This paper assesses the potential of grading of structural timber by use of in-plane buckling analysis combined with scanning, employing post processing of both ordinary photo images and images of wood surfaces illuminated by a large number of laser point sources. The results appear very promising in providing accurate predictions of structural strength. Finite element modelling is applied in the buckling analysis and obtained results are compared with experimental results from timber boards tested in accordance to the European standard EN 408 by four point bending tests.