What is the difference between Lumber and Timber?

When you say timber, you are referring to a type of wood product that has come from trees. If you have noticed, whenever people are cutting trees and the trees are about to go down, they would be shouting “Timber.” There are also some people who refer to intact trees that have not been cut as “timber.”

When you say “lumber,” this is wood that has been cut to different standard sizes. The standard sizes are based on what people may need. You can go to a store that sells lumber and just look for the one that you need for the project that you have in mind. Some types of lumber have already been processed.

Timber is wood that has not been cut down, and this is the word for the tree that has not been processed into lumber. On the contrary, lumber is the word used to describe wood that has been cut down from the tree and is no longer vertical, but horizontal.

Timber is generally the term used for a piece of wood that still has it’s bark, while lumber does not have the bark. Lumber will often endure an extensive drying process, and it possesses a firm finish to it. Lumber is usually prepared with distinct measurements and is almost always ready for use in construction and furniture making.

Timber is the appropriate name for wooden boards. Lumber is mostly used for commercial purposes, while timber has to undergo finishing before it is ready for the market.