Chapter 5.

Veneer and Plywood

Measurement 68
Standard Reporting Basis 68
Square foot 3/8 inch basis
Square meter, 1 mm basis
Imperial to metric conversion factors
U.S. Softwood Veneer and Plywood 68
Veneer sheet thickness
Veneer sheet width
Veneer sheet length
Plywood panel sizes
Volume of veneer or panels
1. Converting surface measure
of any thickness to the
3/8 inch basis
2. Cubic foot calculation
3. Cubic meter calculation
Hardwood Veneer and Plywood 70
Veneer sizes
Plywood panel sizes
Volume of veneer or panels
Recovery Efficiency 72
Material Balance Green-End Recovery 72
From mill studies
Theoretical material balance
Material Balance Dry-End Recovery 74
Recovery Efficiency Measures 74
Cubic recovery ratio (CCR)
Veneer recovery factor (VRF)
Relationship between CRR and VRF
Veneer recovery and board foot log scale
Weight of Veneer and Plywood 76

Veneer and Plywood 1

 Chapter 5. Veneer and Veneer Sheet Width. Assuming the common 4
foot plywood panel width, veneer is manufactured
Plywood in the following nominal widths: 48 inches (full),
24 inches (half), and strip (narrow strips above
a minimum salvage size, often 6 inches). Other
Measurement widths may be produced to correspond to other
panel sizes, as shown in Table 5-3. To allow for
Standard Reporting Basis shrinkage of veneer during drying and trimming
of finished plywood panels, these widths are
Square Foot 3/8 Inch Basis (SF3/8). In North increased to develop target values on machinery.
America, statistics on veneer, plywood, and other Thus a mill's green clipper may produce full and
panel products (Chapter 6) are generally reported as half widths as 54 and 27 inches respectively. Actual
the number of square feet, or surface measure, of a practice will vary from mill to mill based
stated thickness. Due to the variety of thicknesses on quality control and other factors.
available, surface measures are not directly compa-
rable. Hence to facilitate accounting and reporting, Veneer Sheet Length. When veneer is obtained
statistics are commonly expressed on a standardized from a lathe, veneer length exceeds that of a finished
thickness basis. For veneer and plywood, this plywood panel. For example, on the common 8 foot
standard thickness basis is 3/8 inch. Plywood and lathe, the veneer is initially about 100 to 104 inches
veneer volumes are usually measured dry (2 to 5% long. This oversize length allows for shrinkage
MCod). when the veneer is dried and for panel trimming.
For other panel products, covered in Chapter 6, The actual log (block) peeled is somewhat longer
the standard thickness basis may be 1/8, 3/8, 1/2, than the length of veneer. Veneer lengths
or 3/4 inch depending on the category of panel. correspond to panel lengths shown in Table 5-3.
Table 5-1 lists a number of common panel thick- The most common length is 96 inches (8 foot
nesses and factors to convert them to one of the four plywood). Crossband widths are half that length.
standard thickness bases. The lineal footage of the veneer ribbon produced
from a lathe can be estimated by dividing the square
Square Meter, 1 mm Basis. The standard basis for footage by the veneer length.
reporting plywood and veneer in countries on the
metric system is the square meter, 1 mm basis. This Plywood Panel Sizes. Table 5-3 presents the
represents a piece 1 m square and 1 mm thick, or dimensions of softwood plywood according to U.S.
1/1,000 cubic meter. Product Standard PS 1-83. The most commonly
produced panel size is 4 by 8 feet in various thick-
Imperial to Metric Conversion Factors for nesses.
Plywood. Table 5-2 presents commonly used
Volume of Veneer or Panels:
conversions.
1. Converting Surface Measure of Any Thickness
U.S. Softwood Veneer and Plywood to the 3/8 Inch Basis. To convert surface measure
of veneer or plywood of some thickness (SMt) to the
3/8 inch basis (see Example 1), divide the actual
Veneer Sheet Thickness. Softwood veneer
thickness (t) in inches by 3/8 inch (t / 0.375 inch)
thicknesses usually range from 1/16 to 5/16 inch,
and multiply by the surface measure:
with the most common being 1/10, 1/8, and 1/6
inch. Thicknesses are often expressed by mills in SF3/8 = SMt * (t / 0.375) = 2.667 * t * SMt.
thousandths of an inch. The lathe setting is some-
what larger to account for compression during Column 4 of Table 5-1 lists values of t/0.375.
peeling, peeling variation, and shrinkage during
drying. Procedures to calculate the green target Veneer is marketed on the basis of nominal
thickness dimensions; the square footage of 1/10 inch full
at the lathe are similar to those for lumber explained sheets is generally calculated on the basis of nominal
in Chapter 4 (pp. 58-59). dimensions such as 4 by 8 feet and excludes

