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    Lumber Recovery from Hardwood Square Logs
    Knowledge Center
    Hardwood Square Logs · 6 min read

    Lumber Recovery from Hardwood Square Logs

    The number on your purchase order is not the number you get on the joinery line. A working guide to lumber recovery.

    Typical recovery percentages

    Squared log to dressed joinery stock: 60-75% by volume, depending on section, species and final product. Squared log to flooring strip: 55-70%. Squared log to door blanks: 70-80% (the highest-yield application). Squared log to cabinet rails / mouldings: 65-75%. Allow 5-8% on top for kiln-dry shrinkage if buying AD and re-drying.

    What drives recovery

    Section size: larger squared sections give higher recovery (less proportional waste at edges). Species: tighter-grained species (sapele, khaya) recover better than coarse-grained (dabema). Defect level: clear LM/FAS grades recover 10-15% higher than No.1 Common. Final product width: yield drops when the target width approaches the square section width.

    Forecasting on a real project

    Example: 50 m³ of sapele 200×200 mm × 4.0 m squared logs, target product is 18 mm × 80 mm × 3.6 m flooring strip. Expected recovery 60-65%, giving 30-32.5 m³ of finished flooring stock. Round-down to 30 m³ for procurement planning. Always confirm with a trial run before locking the production purchase.

    Frequently asked questions

    Why is recovery lower than 100%?
    Saw kerf (3-6 mm per cut), defect removal (knots, end checks, wane), dimensional dressing (planing both faces), and KD shrinkage cumulatively consume 25-40% of the squared volume.
    Does buying larger sections improve recovery?
    Yes, up to a point. Larger sections reduce the proportional impact of edge waste, but very large sections (>300×300 mm) carry a premium that may exceed the recovery benefit.
    Can recovery be guaranteed?
    No supplier guarantees recovery, it depends on the buyer's saw, blades, operator skill and target product. We can quote a likely range based on species, section and product.
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