Property relationships between spruce logs and structural timber

This paper summarises the comparison between log properties and resulting structural timber properties. The establishment of these relationships is a first step to place the grading as early as possible in the production process, if possible directly on the log. To find out what should be detected on the log, the modulus of elasticity (MOE) based on longitudinal frequency, the number of resin pockets and the value for spiral grain were detected. Relationships are established to the corresponding properties on the structural timber produced out of it and to visual log grades commonly used in Austria. This paper discusses advantages and disadvantages of these properties on 85 spruce logs. The MOE based on longitudinal frequency showed high potential whereas the number of resin pockets and the value of spiral grain only helped to identify timber unsuitable for construction.