"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..." Buying lumber is a … [Read more...] about Buying Lumber is more than the grade
J Gibson McIlvain News Blog
Welcome to our blog where we aim to inform about all things hardwood, plywood, and millwork. As importers of record we will throw in some import and regulation information as well and give you a peek behind the curtain of the lumber industry. Much of the content here is inspired by questions from our customers so feel free to drop us a line and ask a question. If we don't already have an article about it on our site, we may just write one in the future to address it.
Lumber Prices Explained
How Much Will My Lumber Cost? This question is asked several thousand times a second in the lumber business. Lumber prices cause a great deal of confusion and even anger. 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?" The reality is that the price of any wood product is highly dependent on … [Read more...] about Lumber Prices Explained
Organic Modern Should be Renamed Wood Design
Organic Modern style is all about clean lines and natural tones. But warmth is necessary. So is light. Actually the interplay of light on warm surfaces might be the better way to define Organic Modern design. Without these you get sterile, museum like spaces with white walls and white floors and surly looking docents making sure you don't touch anything. Wood is the key element, the critical … [Read more...] about Organic Modern Should be Renamed Wood Design
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 … [Read more...] about Wait Before Installing Deck Boards
Dispelling the Myth That Lumber Importing is Bad for the Environment
As an importer of record in many exotic species like Genuine Mahogany, Teak, and Ipe; J. Gibson McIlvain is acutely aware of the stigma attached to rainforest wood species and the spectre of global warming that looms over our industry. The facts are that deforestation is not a result of the lumber import trade, but in many cases caused by the disruption of it. Additionally, regulation … [Read more...] about Dispelling the Myth That Lumber Importing is Bad for the Environment
What is CITES Appendix II?
At the end of 2022, the 19th Convention of Parties (CoP19) for CITES was held. Both Ipe and Cumaru were successfully uplisted to Appendix II. Many of us in the lumber biz saw this one coming. We have certainly written about Ipe and regulation in the past. There is a 24 month implementation period for both Ipe and Cumaru. However things are moving much faster in Brazil and changes to the … [Read more...] about What is CITES Appendix II?
Inland vs Coastal Cedar
Western Red Cedar is one of the most popular exterior species in use in North America these days. The lower cost, rot and insect resistant, and easy availability in all sizes, including large timbers, makes it an obvious choice for projects from decks to pergolas, siding, flooring, ceilings, and paneling. Like all softwoods, there is a standard grading system in place to designate how clear a … [Read more...] about Inland vs Coastal Cedar
Understanding Hardwood Lumber Grading
For more than a century, hardwood lumber grading has been an industry standard established by the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). Thanks to the foresight of the early founders of the NHLA in 1898, some order has been added to the chaos that had become the lumber trade. Finally there was a standardized system of grading to determine quality of lumber. Today we take this lumber grading … [Read more...] about Understanding Hardwood Lumber Grading
Walnut Lumber Grade Explained
I have written briefly about how Walnut lumber 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 … [Read more...] about Walnut Lumber Grade Explained
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 … [Read more...] about Ipe Deck Maintenance: New Decking is Not a Finished Product
Kiln Dried May Not Mean What You Think It Means
We know that lumber needs to be dried before using it in construction, and most of us know to ask for kiln dried lumber. (We do know that right? Please say yes) But did you know that not all kiln dried lumber is equal? Depending on where the lumber comes from, the moisture content of your kiln dried material may not be what you think it is. 6-8% is the accepted moisture content of kiln … [Read more...] about Kiln Dried May Not Mean What You Think It Means
Do you really Need Marine Plywood?
That depends (sigh)... How do you plan to use it? What is Marine plywood used for? Marine plywood is any plywood made to withstand the elements of nature, specifically water. So it is used for Marine construction like boats and docks but also water front properties. As you can imagine the amount of exposure the plywood sees varies widely on whether it is used on a boat or on an ocean front … [Read more...] about Do you really Need Marine Plywood?
How to Prevent Cracks in Your Large Timbers
Easy answer: you can't... That's not entirely true. You could dry the timbers in a vacuum kiln and definitely not use them outside and keep them away from direct sunlight. Probably a good idea to speak in low, soothing tones around those timbers too. I joke, but the reality is that these cracks or checks are just the nature of wood. Checking can be controlled in "regular" sized 4/4 through 8/4 or … [Read more...] about How to Prevent Cracks in Your Large Timbers
Utile Is The Best Mahogany Alternative
Mahogany is an iconic wood for furniture and high end millwork. It has been used for hundreds of years as the prime species based on its ease of use, consistent color, and outstanding appearance. These days genuine Mahogany is not used as often.  Not so much because of availability but because the price has been tough to swallow. Regulation of the species has slowed down the supply chain and … [Read more...] about Utile Is The Best Mahogany Alternative
Wood Color Changes Explained
One thing that is difficult when working with wood is the range of colors you find within a single species. All woods will change color throughout the process from sawmill to finished project. Wood continues to change color years down the road. It fades in the sunlight, but some woods also undergo chemical changes that change the wood color. The one thing you can count on is the color will … [Read more...] about Wood Color Changes Explained
Types of Hardwood Plywood & Core Comparisons
Did you know that J. Gibson McIlvain sells plywood? It came to my attention recently when visiting customers that this was not a well known fact. Certainly hardwoods is where our legacy lies with hundreds of years in that market, but we decided to jump into plywood several years ago to offer some alternatives to our customers. Despite plywood's popularity, users tend to know very … [Read more...] about Types of Hardwood Plywood & Core Comparisons
Dark Teak Color Change is Caused by Sun and Exposure
What color is Teak? That is not an easy question to answer. Teak color is discussed a great deal. Specifically Teak color change is what drives people crazy. Wood is an organic material so it moves and changes. Anyone who has worked with wood has noticed the different look of freshly planed lumber from aged and oxidized lumber. In most cases a mellowing of the color and … [Read more...] about Dark Teak Color Change is Caused by Sun and Exposure
Tigerwood Decking or Ipe or Cumaru: Tropical Decking Choices
Spring time is here and with it comes deck building season. This is the time of year when our millwork department spends 75% of the day grooving Ipe decking boards for hidden fasteners. At any given moment there are several trucks being loaded with Ipe or Cumaru or Tigerwood decking to be shipped off to our customers around the country. As we have written about on this blog … [Read more...] about Tigerwood Decking or Ipe or Cumaru: Tropical Decking Choices
Rethink How You Order Hardwoods and Millwork
The supply chain is severely stressed right now as we pass the 1 year mark since the world shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic. The construction trades are reeling and trying to get lumber and millwork as fast as they can, but they are constantly running into empty shelves everywhere they look. This is not news to anyone reading this, but it is also not something we can just resign ourselves to … [Read more...] about Rethink How You Order Hardwoods and Millwork
What is the Proper Deck Board Spacing?
How much space to leave between deck boards? This is the most asked question about installing a deck. The easy answer is 1/4" or about 6 mm. But that answer doesn't take into account a lot of factors and can pose problems further down the road. The moisture content of the decking boards, how long they have had time to acclimate to your environment. How much sun the deck receives, how much … [Read more...] about What is the Proper Deck Board Spacing?
