Exterior Wood Trim Texture Categories
S4S, S1S2E, C4S, C1F, B1FR1F. These are just a handful of universally accepted abbreviations describing how a piece of wood is surfaced. In the exterior trim industry, there are three main categories of textures: surfaced, resawn, and combed. A surfaced texture is simply a planed board with no texturing. A resawn texture has sawtooth marks across the width derived from a bandsaw, while a combed surface has parallel ridges “combed” into the surface along the length of the board.
Abbreviation | Texture |
S4S | Surfaced 4 sides |
S1S2E | Surfaced 1 side, 2 edges |
C1F | Combed 1 face |
C4S | Combed 4 sides |
R1F | Resawn 1 face |
C1F/R1F | Combed 1 face & Resawn 1 face |
B1F | Brushed 1 face |
Belco BrushTex
Belco introduced a fourth texture last year called BrushTex. With this texture, a high-speed brush removes the softer spring wood from the grain, leaving behind the denser summer wood. The effect provides for a raised grain of unique and infinite patterns that only Mother Nature selects. On a surfaced board, you see the grain pattern. On a BrushTex board you feel the pattern. The following table explains how those abbreviations apply to various textures that Belco sells.
Wood Trim Texture Advantages
Certain wood trim textures have advantages when it comes to appearance and uniformity. A smooth texture shows more defects in the wood than any other surface. Combing applies a uniform look to the entire surface, harmonizing any defects that may be present. Resawing does much the same as combing to minimize defects while allowing the natural grain to show. Brushing takes textured surface to the next level in a natural wood look with a three-dimensional surface.
Regional Tastes
- Florida likes combed 4 sides. It must be noted that only one side of the C4S board is graded and Belco designates this with a green stamp. Our ungraded sides always show a black stamp. Moving west from Florida, the Gulf coast is smooth surface country.
- In Texas, combed 1 face dominates the trim market but also a fair amount or R1F product is available
- In Arizona, C4S is the dominant product texture for exterior trim.
- California runs the gamut with C1F, C4S, R1F and B1F all selling throughout the state.
- Colorado primarily uses a combed face with surfaced edges for trim.
- Nevada on the other hand is much like Arizona used C4S as the dominant trim texture.
- In Washington, Combed 1 face is the surface choice that dominates in Washington.
- In Oregon, Combed 1 Face is the surface of choice in Oregon as well.
