in general, cedar doesn’t have to be treated that differently than other woods. But really I need to know whether you want to leave the cedar clear. If so, there are several excellent products out there for cedar siding and decks, which you should be able to find out about by consulting a professional at your local hardware store. One thing to remember is that you’ve got to make sure your cedar is clean and dry when you apply these finishes. On the other hand, if you want to paint the cedar siding, it’s got to first be primed, cleaned and prepped. As I said, the preparation is the most important step in any kind of painting you do: the surface has to be clean and dry. And depending on your situation, if you can get the cedar and let it weather a little bit, a lot of the tannic acids will come out, so it’ll be easier to paint. If not, and you painted it white for instance, sometimes the tannic acids will bleed through the white and that can be difficult to hide. A good primer followed by a latex top coat, or just a solid-body paint, or else a stain would be your best bets, being sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation on all.