Abstract: The difference of visual grading rules on dimension lumber among the Chinese standard GB 50005—2003, North American standard NLGA(2003), British standard BS 4978—2007, International standard ISO 9709(2005)and Australian standard AS 2858—2008 were analyzed. The results showed that there was the same visual grading rule on dimension lumber between Chinese standard and North American standard, the only difference was that international unit was used to Chinese standard, and the British unit was used to North America standard; The British standard and the international standard was similar to the structure dimension lumber with specifications are divided into two grades. The difference was that the strength characteristics of nonstructural lumber of international standard was limited. The dimension lumber of Australian standard through the density was graded structural lumber and nonstructural lumber. Australian standard on measuring wane, shake and the average width of growth ring was difference from the other four standards. Based on the results, some of suggestions were proposed to revise the Chinese visual grading rules for structural lumber.