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MILL SELECT STK Wood Grade

Buffalo Lumber's MILL SELECT STK Wood Grade

We created Buffalo Lumber's four interpreted grade categories to describe cedar and redwood softwood grades in terms a layman can understand. Buffalo Lumber guarantees honest communication of wood appearance and performance applied to your project's priorities. We guarantee no surprises!

"Mill Select" means the mill has selected the wood to meet the "Tight Knot" grade rule in the books. 

There is no limit to the number of knots but there is a limit to the size and the type of knot.

Other grade names that equate to our definition of "Mill Select" are STK (Select Tight Knot) Select Knotty, Architectural Knotty, #2 and better.

This is a great wall to show "Mill Select". Note the sound tight knots and the size is smaller than is allowable in "Customer Select".

Western Red Cedar 1x8 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade - Buffalo Lumber MILL SELECT - Clear finish CT Home
Western Red Cedar 1x8 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade - Buffalo Lumber MILL SELECT - Stained "cedar" CT Home


I also want to draw attention to the number of knots. "Mill Select" is a knotty look, some boards will have more and some fewer just know there is no limit to the number of knots. 

This was 1x8 Bevel stained Olympic "Cedar" Semi-transparent, Oil Based on the rough face. The official mill grade description was Select Tight Knot or STK - Buffalo Lumber "Mill Select" grade equivalent.


Western Red Cedar 1x8 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade - CT Home
Western Red Cedar 1x8 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade - CT Home


For "Select Knotty" the knots must be tight and sound varying in size from approximately 2" in 1x6" and increasing by 1/2" in size up to 3 1/2" in 12". These are "nominal" widths - 6", 8", 10", 12". A 1x6" nominal board which will have an actual width of 5" when milled to a Channel, dutch, Tongue & Groove or Bevel pattern.

In Buffalo Layman terms this means that 5" board will have knots up to approximately 2 inches in diameter through out the length.

When we zoom in you can see the knot structure a little better.


Red Cedar 1x8 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade
WRC 1x8 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade


Mill Select is graded to meet the "Tight Knot" description in any given rule book and is the first official "Appearance Grade" tier for commercial projects where codes have to be met.

These grade rules represent the maximum to expect per single board - NOT all boards. Some percentage of boards will have fewer or smaller knots per 12' length.


MILL SELECT STK KNOTTY 1x8 CEDAR SIDING HOME IN MASS FINISHED WITH ECO STAIN TIMBEROX BUTTERNUT
MILL SELECT STK KNOTTY 1x8 CEDAR SIDING FINISHED WITH ECO STAIN TIMBEROX "BUTTERNUT"


Our customers Cheryl and Richard (below) installed 1x12" Haida Skirl WRC Mill Select siding on their Kentucky cabin. This wavy edge pattern is sometimes called "wavy bevel". All siding and cedar trim was factory pre-finished with TWP "Cedartone" 1501 Semi Transparent stain.

Haida Skirl Red Cedar STK Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade
WRC Haida Skirl Red Cedar siding


Below is a 1200 square foot deck built in New Hampshire this year using 5/4 thick by 6" radius edge Western Red Cedar decking stained TWP 1501 Cedartone.

New Hampshire WRC Mill Select Deck
Western Red Cedar WRC Mill Select Decking in New Hampshire


The following two California customers selected Incense Cedar milled to a 1x8" Dutch Lap pattern then factory finished with Duckback Cedar Natural Semi-Trans Stain.

DUTCH Lap which is also known as COVE Lap and GERMAN Lap is distinguished by its curved "reveal" or channel between the installed boards. From a distance it gives a slightly rustic "log" impression.


Incense Cedar 1x8 Dutch Lap pattern factory finished Duckback Cedar Natural Semi-Trans Stain
Incense Cedar 1x8 Dutch Lap pattern factory finished Duckback Cedar Natural Semi-Trans Stain



Incense Cedar 1x8 Dutch Lap pattern factory finished Duckback Cedar Natural Semi-Trans Stain


Incense Cedar 1x8 Dutch Lap pattern factory finished Duckback Cedar Natural Semi-Trans Stain
Incense Cedar 1x8" Dutch Lap pattern factory finished with Duckback Cedar Natural Semi-Trans Stain

The next customer's timberframe builder died during the construction of her home. She ended up taking over management of his company to get her own home done.

Kathy bought Western Red Cedar milled to 1x8" Thick Bevel Rabbeted Pattern Mill Select STK grade, Factory PreStained Olympic # 712, Black Oak - Rough Face application. She chose Thick Butt Bevel to help guard against warping and the Rabbeted Bevel pattern for easier installation.


