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Rough cut lumber
I believe that building codes specify timbers and max spans for different applications. There even seems to be software that will design structures according to 'generic common denominator' codes. Contractors have tables that give requirements for all sorts of loadings etc. However, I believe that all these formal specs and stuff are keyed to not only finished but finished graded lumber. Ungraded lumber is much less expensive if it can be found.
I would inform myself about permit and code requirements. Around here any roofed structure greater than 100 sq ft needs a permit (except for an open sided pole shed used for firewood loophole). I know that only graded lumber is supposed to be used for residential structures and may be required for other structures as well. The idea of graded lumber is that it's supposed to guarantee an absence of flaws that would reduce weight-bearing capacity below specs. However, from what comes out of the stacks at our local building supply place, you have to wonder. Certainly the graders seems to be plagued by severe uncorrected astigmatism.
A person who did some inspection work for us and became a friend used ungraded lumber for roof sheaving on his house and got into an argument with the inspector about it. I think he finally got the work approved, but at a cost of a lot of aggravation. He worked as a building tech for a large firm of consulting engineers and probably knew more about building than the inspector. No matter, codes are codes as interpreted by the inspector. It's the nearest thing remaining of absolute monarchy in the west. A safe course is to ask what an inspector will approve before buying the materials. The last time I ran into our friend he seems to have given up on the aggrevation and became the building inspector for a different city so now he's the king.
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Rough cut lumber
Yikes, I shorten lumber all the time and never thought about cutting off the marks. It's good to know that level of detail. I also had no idea that grading could be done by machine.
Our inspectors aren't quite so formal around here and everybody knows everybody personally. Still, getting nailed for no marks on the lumber is exactly the sort of thing that could happen even here if an inspector gets aggravated. Get one aggravated and chances are that a building will never be completed or it will cost so much that you'd wish it wasn't. I've always had great luck with both building and electrical inspectors myself. They’ve even saved me a bunch by not only suggesting less costly designs but also pointing out the consequences of using lesser designs. It’s common enough for people to want to change the use of a structure and find that a different set of codes applies and a bunch of upgrade work is required. some people around here thought they were going to retire in their cottages. When they applied for occupancy permits they found that their cottages had to meet current residential standards. Inspectors know this kind of stuff that would never occur to most people. I talk to my inspector when I don’t think I need a permit. Well, I guess it’s easy for me to say, since I also fight fires along with my inspector.
It’s good to know about codes and that ag buildings may not need permits in many places but it’s also good to keep the example of the cottages intended as retirement homes in mind.
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