2
Table 5-1. Conversion of actual panel thickness to standard thickness basis.

Actual Thickness Conversion to

(in) (mm) 1/8 inch basis 3/8 inch basis 1/2 inch basis 3/4 inch basis

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

1/8 3.18 1.0000 0.3333 0.2500 0.1667
3/16 4.76 1.5000 0.5000 0.3750 0.2500
1/4 6.35 2.0000 0.6667 0.5000 0.3333
5/16 7.94 2.5000 0.8333 0.6250 0.4167

3/8 9.53 3.0000 1.0000 0.7500 0.5000

7/16 11.11 3.5000 1.1667 0.8750 0.5833
1/2 12.70 4.0000 1.3333 1.0000 0.6667
9/16 14.29 4.5000 1.5000 1.1250 0.7500
5/8 15.88 5.0000 1.6667 1.2500 0.8333

11/16 17.46 5.5000 1.8333 1.3750 0.9167

3/4 19.05 6.0000 2.0000 1.5000 1.0000
13/16 20.64 6.5000 2.1667 1.6250 1.0833
7/8 22.23 7.0000 2.3333 1.7500 1.1667
15/16 23.81 7.5000 2.5000 1.8750 1.2500

1 25.40 8.0000 2.6667 2.0000 1.3333

1-1/16 26.99 8.5000 2.8333 2.1250 1.4167
1-1/8 28.58 9.0000 3.0000 2.2500 1.5000
1-3/16 30.16 9.5000 3.1667 2.3750 1.5833
1-1/4 31.75 10.0000 3.3333 2.5000 1.6667

Source: Calculated by the author.

Table 5-2. Imperial-metric conversion factors for plywood.

From / To: SF, 3/8 m2, 1 mm MSF, 3/8 1,000 m2, 1 mm ft3 m3

SF, 3/8 1 0.885 0.001 0.000885 0.03125 0.000885

m2, 1 mm 1.130 1 0.001130 0.001 0.035315 0.001

MSF, 3/8 1,000 885 1 0.885 31.25 0.885

1,000 m2, 1 mm 1,130 1,000 1.130 1 35.315 1

ft3 32 28.318 0.032 0.0283 1 0.0283

m3 1,130 1,000 1.130 1 35.315 1

Source: Calculated by the author.

Note: The values in the rows for 1,000 m2, 1 mm basis and for m3 are identical since a 1,000 m2 area that is 1 mm thick represents 1 m3 of volume.

the oversizing required for trim and shrinkage. To inches is

estimate the total wood fiber represented, increase
the square footage by about 12% (Fahey 1987) or ft3 = (4 * 8 feet) * t / 12
measure a sample of sheets and calculate the = 32 * t / 12.
adjustment factor needed.
Hence the volume of a 1/2 inch thick panel is 1.3333
2. Cubic Foot Calculation. The volume, in cubic cubic feet. Substituting other thicknesses results in
feet, of a single 4 by 8 foot panel of thickness t column 2 of Table 5-4.

