The West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau (WCLIB) is a non-profit service organization existing for the benefit of both consumers and timber producers. Our history dates to 1911 when four northwest associations joined together to form the West Coast Lumberman’s Association (WCLA). Forty years later, the West Coast Bureau of Grades and Inspection was established as an independent subsidiary of the WCLA. In 1968, the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau was incorporated as an independent organization. 

Today, the WCLIB is one of only six timber-grading agencies in the USA accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee, Inc. (ALSC) to write and publish grading rules and supervise timber grading. One of our primary objectives is the development and maintenance of uniform timber standards and, as such, we are an active leader in USA timber grading and grade standardization work. 

CERTIFICATION

The WCLIB provides grading supervision services, reinspection, and transient inspection services for solid-sawn softwood timber products in more than 100 saw mills and remanufacturers located primarily throughout the northwestern USA. In addition, WCLIB publishes the Standard Grading Rules for West Coast Lumber and provides grader-training services, and general and technical support services for its member mills and their customers. 

WCLIB is approved under the ALSC and the Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board to provide mill supervisory services under the National Grading Rule for Dimension Lumber (NGA), its own rules and those of the Redwood Inspection Service (RIS), National Lumber Grades Authority (NLGA), Western Wood Products Association (WWPA), and the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB), as well as to supervise glued and machine-graded timber. End-jointed and machine stress-rated (MSR) timber certification and supervisory services include certification to WCLIB grades, American Institute of Timber Construction (AITC)/American Plywood Association (APA) glu-lam specifications, and the ANSI A190.1 Structural End-Joint Standard. In addition, the Bureau provides monthly grading and quality-control supervision in these product areas along with grader training and certification.

WCLIB is approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to issue Heat Treatment Certification Using a Kiln Facility as well as Certificates of Debarking and Grub Hole Control as required by EU and other countries. 

Upon request, we will provide Inspection Certificates that attest to the accuracy of the grades and tallies shipped by our member companies. Certificates of Kiln Drying certifying a moisture content of less than 20% are also available. Also, WCLIB is approved to prepare documentation for individual companies in preparation for acquisition of the USDA Phytosanitary Certificates that are required by specific destination countries. 

For Japan, the Bureau is accredited by ALSC to supervise NGR-based grading and grade-marking services on structural products for direct shipment into Japanese construction markets. Under the Japanese Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transportation, WCLIB is approved to provide grading services for machine stress-rated (MSR) timber products under JAS 702 and for structural dimension timber under JAS 600.

As a member of the Softwood Export Council (SEC), WCLIB supports a number of international field offices where timber customers can find additional information, in multiple languages, on western timber products and grades. For locations of international representatives and field offices, please consult the SEC website at www.softwood.org.

ON-LINE DATABASE 

A detailed, interactive database for the following and other member companies’ products and services exists on the WCLIB website at www.wclib.org, along with direct links to individual member company sales offices. An overview of the products & services offered by selected WCLIB member companies is provided on the following pages. 

CONTACT WCLIB

West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau
PO Box 23145
Tigard, OR 97281
USA

TEL: 503.639.0651
FAX: 503.684.8928 
WEBSITE: www.wclib.org
EMAIL: info@wclib.org