Preparing rough lumber into four square boards

Most home centers only sell finished lumber, lumber that has been planned to remove the rough finish left from sawing at the mill. This lumber is sold in finished sizes so a 2x4 is actually 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches. This can be a huge time saver for anyone using this boards but it also comes at a price. Finished boards is more expensive then rough stock and can make a larger project very expensive. Your wood working plans will show sizes as rough or finished so be sure to check before buying stock.

Like all things you have to pay more for finished lumber as opposed to rough boards. In same cases this can be significant. So it only makes sense to try and get boards that is rough. This is lumber that is fresh off the mill. It has not been planed to a finished size and the surface isn't smooth like finished lumber.

Step 1: Cut your stock to rough length

I like to cut all my boards to rough lengths before I start to plane anything. I take the cut offs and store them away for another project. This will keep the extras from warping as much. This is a simple step and I usually use a circular saw with square to do this. The ends don't need to be 100% square since you will be trimming the to their finished length later.

It is important for safety as well as aesthetics to remove and loose knots or cracks from your boards at this point as well.

Step 2: Truing one face

The first step I take is to plane one face to make it flat and true as well as remove all the rough surface left from the milling. To do this I use a jointer. Set the depth of cut to 1/32" and inspect the wood to see if the piece is cupped. I also look to see which way the grain is running since this will make a difference to the direction I can run the board through the jointer.

You want to make sure that you have it set to only remove about 1/32". Nice light passes and you will get a nice smooth surface. Keep passing your lumber through the jointer until you have removed all the rough surface and the face is flat.

Step 3: Square one edge

The next step is to square one of the edges and make it 90° to the face I just planed flat. Once again I will use the jointer for this. I set the jointer fence so it is exactly 90° to the table. Once again I determine which way the grain runs so I can pass the board through the jointer the right way. Just continue to pass the board through until the edge is clean with no rough wood or other defects.

Keep feeding the stock through checking after each pass with a speed square to make sure the edge is square to the first face you planed flat.

Step 4: Rip the stock to the rough width shown on your plans

With one face flat and one edge square to that face I take my stock over to the table saw and rip it to the rough width. Be sure to place the finished edge against the table saw fence and the finished face down onto the table. I generally make the width about 1/16" larger then my finished width. This way I can clean up the edge at the jointer.

Now your board should have two finished edges parallel to each other plus are square to one face.

Step 5: Planning the other face

The final step is to plane the final face flat and true and make it parallel to the first. This is best done using the thickness planer.

The thickness planer will plane down this face making it smooth, flat and parallel to the first face. I always measure the stock to determine the thickest point. Sometimes rough cut lumber is not always a consistent thickness. Once I determine this I can set my thickness planer to cut 1/16" off with each pass. Continue to feed the stock through the planer until it reaches the desired thickness for the project. As before make sure the grain is going in the right direction to avoid tear out.

Conclusion:

The steps above outline how you can save money by buying rough stock and plane it into usable finished stock. This will not only save you money but will also give you the means to have lumber in sizes not provides by your local lumber store. Remember to check the woodworking plans you have to determine if the dimensions are rough or finished.

Always remember to read and follow the directions that come with your power tools. This will provide safety information as well as tips and techniques on how to use the tools more effectively.