Veneer and Plywood 3

 When the 3/8 inch thickness is substituted into
this formula, the volume of a 4 by 8 foot panel is Example 1
exactly one cubic foot. In general, the formula to
To convert 1,500 square feet of 1/2 inch panels to 3/8
convert the SF3/8 equivalent of any panel thickness inch basis:
to cubic feet is
SF3/8 = 1,500 * (0.5 inch / 0.375 inch).
ft3 = SF3/8 * (3/8) / 12 = 1,500 * 1.3333 = 2,000 square feet.
= SF3/8 / 32. The value 1.3333 is also found in Table 5-1, column
In section 1 above, it was found that 1,500 4, corresponding to 1/2 inch thickness.
square feet of 1/2 inch plywood was equivalent to
To convert 1,000 square feet of 1/10 inch veneer to 3/8
2,000 square feet on the 3/8 basis. Substituting this
inch basis:
into the above formula results in an equivalent of
SF3/8 = 1,000 * (0.1 inch / 0.375 inch) = 267 square
62.5 cubic feet of plywood.
feet.
If the formula in section 1, which converts
surface measure of any thickness to the 3/8 basis,
Example 2
is substituted for SF3/8, the following general
relationship is found To convert 1,500 square feet of 1/2 inch plywood:
to the 3/8 basis
ft3 = [SMt * (t / 0.375)] / 32
Multiply 1,500 by 1.3333 (column 4, Table 5-1) to get
= SMt * t / 12 2,000 ft2 3/8. This is the same result obtained by the
= 0.08333 * t * SMt. formula in section 1 (and Example 1).
to cubic feet (four equivalent calculations
This formula directly converts the square footage are shown)
of any original thickness to cubic feet equivalent.
• ft3 = SF3/8 * 32 = 2,000 / 32 = 62.5.
Values of 0.08333 * t are tabulated in column 3 of
Table 5-4. The values in column 3 can also be ob- • ft3 = 0.08333 * SMt * t = 0.08333 * 1,500 * 1/2 =
62.5.
tained by dividing the cubic foot volume of a 4 by 8
foot panel of given thickness (column 2) by 32 • Multiply 1,500 by 0.0417 (column 3, Table 5-4)
square feet per panel. With this calculation, column to get 62.5.
3 can be interpreted as the number of cubic feet of • Multiply 1.5 MSF by 41.7 (column 4, Table 5-4)
panel per square foot of panel of the indicated to get 62.5.
thickness. See Example 2. to cubic meters
Since 1,000 square feet (MSF) is a common unit, Multiply 1.5 MSF by 1.18 (column 5, Table 5-4)
to get 1.77.
column 4 reexpresses column 3 in cubic feet per
MSF and column 5 converts cubic feet per MSF to
cubic meters per MSF. For example, Table 5-4 shows
that 1,000 square feet of 3/8 inch plywood is meters, thickness (t) in millimeters. Statistics are
equivalent to 31.25 cubic feet or 0.89 cubic meters. normally reported in square meters surface measure
Reciprocals of these values indicate that, for 3/8 (on a 1 mm basis) or cubic meters. Formulas are
inch plywood, there are 0.032 MSF (32.0 square feet)
per cubic foot and 1.124 MSF (1,124 square feet) per SMt = L * W = surface measure, m2, of
cubic meter. original thickness.
SM1 = SMt * t = surface measure, m2, 1 mm
These formulas and methods can be used to
basis.
obtain the cubic foot volume of finished panels or
nominally measured veneer. To determine the cubic m3 = SMt * t / 1,000 = SM1 / 1,000.
foot volume of green veneer needed to make the
panel, increase the result by 12% to account for Hardwood Veneer and Plywood
layup and trim losses (Fahey 1987).
Hardwood plywood is similar to softwood
3. Cubic Meter Calculation. Outside North plywood. The main differences in North America
America, veneer and plywood are produced in
metric sizes: width (W) and length (L) in

4 Chapter 5
Table 5-3. Softwood plywood panel sizes.

Width 36, 48, 60 inches

Length 60 to 144 inches in 12 inch increments

Thickness sanded 1/4 to 1-1/4 inches in 1/8 inch increments

Unsanded 5/16 to 1-1/4 inches in 1/8 inch increments over 3/8 inch
Tolerances sanded ± 1/64 inch for thicknesses ” 3/4 inch

± 3% for thicknesses > 3/4 inch

Unsanded ± 1/32 inch for thicknesses ” 13/16 inch
± 5% for thicknesses > 13/16 inch

Source: USDC (1983a).

Note: Panel thickness is measured at 9% MCod. Panel sizes other than those specified are available on special order.

Table 5-4. Standard plywood thickness with conversions to cubic volume.

4 by 8 foot
Panel thickness panel volume ft3 of panel 1,000 ft2 (MSF) becomes
(inch) (ft3) per ft2 of panel (ft3) (m3)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

1/8 0.3333 0.01042 10.42 0.29
3/16 0.5000 0.01562 15.62 0.44
1/4 0.6667 0.02083 20.83 0.59
5/16 0.8333 0.02604 26.04 0.74

3/8 1.0000 0.03125 31.25 0.89

7/16 1.1667 0.03646 36.46 1.03
1/2 1.3333 0.04166 41.66 1.18
9/16 1.5000 0.04688 46.88 1.33
5/8 1.6667 0.05208 52.08 1.48

11/16 1.8333 0.05729 57.29 1.62

3/4 2.0000 0.06250 62.50 1.77
13/16 2.1667 0.06771 67.71 1.92
7/8 2.3333 0.07292 72.92 2.06
15/16 2.5000 0.07812 78.12 2.21

1 2.6667 0.08333 83.33 2.36

1-1/16 2.8333 0.08854 88.54 2.51
1-1/8 3.0000 0.09375 93.75 2.65
1-3/16 3.1667 0.09896 98.96 2.80
1-1/4 3.3333 0.10416 104.16 2.95

Source: Calculated by the author.

