Lumber is susceptible to several common defects.

These can occur naturally

(such as knots) or during sawing, stacking or drying processes.

Lum
ber Warpage and Defects

Bow
Bowing is curvature along the length of the wide face of the board. A bowed
board will rock longitudinally when placed on a flat surface.
 Bo
w Warpage

Cup
Cupping is curvature across the width of the wide face of the board.
 Cu
p Warpage

Crook or Crown
A crook (also called crown) occurs is curvature along the length of the narrow
face or edge of the board.
 C
rook or Crown Warpage

Twist
Twisting is a deviation from parallelism of the end edges of the board. A
twisted board is curved along its own axis.
 Twi
st Warpage

Wane
Wane occurs when a board is sawn near the outer periphery of a log. There is
not enough wood present in the location of the cut to completely fill the outer
dimensions of the bard.
 Wan
e Defect

Knot
Knots occur where a tree branch is overgrown by a tree trunk. Sound knots
(knots that are firmly in place) my not be considered defects in certain species
and applications.
 K
not

Knot Hole
A knot hole is a void left where a dead knot has fallen out of its position in the
board or tree.
 Kn
ot Hole

Check
Checking occurs along the radially across the growth rings of a board. Checks
do not extend completely through the board.
 Ch
eck Defect

Shake
Shakes are separation of growth rings.
 Sha
ke Defect

Split
Splits are cracks in a piece of lumber that extend completely through the
board.
 Spli
t Defect