New Rules
Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB) has published a new grading rules book, WCLB Standard Grading Rules for West Coast and Imported Softwood Lumber, No. 18, 2022. The new rule book replaces Standard 17, the PLIB’s previous version of the grading rules written and first published by West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau (WCLIB) in 1991 and revised multiple times since.
When WCLIB and PLIB merged operations in 2019, PLIB was recognized by the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) as a lumber grading rules-writing authority. No. 18 2022 edition is the first major revision to the rule book since the merger, and the first to be published by PLIB.
Besides the new title and publisher, among the most significant changes are inclusion of the complete and current National Grade Rule interpretations as well as the WCLB rule interpretations. No. 18 also features updates to MSR grade tables and design value tables, and a new seasoning provision for timbers, intended to make the definition for dry timbers consistent across manufacturers. The PLIB also updated the species lists, rearranged the order of some sections, and incorporated revisions and corrections from previous editions.
The PLIB is a private, non-profit 501(c)6 member-based quality control inspection agency. Organized in 1903, PLIB offers lumber grading and grade stamping services as well as certification for heat-treated lumber, ISPM 15 wood packaging, glulam, mass timber panel products, wood trusses, CE marking, and WUI registration services to over 450 softwood lumber manufacturers and re-manufacturers, drying facilities, glulam, truss, mass timber panel manufacturing facilities, and wood packaging facilities in North America and Europe. Headquartered in Federal Way, Washington, PLIB maintains a Canadian division office in Vancouver, British Columbia, and has field offices located in Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, British Columbia, and throughout Europe. PLIB is accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee, the Canadian Lumber Standard Accreditation Board, and the International Accreditation Service. The agency provides services throughout the Western and Southern United States, Canada, and Continental Europe.
