Abstract:
A system and method for reducing lumber misuse is disclosed. Specifically, a system can comprise lumber marked according to a coded chart. The chart can comprise one or more attributes associated with the lumber. The lumber can also comprise a plurality of identifiers, each of the identifiers associated with at least one of the attributes. The method for reducing lumber misuse can comprise marking lumber with a plurality of unique identifiers, said identifiers associated to one or more attributes.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to a system and method for reducing lumber misuse in construction. For purposes of this disclosure, embodiments are discussed, and are an example of the system and method. However, such discussion is solely exemplary, and not limiting. 
         [0002]    In the push for affordable housing, various methods for reducing construction costs have evolved. New materials have been developed, methods of construction have improved, and waste of materials has been reduced. However, lumber waste in construction of homes and other structures still remains a serious issue. During construction of a home, lumber is delivered in one or more large shipments. Such shipment or shipments can contain varieties of lumber. Differences in lumber can include, but is not limited to, type of wood, treatments, cross sectional dimension, lengths, and/or grade. A major variance in new home construction is the initial frame state. Material misuse and take off error is costly and difficult to track. For example, a home may need ten 2×10&#39;s, fourteen feet long for a particular portion of a building. An efficient shipment, to accommodate construction, would include only ten such pieces of lumber. However, if during construction, a carpenter cuts a fourteen foot 2×10 into pieces for a different portion of the house, then the builder will be short of lumber when the 14 foot piece is needed later. As another example, suppose a carpenter accidentally uses a 2×6 during construction where a 2×8 is required. If noticed during inspection, the work would have to be dismantled and rebuilt. If not noticed, such difference could cause a safety hazard. 
         [0003]    It is believed that lumber misuse raises the price of a new home construction by more than $350. Reduction in waste by this amount could save builders in the State of Texas by $56 million dollars each year. However, such costs are not the only benefit. Reducing lumber waste reduces landfill space, saves trees, and reduces short orders and the clerical time, fuel, added construction time, and additional lumber company infrastructure needed to facilitate short orders. 
         [0004]    As such it would be useful to have an improved system and method for reducing lumber misuse in construction. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A system and method for reducing lumber misuse is disclosed. Specifically, a system can comprise lumber marked according to a coded chart. The chart can comprise one or more attributes associated with the lumber. The lumber can also comprise a plurality of identifiers, each of the identifiers associated with at least one of the attributes. The method for reducing lumber misuse can comprise marking lumber with a plurality of unique identifiers, said identifiers associated to one or more attributes. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a coded chart. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a printed text embodiment for identifying a lumber. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a color line embodiment for identifying lumber. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a line type embodiment for identifying lumber. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a frame plan that employs color-coded lumber system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Described herein is a system and method for reducing lumber misuse in construction. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers&#39; specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a coded chart  100 . For purposes of this disclosure, coded chart  100  can represent different wood attributes applicable to a lumber. Coded chart  100  can only be an example chart that represents a possible master list of a color-coded dimensional lumber system. Thus, other attributes and color can be used for color-coded lumber system. Color scheme chart  100  can comprise a plurality of attributes  101 , and identifier  102 . Attributes  101  can be classifications and identification of woods that can include but are not limited to lumber grade, lumber treatment, lumber specie, dimensional length, and dimensional width and height. Wood grades can be the range of appearance and quality of lumber with respect to natural characteristics of wood such as knots, slope of grain, wane, manufacturing defects, and warp. Treatment can be the preservation measures applied to wood to increase durability and extend life of the material. Specie can be the source of lumber that pertains to the biological classification of wood. Dimensional width and length can be the size and measurement of lumber. Identifier  102  can be the visual representation of each attributes  101 . Identifier  102  can be applied to a lumber in a form of text, symbols, colors, line types, and other graphical representation to provide a standard identification for construction lumbers. Moreover, identifier  102  can be applied on a lumber through various marking methods that include but are not limited to printing, embossing, or engravings. 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a printed text embodiment for identifying a lumber  200 . For purposes of this disclosure, lumber  200  can be any type of wood having different attributes. Lumber  200  are generally used in the construction industry for structural purposes. As such, lumber  200  can have standard characteristics and dimension to fit the needs or requirements for a certain structure. In this embodiment, each lumber  200  can be classified by using printed text  201 . Printed text  201  can be an alphanumeric identifier  102  that are placed at one or more surfaces of lumber  200 . Printed text  201  can comprise a standard lumber attribute  101  such as wood grade, dimension, length, and wood specie as an example. In one embodiment, printed text  201  of lumber  200  can be written in one particular color. Thus, can represent one specific quality. As one example through using coded chart  100  as a guide, if color is used as an identifier  102  to represent lumber treatment attribute then printed text  201  written in “red” can mean that lumber  200  can be a treated lumber and a color “black” can be synonymous to untreated lumber. Therefore, printed text written in red, this can indicate that lumber  200  can be a treated grade 2 lumber having a width and height of 2 inches by 6 inches and a length of 14 foot. Similarly, printed text  201  written in black can indicate that lumber  200  can an untreated grade 2 lumber having a width and height of 2 inches by 6 inches and a length of 14 foot. As another example a color as an identifier  102  can also be used to indicate species of wood. Thus using coded chart  100 , if printed text  201  in lumber  200  is written in yellow text, lumber  200  can be easily identified as made of pine wood or if printed text  201  is written in “red” then lumber  200  can be an oak wood. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment, printed text  201  can be represented with two or more color. As example, printed text  201  can be written on lumber  200  as “2×6 14′”. In such example, each dimensional attribute can apply different color coding scheme. As such, the height and width attribute can employ wood treatment color scheme while the length attribute can make use of wood specie color scheme. Thus, using coded chart  100 , if “2×6” is written in black and “14′” is written in yellow, then this can imply that lumber  200  can be an untreated pine wood having a width and height of 2 inches by 6 inches and a length of 14 foot. 
