I am trying to use the custom section option to check a 2”X8” floor joist, but I cannot change the species from southern pine.
This only works if selecting a glulam. Otherwise, there appears to be no option but to also create a custom species from scratch, which is a lot more trouble than it should be.
Hello Wilson, Looking at your screenshots, the issue is the Layup Type being set to Balanced.
That specific filter only applies to glulam products. Because you are trying to select dimension lumber (like Hem-Fir or Southern Pine), the database is coming up empty. Sawn lumber doesn’t have a “layup,” so when that filter is active, it accidentally hides everything you’re looking for.
To get your results back, you just need to clear that filter in the Species and Grade menu. For a standard 2x8 floor joist, follow these steps:
Ensure you have a Custom Section with 2" x 8" selected.
Keep Custom Species set to No.
Click Select for Species and Grade.
Set Type to Dimension Lumber and Species to Hem-Fir (or your preferred species).
Clear the Layup Type filter by clicking the X next to “Balanced.”
Choose your grade, such as Hem-Fir No. 1 (DL).
Once that “Balanced” filter is gone, the grades will reappear immediately.
Got it, thanks. It didn’t occur to me to click the “X”, but yes, it would be clearer if the options were grayed out altogether when selecting dimension lumber.
