Anyone familiar with this grade stamp?

[TehMightyEngineer]

Historic building that has seen multiple renovations in it's 120+ year life, doing a preliminary structural evaluation for the owner as the structure is very unique (3rd floor is actually suspended from large timber trusses via 1.75" diameter metal rods!).

Anyway, found this framing stamp on one of the floor framing joists added during what I would guess to be a 1930-1950 renovation where the replaced the 2nd and 3rd floor framing. Trying to decipher it but not coming up with anything. Any idea what SEL MERCH and 131 WPA translate to? Best picture I could get, sorry (borescope into the floor). I believe that the grading agency abreviation says MILA or NILA.

Location is northern Maine.

Maine Professional and Structural Engineer. www.fepc.us

 

[JAE]

Check out page 5 of this link:

http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/purchase/spg/pdfdocs/3750000671a.pdf

Refers to N.I.L.A.



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[JAE]

There seem to be numerous references to SEL MERCH - do a google search for it with a -Merchant to avoid all the "merchant" hits.



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[TehMightyEngineer]

Hmmmmm, yes that does help. Best I can tell NILA is part of (or was part of) the Canadian Council of Forest Industries (COFI). Can't seem to find any information beyond that.

It appears that SEL MERCH = select merchantable, and it is roughly equivalent to a "NO. 2 and Better" grade.

Any guess on what 131 WPA means?

Maine Professional and Structural Engineer.

http://www.fepc.us

 

[msquared48]

WPA is "Wood Products Association", and not Work Progress Administration.

Where I am on the west coast, it's WWPA or "Western Woods Product Administration". So this could be a general stamp as opposed to a regional one.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[JAE]

Could maybe be the particular person or local agency that did the grading. I'm not sure.

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[msquared48]

Or even the mill number...

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[msquared48]

If it is a mill number, it is not in the western region...

http://www.wwpa.org/SERVICES/QualityAssurance/MillNumberList/tabid/415/Default.aspx

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Perhaps the mill doesn't exist any more?

Maine Professional and Structural Engineer.

http://www.fepc.us

 

[msquared48]

Go down to "Toney Lumber Company" on this web page. It could be them...

http://www.slma.org/directory/

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[msquared48]

It could also be what you said. Just have to check it out. I do know that there are at least 128 additional mills beyond those listed for the Western region.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Alright, should have enough to go on and find it. Thanks for the help everyone.

Maine Professional and Structural Engineer.

http://www.fepc.us

 

[ergus]

N.I.L.A. Northern Interior Lumber Association used to be a grading agency located in central British Columbia

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

That would match with what JAE and I found.

Maine Professional and Structural Engineer.

http://www.fepc.us