Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a relatively new building material in the United States that presents opportunities for increased sustainability in the construction sector through carbon sequestration and a reduced carbon footprint compared to traditional building materials like steel or concrete. To promote CLT’s widespread adoption and increased sustainability, novel, local lumber sources must become available for CLT panel fabrication. Improved characterization of strength properties of lumber is essential to support the use of novel species in CLT fabrication. Various analysis methods are employed in the academic literature and industry standards to define yield strength in compression. Deriving a consistent definition of lumber strength creates opportunities for increased material efficiency in CLT fabrication and structural design. As such, the objective of this research is to characterize the mechanical properties through five established methods of analysis of two traditionally underutilized Northeastern species that have high potential to serve as constituent lumber in CLT.
      Eastern hemlock and Eastern white pine were identified as underutilized species in CLT fabrication. Clear wood strength testing was conducted per ASTM D143, and analysis was completed using MATLAB. Preliminary results have shown that in both lumber cases across three loading directions (tangential, radial, longitudinal), there is a significant difference in reported strength values depending on the analysis. Some methods are computational, while others are based on longstanding experimental results. Analytical methods vary 10-30%, some of which is expected, while the variation between all methods ranges from 10-55%. This significant variation affects the quantity of lumber used and the reported strength of CLT. 
      This research aims to discuss the implications of selecting various methods of analysis and highlight how a different method selected affects the efficiency, strength, and adoption of CLT.