Veneer and Plywood 5

are that hardwood plywood is more typically Table 5-5. Hardwood plywood panel tolerances.
produced for appearance uses, thus affecting the
sizes of veneers and panels, and it is more common Length ± 1/32 inch
to find hardwood "plywood" where materials other Width ± 1/32 inch
than veneer (particleboard, hardboard, etc.) are used Thickness, unsanded ± 1/32 inch
as core stock.
Thickness, sanded + 0 –3/64 inch for • 1/4 inch
Veneer Sizes. Hardwood veneers are produced in + 0 –1/32 inch for ” 1/4 inch
a variety of ways. While softwood veneer is pre-
dominantly rotary cut from logs, hardwood veneer Source: USDC (1972); PS 51-71.

may be rotary cut or sliced. Usual slicing options are

plain cut, quarter cut, half round, or rift cut. Each particleboard, hardboard, waferboard, and other
of these cutting patterns produces a unique grain specialty materials. It has been estimated that about
pattern in the veneer. The raw material for slicing is 38% of the production volume of cores is softwood
commonly a flitch sawn from a log in such a way as material (USDC 1987). Manufacturing tolerances for
to expose one of the desired grain patterns. Veneer panels are listed in Table 5-5.
is manufactured in thicknesses ranging from 1/50 to
1/4 of an inch, though on special order it can range Volume of Veneer or Panels. The methods
from 1/200 to 1/2 inch. An average value to use discussed above for softwoods apply. Hardwood
would be either 1/16 or 1/32 inch, with 1/16 being veneer is usually reported on a surface measure
the average of maximum and minimum thicknesses basis. To convert this to cubic feet, use the thick-
across the industry. Specifications and terminology nesses mentioned earlier, remembering to convert
for hardwood and decorative plywood are them to feet. For 1/32 inch veneer use 0.0026 and for
described in Product Standard PS 51-71 (USDC 1/16 inch use 0.0052 as the conversion factors from
1971). The standard specifies only the maximum square foot to cubic foot.
thickness of veneer, which varies depending on
Hardwood plywood statistics are reported on
species category and plywood type. The range of
either the same SF3/8 basis as softwood plywood
maximum standard thicknesses is from 1/12 to 1/4
or on a surface measure basis. The surface measure
inch.
statistics often combine a number of thicknesses,
Flitches may be random length but often are in making conversion to cubic volume difficult.
whole foot increments. Flitches may also include
some of the round curvature of the log, so each slice
of veneer from a flitch may be of a different width. Recovery Efficiency
Slices are trimmed to have parallel edges. Slices
from a flitch may be random width or trimmed to a Material Balance Green-End Recovery
uniform width. Customs for manufacture of veneer
differ between North America and overseas The green end of a plant refers to all manu-
producers. facturing activities up to the point of drying veneer;
the product of this portion of the plant is clipped
Plywood Panel Sizes. Hardwood plywood is green veneer. Many facilities exist that produce and
more of a speciality product than softwood plywood market green veneer.
is. As such, it comes in a variety of sizes and shapes,
both standard and nonstandard. Common panel From Mill Studies. Figures 5-1 and 5-2 present
sizes are 48 inches wide in 84, 96, and 120 inch a generalized material balance for Douglas-fir peeler
lengths and 1/8 to 3/4 inch thicknesses. The most blocks of different small-end diameters (Fahey
common size encountered on the retail market is a 1987). A block is the standard log segment mounted
4 by 8 foot sheet in 3/8 inch thickness. Due to the in a lathe and is approximately 8.5 feet long. The
speciality nature of hardwood plywood, the figures show the fraction of cubic volume that is
specifications of a panel are determined more by the converted into green veneer, chips (roundup, spur
buyer than the mill. The buyer can also specify the trim, and reject veneer), and the core (solid cylinder
core material of the panel. There are a number of that remains after peeling). The fraction of block
options in core materials such as softwood or cubic volume recovered as veneer is the cubic
hardwood veneer, softwood or hardwood lumber, recovery ratio (CRR).