         [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a color line embodiment for identifying lumber  200 . In this embodiment, one or more colored lines  301  can be used to represent a specific attribute of lumber  200 . As such, colored lines  301  can be used as identifier  102 . In one embodiment colored lines  301  can be a colored solid line as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As an example, line  301   a  can represent grade, line  301   b  can indicate height and width dimension, while line  301   c  can be the length dimension of lumber  200 . Therefore, if line  301   a  is printed in “black”, line  301   b  is in “blue” and line  301   c  is painted in red, then lumber  200  can be a grade 2 lumber having the dimension of 2 inches by 10 inches and length of 8 feet. Furthermore, colored lines  301  can be printed on lumber  200  in various ways such as vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Moreover in this embodiment, line  301   a  can be identified as an index line to ensure that each attributes  101  are identified correctly. Index line can be used as a guide and reference in knowing which of the lines are read first. As such, line  301   a  can have a different thickness in comparison to lines  301   b  and  301   c,  in one embodiment. In another embodiment, an image, text or symbol can be written beside the line  301   a  to identify line  301   a  as the index line. Further, in another embodiment, colored lines  301  can be a symbol or a shape that closely identifies a specific attribute of lumber  200 . Such line or lines  301  can be placed on wood at a mill during or after a milling process. Marking at the mill can make the process of marking more efficient. 
         [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates a line type embodiment for identifying lumber  200 . Each line types  401  can be a general representation of each attributes  101 . Line types  401  can be different forms of line such as a solid line, dashed line, crooked line, or dotted line. Furthermore, line types  401  can be identifier  102 . Line type  401   a  can also serve as an index line. Line types  401  can relate to an attribute of the wood as described above. For example, a dashed line can represent the type of wood, and the color of the dashed line can be a particular type. For example, an orange dashed line can represent oak, while a purple dashed line can represent pine. A solid line next to the dashed line can represent the original length of the wood. For example, a red solid line can be 10′, while an orange line can represent 12′. In another embodiment, a dotted line, for example, can represent the quality of wood. 
         [0017]      FIG. 5  illustrates a frame plan  500  that employs color-coded lumber system. Frame plan  500  can be a diagram of lumber arrangement for structural framing. Color-coded lumber system can enable anyone to easily and accurately determine attributes  101  of lumber  200  that are used in every area. Legends  501  can be represented in line type form (as illustrated in  FIG. 5 ) or in colored form. For example, in an actual plan, the dashed line could be replaced by the color orange. For the sake of patent office regulations on drawings, line types are being used to represent colors so that drawings can be submitted in black and white. In this example, dimensional height and width attribute is used to represent each lumber  200  seen in frame plan  500 . Dimensional height and width attribute can be classified in 5 sizes which are “2×4”, “2×6”, “2×8”, “2×10”, and “2×12”. Therefore, in an embodiment line type  401  can be used, frame plan  500  can be as illustrated in  FIG. 5  wherein five types of line types are used to indicated different sizes of lumber  200 . As such, “2×4” can be represented by a solid line  501   a, “ 2×6” can be represented as a dashed line  501   b, “ 2×8” can be displayed as squared line  501   c, “ 2×10” can be illustrated as stitched line  501   d,  and “2×12” can be displayed as crooked line  501   e.  Further, in an embodiment wherein colored lines or colored text can be used, each dimensional height and width can be represented in specific color. As such, “2×4” can be printed in orange, “2×6” can be illustrated in green, “2×8” can be displayed in yellow, “2×10” can be illustrated in blue, and “2×12” can be represented in magenta. Moreover these embodiments, as seen in frame plan  500  the dimensional lengths for each lumber  200  can be indicated in text. Through these embodiments, a quick look at frame plan  500  can help a person to easily identify the kind and quantity of lumber  200  that are mostly needed for a certain plan. Moreover, a lay person can easily compare the frame plan  500  with the actual project site to immediately identify any discrepancy. 
         [0018]    Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.”