Graded graders make finer timber, according to timber firm CR Taylor.

Members of the company's three-strong timber grading team based at Denholme head office have all made the grade by gaining industry-leading grading qualifications from TRADA -- the Timber Research and Development Association.

Long-serving employee Paul Armitage has again passed his machine strength and visual strength grading examinations, while Chris Banham, who has spent three years with Taylors and already holds the machine strength examination, has now gained the visual qualification. Lee Swidrak, just 12 months into his career with the company, has been awarded the machine strength grading qualification.

All three men live in Denholme.

Paul explained: "Grading is an extremely important part of the process, ensuring that a piece of timber will bear a specified load.

"We are asked for a particular load bearing capacity and it's our job to carefully judge whether there could be any abnormalities in a length of timber--- both visually and by machine.

"This ensures that timber is structurally sound, so that when you walk on a floor or put a roof on a building neither will collapse around you.

"We need to be fully qualified to do this job and have to be re-assessed annually to ensure we can comply will all building regulations."

Picture: Gifted graders ... from left, Paul Armitage, Chris Banham and Lee Swidrak