6 Chapter 5
Figure 5-1. The percentage of block volume Figure 5-2. Volume of green or dry veneer
recovered in various classes of green and dry and of chips and core in relation to volume
veneer. Source: Fahey (1987). of the block. Source: Fahey (1987).

As block diameter increases, the percentage

of volume recovered as green veneer increases, the
percentage of core decreases, and the percentage of
chipped residuals is essentially constant. The most
rapid change occurs in small-diameter blocks. Dry
veneer volume equals green veneer volume minus
shrinkage and panel trim. This loss is a constant
percentage of green veneer volume. Thus the dry
veneer recovery is roughly 78% of the green veneer
recovery whatever the diameter (Fahey 1987).

Figure 5-2 shows that percentage recovery of

veneer, chips, and core increases as block volume
increases.
There are many factors that affect the volume
recovered as green veneer:
• The amount of defects present. Generally blocks
with large limbs, decay, sweep, and eccentric
cross section will yield less veneer. This can
• Coarseness of growth. Often fast-grown logs yield
cause CRR to decrease in larger block diameters,
veneer with a rougher surface or veneer that
particularly from large young-growth blocks
splits more easily during handling, thus
that may have very large limbs, leading to
resulting in more clipper loss.
veneer breakage, clipper loss, and below-grade
veneer.

Veneer and Plywood 7

• Peeling technology. Block centering equipment, Material Balance
optimizing clipping equipment, and so forth, Dry-End Recovery
will increase recovery. New lathe technology,
such as the spindleless lathe, can reduce core The material balance presented in Figures 5-1
diameter and hence increase recovery. and 5-2 also shows recovery after "dry-end"
activities, including drying veneer, reclipping,
• Veneer clipping policy. Particularly important is
assembly into plywood, and panel trimming.
the minimum size salvaged as random width
Volume change due to veneer shrinkage is 2 to 3%.
strips as well as salvage of fish tails. Other losses, mainly panel trim and sanding, are
• Market values and mill location. These factors about 9 to 10%. Sometimes these dry-end processes
affect the marginal decision regarding what is are integrated with the green-end facilities in the
converted to veneer and what is chipped. same plant and in other cases they are independent.
Dry-end recoveries can be expressed either on an
Material balances for various species can be original block volume basis or in terms of green
obtained from recovery studies conducted by the veneer recovered, as illustrated in Table 5-6, which
Timber Quality Research Unit of the USDA Forest shows that 59.1% of the original block volume
Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. (78.2% of the green veneer recovered) finds its way
into the finished panel.
Theoretical Material Balance. Another approach
for predicting elements of the material balance is to
estimate them from simple mathematical relation- Table 5-6. Veneer recovery of Douglas-fir.
ships. See, for example, the following elements (in
cubic feet): Percentage of
Percentage of green veneer
Block volume = 0.002727 * (ds2 + dl2) * L Use and loss block volume volume
(Smalian's cubic log Block volume 100.0
volume) Roundup, spur, clip –15.7
Core volume = 0.005454 * dc2 * L (cylinder) Peeler core –8.7
Green veneer 75.6 100.0
Veneer volume = 0.005454 * (ds2 – dc2) * L1 Shrinkage –8.3 –11.0
(difference between two Dry, untrimmed 67.3 89.0
cylinders) veneer
Trim, layup,
Residue = by subtraction other loss –8.2 –10.8
where Finished panel 59.1 78.2
ds = small end diameter of block, Source: Fahey (1987).
in inches
dl = large end diameter of block,
in inches Recovery Efficiency Measures
L = block length, in feet
dc = diameter of core, in inches Cubic Recovery Ratio (CRR). Cubic recovery
ratio is the cubic volume of recovered veneer
L1 = veneer length between spur
divided by the cubic volume of the veneer block or
knives, in feet.
log, and can be calculated for different stages of
This approach gives theoretical yields that manufacture. Green cubic recovery ratio (CRRg) is
do not include the effects of clipping, log abnorm- the actual volume of green clipped veneer divided
alities, and so forth. Thus the veneer volume is by the block volume, both in cubic feet. It is the
overstated and residue volume is understated. The measure
technique is a useful way to study the effect of in Figure 5-1. Dry cubic recovery ratio (CRRd) is
changes in log geometry or core size on yield. The the actual volume of dry clipped veneer divided
resulting cubic foot volume of veneer can be easily by block volume, both in cubic feet. This includes
expressed on a 3/8 inch basis or other thickness shrinkage loss and additional dry clipping or
basis. handling losses. Nominal green or dry cubic re-
covery ratio (CRRng, CRRnd) can be based on the

