I have written briefly about how Walnut is graded differently from other North American hardwoods, but it seems that customers are still surprised by the apparent lack of quality in Walnut lumber. Usually these inquiries are met with surprise on the part of our grading team, as our graders were quite proud of the quality of Walnut that left our yard. What it really comes down to are two different expectations of what "good quality" Walnut actually is. So let's break it down according to NHLA … [Read more...]
Lumber Supplier
Ipe Deck Maintenance: New Decking is Not a Finished Product
When you buy decking boards, they are already planed on 4 faces (S4S) and usually have the sharp corners eased (E4E). Depending on whether you are face screwing or using a clip system, there may or may not be a groove routed on the edges. This is a product ready to install right? But is it a finished product? Absolutely not, and this is where many homeowners and even contractors get confused and frustrated. Whether we are talking about Ipe or Cumaru or even Pressure treated Pine or Red … [Read more...]
Color Matching Lumber??
Color is a sticky subject for lumber dealers. More specifically, matching the color of different boards of the same species. Wood is an organic product. Maybe that goes without saying, but in today's engineered product world, it is important to realize that wood is unique. It isn't poured or extruded or dyed or infused or crackle painted (at least I hope not). Every piece you get is different. Sure, it has a general appearance from one species to the next, and I can look at a board and tell … [Read more...]
Teak Supply Pinch May Be Good News for Home Builders
As the log bans and export regulation changes in Myanmar continue to confuse the Teak market, there is a strong positive for home builders who use Teak that could make a lot of previously difficult-to-obtain lumber a lot easier to get. In general, the Teak industry centers around boat builders. These builders have understandably very high standards due to the dollar amount on their products and the extreme conditions that their products are subject to. To satisfy these high quality needs, … [Read more...]
Two Types of Marine Grade Plywood to Solve Many Problems
Our customers build some truly beautiful things. They are an uncompromising bunch that require the finest quality and grade of lumber for their projects. The same holds true for the plywood they use, and this is one of the reasons our Bruynzeel line of marine plywood is so popular. I truly believe there is not a finer made panel out there, and this is one of the reasons we have built out such an extensive product line with both Okoume and Sapele marine panels. This enables us to solve a … [Read more...]
Lumber Grades Tell Only Half the Story
"I need some Teak for an upcoming project." "Great, how much do you need and what kind of specs?" "800 board feet of at least 6" width, and I want it to be A grade stuff." "Okay, we have FEQ, that's First European Quality, Teak and the width isn't a problem; any length spec?" "At least 12 foot lengths." "Okay, great, let me work up a quote, and I'll get you some numbers..." This conversation happens every day between lumber buyer and dealer hundreds of times. The species and … [Read more...]
How Much Will My Lumber Cost?
This is a question that probably is asked several thousand times a second in the lumber business. No matter whether the customer is buying hardwood, softwood, plywood, or even a milled wood product, it all comes down to, "How much will it cost?" I think the lumber industry has developed a bad reputation for keeping its cards too close to the vest on price, much to the chagrin of its customers. I can't tell you how many times I have walked into a lumber yard with no idea of how much I was … [Read more...]
Wait Before Installing Deck Boards
You just bought some decking or flooring (or really any lumber) and one of the first things you hear is that it needs time to acclimate to its new surroundings before installing deck boards. The maddening thing is you will rarely get the same answer twice when it comes to how long that particular lumber should sit around getting in touch with its feelings. If pressed for an answer to "how long should my decking acclimate?" I can answer with a solid "it depends". Trying to apply a universal … [Read more...]
Composite Decking Problems and Boardwalks
It seems that every year another boardwalk is being replaced. Whether the catalyst is a hurricane or just age, these monstrous projects keep coming up. When "boardwalk season" comes around, new construction bids and RFQs are on everyone's minds. Unfortunately, pressure is being brought to bear on city planners from environmental lobby groups to use composite decking to rebuild the boardwalks. I'm not going to try and pretend I'm unbiased in this ongoing fight between tropical decking and … [Read more...]
Things to Look For When Buying Teak Lumber
With the trade embargo lifted on Myanmar, Teak lumber buying is set to get very confusing very quickly with many new suppliers entering the market. It is still unclear whether this will lower the barrier to entry for those looking to get into the Teak game, but it is a safe bet that with the Myanmar government already talking about banning exports, many players will try to get into the market while they can. Previously, the serious buyer could always discount the lower quality lumber by … [Read more...]
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