Thick Bevel Rabbeted Siding STK grade - Stained Olympic # 712, Black Oak - home in North Carolina
Mill Select 1x8" Thick Bevel Rabbeted Siding STK grade - Stained Olympic # 712, Black Oak - home in North Carolina


Here is a good example of "Mill Select" in an interior paneling application in a Florida ranch home. This was 1x6 T&G Ponderosa Pine STK grade with 2 coat urethane finish.


Mill Select Interior Pine Paneling Florida
Mill Select 1x6" Tongue & Groove Ponderosa Pine UV Finished Paneling in Florida


Mill Select Incense Cedar Porch Ceiling Soffit in Texas
Mill Select 1x6" Tongue & Groove Incense Cedar Porch Ceiling Soffit in Texas


The following series of pictures are from our customer Log Siding projects across the country. They are all Buffalo Lumber MILL SELECT grade.

Several different wood species were used on these customer projects including Western Red Cedar Log, Incense Cedar Log, Hem-Fir Log and Ponderosa Pine Log - Smooth and Hewn look. These differences in the project's wood, factory finish and lighting at the moment the picture was taken has resulted in quite a variation.


Incense Cedar Log Siding NO Reveal Mill Select Unfinished - Texas
Incense Cedar 2x8" Log Siding NO Reveal Mill Select - Unfinished - Texas


The following two pictures are the sections of the same garage taken from different angles on different days. Customer chose to pre-finish his 4000 sqft of 2x8" Mill Select Log Siding (chinkless) with TWP- 1516 "Rustic" Semi-Transparent Oil Based.


2x10 HEM FIR QTR LOG STK MILL SELECT with chinking between the logs in North Carolina
2x10 HEM FIR QTR LOG STK MILL SELECT with chinking between the logs in North Carolina


Incense Cedar Log Siding NO Reveal Mill Select Unfinished - Texas
Western Red Cedar 2x8" Log Siding NO Reveal STK - Stained Olympic #717 Redwood Semi-Trans Oil-Based - Alabama


Quarter Log Siding can be milled with a 1+ inch "reveal" between the log humps providing a groove for chinking. Log siding milled without the groove - NO REVEAL - is sometimes referred to as "chinkless" or "log cabin" or "log-to-log" siding.


HEM FIR QTR LOG STK 2x8" HEM FIR QTR LOG STK "MILL SELECT" with reveal between the logs in Connecticut

The picture above is Quarter Log Siding with Reveal. This Connecticut commercial project required 5400 SQFT of 2x8" Hem Fir Mill Select Log siding all factory pre-stained with Olympic "Carmel" Semi-transparent Oil Based Stain. The official grade rule was #2 & Better.

The Commercial project below required 3000 SQFT of 2x10 HEM FIR QTR LOG Siding STK MILL SELECT stained TWP 1503 Dark Oak in North Carolina. The builder applied chinking in the reveal grooves between the logs after installation.


2x10 HEM FIR QTR LOG STK MILL SELECT with chinking between the logs in North Carolina
2x10 HEM FIR QTR LOG STK MILL SELECT with chinking between the logs in North Carolina

The project below is HEWN Ponderosa Pine 2x8 Log siding family home built in Upper State New York. Grade is Select Tight Knot (STK) #2 MILL SELECT. Customer also ordered 8x8" Timberline Dove Tail Log Corner extensions with matching HEWN Log Texture. The Pine Log Siding and corners were Factory pre-stained all 4 sides (top, bottom and edges) with 2 coats of Cabot's Semi Transparent Acrylic "Sequoia" mixed at 1/2 opacity.


Western Red Cedar LOG STK Texas
HEWN Ponderosa Pine 2x8 No Reveal Log siding home Select Tight Knot (STK) #2 - Upper State New York


Texas Log cabin - 2x8" Western Red Cedar LOG MILL SELECT Pre-stained TWP 1502 "Redwood" Semi Trans-Oil Based

Western Red Cedar LOG STK Texas


Western Red Cedar LOG STK Texas


And finally - the best "Before and After" shots I think we have ever seen. May your own wood siding project turn out this great! Red Cedar 1x6 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Grade - Stained TWP "Cedartone" - PA Cabin


Red Cedar 1x6 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Buffalo Lumber MILL SELECT Grade PA
Red Cedar 1x6 BEVEL Select Tight Knott (STK) Buffalo Lumber MILL SELECT Grade in Pennsylvania
What Our Customers Say

Hi Sheila,

There was ZERO unusable lumber caused by mill waste.

There was ZERO damage during shipping. 