8 Chapter 5
 Example 3
nominal sheet sizes rather than the larger actual size An 8 foot 6 inch long block is 16 inches in diameter at the
needed to accommodate panel trim. With current small end and 17 inches in diameter at the large end. It will
industry practice, the trim size effect is about 12% be peeled into 1/10 inch veneer with 100 inches (8.33 feet)
(Fahey 1987). These measures reflect the net veneer between the spur knives. The results presented are based
that will be in finished plywood panels rather than on the nominal 1/10 inch thickness. If the actual veneer
the total wood requirement. The USFS timber thickness setting on the lathe is 0.108 inch, the quantities
assessment estimates a national average CRRnd of calculated can be adjusted accordingly.
44.5% (Appendix 2). CRRnd is represented in
Figures 5-1 and 5-2 by the "finished panel" lines. Block volume (Smalian's formula) 12.6 ft3

The above measures are typically based on the Recovery

nominal panel thickness (i.e., 1/8 inch, 1/10 inch, 1/10 inch veneer based on full dimension of
etc.) and can be amended by using the actual thick- recovered veneer 780 ft2
ness setting on the lathe. This is typically larger than Lineal footage of 1/10 inch veneer =
the nominal thickness to account for shrinkage, 780/8.33 93.6 ft
compression, thickness variation, and so forth.
Green target cubic recovery ratio (CRRgt) can be 1/10 inch veneer based on nominal dimen-
expressed for either the nominal length and width of sion of sheets, decrease by 12% 686 ft2
sheets or using the actual green sizes. 3/8 inch basis: Actual 208 ft2
Nominal 183 ft2
Veneer Recovery Factor (VRF). Veneer recovery
factor is the SF3/8 basis of recovered veneer divided Cubic feet: Actual = 208/32 6.5 ft3
by the cubic feet of log volume. VRF can be Nominal = 183/32 5.7 ft3
calculated as a counterpart to CRR for each of the Cubic recovery ratio (CRRrg):
degrees of manufacture discussed in the previous
section. The USFS timber assessment estimates a Actual = 6.5/12.6 0.51 or 51%
national average of 14.1 square feet of 3/8 inch Nominal = 5.7/12.6 0.45 or 45%
nominal veneer per cubic foot of log used Veneer recovery factor (VRFrg):
(Appendix 2).
3/8 inch basis:
Relationship Between CRR and VRF. Since Actual = 208/12.6 16.5 ft2/ft3
Nominal = 183/12.6 14.5 ft2/ft3
CRR = veneer, ft3 / log, ft3,
Veneer recovery related to Scribner volume:
VRF = SF3/8 / log, ft3,
3/8 inch basis:
and veneer, ft 3 = SF3/8 / 32,
Scribner volume of a 16 inch x 8 foot block = 80 BF
one can derive VRF3/8 = 32 * CRR. VRF-Scribner = 208/80 = 2.6 ft2/BF

See Example 3.

If a thickness basis (t) other than 3/8 inch is desired, which is defined as the recovered veneer in SF3/8
remember that SF3/8 = SM * (t / 0.375), hence basis divided by BF log scale.
VRFt = 12 * CRR / t.
VRR historically has been between 2.5 and 3.0
Since CRR and VRF can be measured for SF3/8 per BF for various board foot log scales. Re-
different states of manufacture (i.e., green vs. dry cent improvements in technology, combined with
veneer), it is important to maintain consistency. smaller logs that are underscaled in Scribner log
scale, are pushing CRR above 3.0. Because of the
Veneer Recovery and Board Foot Log Scale. behavior of some BF log rules, the VRR measure,
When board foot log scales are used, it is a common like overrun for lumber, can be very sensitive to
practice of mills to relate veneer recovery to board small changes in block diameter and other factors
foot volume of blocks. This is also called a veneer unrelated to milling. VRR does not behave in a
recovery factor or veneer recovery ratio (VRR),

Veneer and Plywood 9

consistent manner and thus is not a recommended Weight of Veneer and Plywood
measure of mill efficiency.
Shipping weights of veneer and lumber can
This measure points out another inadequacy usually be obtained from appropriate trade
of board foot log rules, which were originally associations and freight companies. In the absence
designed to predict lumber outturn. Here we see of this information, procedures outlined in Chapter
a strange hybrid where an estimate of lumber 1 can be used. See page 10 for examples for plywood
recovery is used to predict veneer recovery. and green veneer.

10 Chapter 5