From Family Handyman · Alex Shoemaker · · 50s
Painted Lumber Ends Mean Specific Purpose
Painted lumber ends prevent drying cracks and identify products.
In brief
Painted lumber ends prevent drying cracks and identify products. Painted lumber ends slow drying cracks and signal product types like blue for Dunn Lumber's framing studs. Originally reported by Family Handyman.
Why Lumber Mills Paint Ends
Painted lumber ends slow drying cracks and mark mill products during air-drying.
“End coatings are typically used to help prevent end checks on sawn lumber during the drying process”
Paint Colors Identify Products
Blue ends signal Dunn Lumber's framing studs while red and green indicate different grades or species.
“Dunn Lumber sells its signature blue-end studs”
No Standard Color Code
U.S. lumber mills use different colors for identification without a nationwide standard.
“There isn’t a standard U.S. color code for painted lumber ends”
End Coatings Prevent Cracks
Coatings slow moisture loss to prevent splitting and cracking during drying.
“By painting the ends of logs before milling, we can help prevent splitting and cracking”
Why Check Paint Colors
Shoppers should check the stamp to identify product types before relying on paint alone.
“Painted ends can also serve as a simple identification system”
At a glance
Painted lumber ends slow drying cracks and signal product types like blue for Dunn Lumber's framing studs.