All pieces were dimensionally perfect.

Your website was explicitly clear on how to install the siding and it went up easily. The siding is all on and in the process of being painted.  We will send before and after pictures. 

So here's just a little detail on the project. 

This house was a restoration rather than renovation.  The original portion of the house was built in early 1830's.  It was added on to periodically but at least one addition was completed on Thursday June 13, 1907 because during the restoration, we found a board signed by Wm Sheffield with that date on it. 

We were originally only going to work on the inside of the house and ALL material removed from walls and ceilings was restored and returned back into the house.  However, much of the exterior siding was rotten and had to be replaced.  We struggled for a little bit with the decision on whether to use wood or some type of composite material (like Hardy board or vinyl) but finally settled on wood as being the most historically accurate.  This decision was made, in part, as a result of the information on your website.  Although ,the original material most likely would have been poplar (all other wood in the house, including the original logs from the log cabin, was poplar), when painted you can't tell and the cedar will last longer. 

I cannot stress how helpful the website and EVERYONE at Buffalo was.  Buffalo Lumber is without a doubt, the easiest company to do business with.  There was some fear at making such a significant purchase over the internet on "sight unseen" material but the overall quality of our contact with all personnel and the website made it much easier to just "close our eyes" and jump.  Boy are we glad we did.  

This siding is now the crown jewel on what we hope is a historically accurate restoration with a few concessions to modern living. 

Cheers, Bill and Donna M.

Bill M. from Fayetteville, TN (6th May 2020)
1x6 BEVEL THICK RABBETED RED CEDAR MILL PRIME & PAINT

PRODUCT DETAIL :

1x6 BEVEL THICK RABBETED (1 + 1/8 THICK, 3/4 OVERLAP) CEDAR-WRC SIDING, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, Resawn, Rough Use (OR 4836)

Mill PRE Primed + 1 Top Coat Paint - Snowbound SW7004

The delivery went amazing.  Once we got a driver he kept in contact with ETA.  He did an excellent job, wood was covered by you guys and by him.  Couldn't have asked for a better driver and rig. You guys also did a great job with the wood!  We are very happy with the colors and quality.  Thank you for all your hard work and communicating with me and getting the job finished!  I would not hesitate to use your company again in the future, or refer others to you. 

Carlee M. from Eden, UT (16th December 2019)
1x8 CHANNEL LAP + 1x6 T&G STK CEDAR SIDING + TRIM

PRODUCT DETAIL :

1x6 T&G (V4E) CEDAR-WRC SIDING, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, StainEXT, RESAWN, Rough Use.

1x8 CHANNEL LAP (5/8 LAP, 1 REVEAL) CEDAR-WRC SIDING, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, StainEXT, Resawn, Rough Use

1x4 BOARD (SQUARE EDGE - Rough) CEDAR-WRC TRIM, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, StainEXT, S1S2E, Rough Use

1 1/4x6 BOARD (SQUARE EDGE - Rough) CEDAR-WRC TRIM, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, StainEXT, S1S2E, Rough Use

1 1/4x8 BOARD (SQUARE EDGE-Rough) CEDAR-WRC TRIM, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, StainEXT, S1S2E, Rough Use  (OM 4805)

All Mill Pre-Finished with Cabot's Semi-Solid Oil based stain - Color Cordovan Brown

12/6/19 Hello Sheila, I have meaning to get back to you all, we did get the siding installed, but I thought we would have gotten a little more done by now, to show you some clean pictures. The house is still under construction, should be at 100% by the end of month, but probably spring before we have landscaping. I attached some current pictures. I would love to send you more pictures later. We just absolutely love the siding, not to mention, that is first thing people ask about and tell us how much they love it. The siding alone has everybody in the subdivision talking and saying that it’s the nicest house in the neighborhood, because of the siding. Thanks again for an outstanding product.

8/19/19 I will definitely be giving my experience to a lot more than BBB, very happy and excited to do so. I don’t know if we mentioned that we are rebuilding our house after it burnt to the ground, so this journey has been rough, but you all helped make easier. Thank You again for getting us this particular wood, it will make our house one of kind!

Rick B. from Spring Branch, TX (6th December 2019)
1x12 HAIDA WAVY EDGE BEVEL SKIRL

PRODUCT DETAIL :

1x12 HAIDA SKIRL (1 THICK, 2 OVERLAP WAVY EDGE) CEDAR-WRC SIDING, STK (BL Grade Equivalent MILL SELECT), KD, StainEXT, Resawn, Rough Use (OM 4741)


Mill Pre-Finished Olympic “Jatoba” semi-trans Oil-Based stain

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