In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

NYS Building Codes for homemade lumber.

Discussion in 'The Sawyer Room' started by Shawn Curry, Jun 8, 2017.

  1. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    I did a bit of research into whether or not I could use some of my homemade lumber when I build my new pole barn. Turns out the answer is Yes, NYS does allow individuals and small sawmill operators to certify their own lumber, for usage in load bearing structural members, by simply filling out this form:

    https://www.dos.ny.gov/DCEA/pdf/LUMBERFORM.pdf

    You don't need any classes or certifications in order to make the determination that it is sound for load-bearing usage. It basically boils down to a liability issue: if you sell your self-certified lumber to someone, and their house falls down because the lumber was faulty, they can sue you. And likewise, if you build with your own self-certified lumber, you basically have nobody to blame but yourself.
     
  2. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    Next check with local code. More and more towns are requiring stamped lumber.

    Depending on area, battling no nothing inspectors is the worst.

    I like the idea that it was like that when I bought the place.
     
  3. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    Around here more and more towns are adopting the national building standard which requires stamped lumber. I think it is silly, Maine is the most heavily forested state in the nation, why can't we just use the lumber we have been using for the last 300 years?

    EVERYTHING on my farm is out of my own lumber: the sawmills, sheds, barns, even my own house is sawn lumber. For those that care about such things, most of it is Eastern Hemlock since it has little value here. (I sell my high valued trees like Spruce, fir and pine).
     
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  4. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

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    Well Shawn, you know what you got in your stickered stacks, so I feel confident you'll do fine.:yes:

    Thought for a sec you were gonna say, "you basically have nobody to sue but yourself!":rofl: :lol:
     
  5. Minnesota Marty

    Minnesota Marty

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    Now the quality of some some stamped lumber leaves alot to be desired. So, requiring stamped lumber is a little ridiculous. Species and thickness is what all the span tables are based on. Most people cutting and building with there own should be able to determine what species is going to work for what.

    Marty
     
  6. DaveGunter

    DaveGunter

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    Geeze, I wouldn't a even thought to think whether my own lumber was OK or not.
     
  7. NortheastAl

    NortheastAl

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    In NY it's getting impossible to do any work yourself on your own house.
     
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  8. Minnesota Marty

    Minnesota Marty

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    Same here in Minnesota. I own a few rentals and every three years the city requires a housing inspection. On the last inspection he found a few GFCI's that did not operate properly. So, they had to be changed. I could not change those CFCI outlets, I had to hire a licensed electrician and have it inspected by the electrical inspector. At this time I can still work on my own home (residence) but not property that I don't live in. I can see having to have it inspected. But, not being able to do it is wrong.

    Marty
     
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  9. Locust Post

    Locust Post

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    Every time I see a comment about electrical inspectors it brings back sore memories. When l put my pool in back in 2000 I got so dang frustrated.....one inspector came out and said you need to change this, change I did just like he said. Called for another inspection, different inspector says you need to change just what the last inspector told me to do.
     
  10. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

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    It's a racket....:mad:
     
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  11. Minnesota Marty

    Minnesota Marty

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    Oh, Big time
     
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  12. Oldman47

    Oldman47

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    My local authority has no rules of their own. They also do not do inspections except the plumbing inspection for "health safety". As far as the plumbing inspection, that is state law. I can only work on plumbing on my own residence so if you need a toilet swapped I cannot legally help you do it. The plumbers must have friends in the state capital. I asked at the place where I bought my building permit and all they inspect is the property line setbacks. If I meet those requirements their attitude is that I have to live with whatever I build. I have heard this county called the "wild west" by other nearby counties that regulate things to death. The county where I heard that was one that requires a minimum of 80 acres to put up a building unless you are inside a city jurisdiction. It sounds to me more like they are being run by real estate developers, not in the public interest. Who the heck needs 80 acres for a house? It would be illegal for me to build on my 40 acre plot if I lived there. I only know that because I was seriously considering buying a nice 25 acre lot to build on and did some checking first.
    No matter how good a deal looks, always check the rules/laws under which something will be used. I could have spent big money on those 25 acres just to find out I had bought a field to graze cattle or some such but I could not build a house on it.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2017
  13. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    I did a bit more research on my town building codes - they don't have any special rules of their own; all work must comply with NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building code.

    Which all means, by the power vested in me, as sawyer, inspector and certifier; I hereby declare my homemade lumber fit for structural load bearing purposes in my new pole barn. :D :salute:
     
  14. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    I'm doing a project with "sawmill" lumber. It's laughable putting a (full dimension) 2x6 next to todays common framing lumber.
    There's 5.5 bd/ft in one "store" 2x6x8, and 8 bd/ft in a rough sawn 2x6!
     
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  15. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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  16. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    Common sense leads the way.
    I think most people have seen some questionable "stamped" lumber.
    There is always a place to use it though.
     
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  17. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    That's seemingly a very un-NY-like. But I'm glad to see it's still possible! :thumbs:

    Let me know if we need to delete the thread before Uncle Andrew finds out you are building a barn with superior lumber that you did not pay sales tax on, nor subsidize any sort of official administration of the inspection/certification of said lumber. :D
     
  18. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    Oh I paid all sorts of taxes and fees when I bought it, and the town's going to tax me for it every year till I die. :emptywallet: They're probably going to tax me even more too after I build it. They're getting their piece for sure.

    I ought be be able to use it, it's my dang property
     
  19. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    I agree Shawn but it seems it's only yours .. if ya pay taxes fees etc etc if ya stop it's not yours anymore...
     
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  20. VOLKEVIN

    VOLKEVIN

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    My dad had a saying, "follow the money, y'all..." Which translates to: what department or business had paid to lobby someone else (elected official) to help put a regulation in place that will help the first party. The end user is the one who always gets shafted. I have relatives who live in the Northern states, and I have to say that y'all have it way worse than we do in the South.