 There are four commonly used classifications of softwood and hardwood timber products, and each brings a different price to the seller. Polpwood often has the lowest dollar value followed by chip and saw, saw timber, and then poles. It is important to understand the difference in these terms and the effect they have on selling one's timber. Specifications can change based on tree species, log quality, and mill specifications. Verify local market specifications with your forester. Polpwood is used to manufacture paper, absorbent pulp, cardboard, fiberboard, and other fiber-based products and can be produced from either hardwood or softwood. Trees classified as pulpwood are typically 6 inches to 8 inches dbh. However, larger, poor quality trees could also be used for pulpwood. Trees harvested during the first thinning of a stand are often made up of pulpwood sized trees. Some pulpwood may also be harvested during a second thinning. Chip and saw, or cns, is the classification of trees or logs that are too small to be turned into poles or saw timber. Trees used for this method will typically be medium sized, 8 inches to 11 inches dbh, and are often harvested during an early thinning of a larger timber stand, but can be managed as a target crop size class depending on management objectives. In some cases, the first log or first 16 feet of the tree, as long as it does not have a disease or deformity, will be used to make smaller dimension lumber such as 2x4s and the upper portion of the tree will be used for pulpwood. Saw timber or saw logs refer to logs or trees that are large enough and of high enough quality to be cut into lumber. Important factors to produce saw timber are the straightness of the trunk and the overall quality of the wood. They need to be free of rot and without many knots or blemishes. Typically, trees that are 12 inches dbh or greater could be classified as saw timber. Saw timber products can be cut from both softwood and hardwood trees. Poles are the last common classification. Pine trees are used for poles which have very stringent specifications as they are used for supporting things like utility lines and street lights and safety is a priority. Diameter and height specifications can vary, but in general they may be between 10 inches and 20 inches dbh and at least 30 feet tall and must have a straight, healthy trunk with no rot and few limbs or knots.