Cherry

BLC cherry is harvested within our tight geographic region of north western Pennsylvania, known for the best black cherry in the world, and is manufactured at our single location, providing our customers with a consistently great color cherry with minimal gum.

Although our region provides BLC with cherry of great color and consistency, our highly skilled inspectors still grade against sap, gum and other color defects to provide our customers with the best consistent color product. BLC cherry is properly kiln dried, equalized and conditioned in our own kilns.

Before kiln drying, BLC fresh sawn cherry is promptly placed on stickers. A sticker and bolster are placed every foot. All green lumber is also end waxed to help minimize end checking. We also place a weighted roof on top of every stack of lumber when it is put on sticks and placed in our air drying yard. These weighted roofs stay in place until after the lumber is dried and cooled. We also use a 2” thick rigid pile bottom on the bottom pack of every stack of lumber. All of this is designed to give you, the customer, the flattest and straightest possible product, minimizing warp, cup, side bend and bow, increasing your yield. BLC also double end trims at an over length of 3” to give our customers maximum yield from every board.

BLC grading standards for cherry:

Prime A

Is put up 5” (5.0”) & wider, 95% red one face or better with the reverse face being 70% red or better. Lengths are typically sorted as 6', 7'-8', 9'-10', 11'-12', 13'-14' and 15'-16'. Customers can request loads that meet their optimum length requirements.
BLC Prime A cherry wane restrictions greatly exceed NHLA rules, providing an exceptional square edge product for increased customer yield. BLC only allows in the aggregate, 1/3 the length (NHLA ½) and ¼ the width (NHLA 1/3).
BLC Prime A cherry is a true random width product with no widths pulled, resulting in a better average width and includes all the wide clear boards produced as we do not pull any clear stock from our Prime A cherry.
Consistent color is the norm as we grade against sap and excessive gum content.
BLC Prime A cherry makes an excellent choice for distribution yard stock.

Prime

Is put up 4” & wider, 90% red one face or better with the reverse face being 50% red or better. Lengths are typically sorted as 6', 7', 8', 9'-10', 11'-12', 13'-14' and 15'-16'. Customers can request loads that meet their optimum length requirements.
Inspectors greatly limit wane for increased customer yield.
Consistent color is the norm as we grade against sap and excessive gum content.
BLC Prime cherry is a great alternative to Prime A for the more price sensitive buyer.

SELECT and BETTER

Is put up 4” & wider. Lengths are typically sorted as 6'-8', 9'-12' and 13'-16'.
SB cherry contains boards that have too much sap or gum to be permitted in our Prime A or Prime grades.
This product is a great buy for a customer for whom color is not an issue.

1Com Red

Is put up 4” & wider, 90% red 1 face or better with the reverse face being 50% red or better. Lengths are typically sorted as 4'-6', 7'-8', 9'-10', 11'-12', and 13'-16'.
Inspectors greatly limit wane for increased customer yield.
Consistent color is the norm as we grade against sap and excessive gum content.

1Com

Is put up 4” & wider. Lengths are typically sorted as 4'-6', 7'-8', 9'-10', 11'-12' and 13'-16'.
1Com cherry contains boards that contain too much sap and or gum to be permitted in our 1Com Red.
This product is a great buy for a customer that color is not an issue.

2Com

Is put up 4” & wider, unselected for color with no heartwood pulled out. Lengths are typically sorted as 4'-6', 7'-8', 9'-10', 11'-12', and 13'-16'.
Inspectors greatly limit wane for increased customer yield.

3aCom

Is put up 4” & wider. Lengths are typically sorted as 4’-6’, 7’-8’, 9’-12’, and 13’-16’
Unselected for color.

BLC has surfacing facilities available on site and can S2S to your specific requirements. Additional sorting is also available at the customers request after surfacing as this may reveal defects not seen in the rough. These may include color issues, checking, planer splits, pin knots, thin ends or thin boards, etc.