J. Gibson McIlvain has been shipping material to the Caribbean for some time now. We service a lot of builders and contractors from the Virgin Islands and Bermuda to the Bahamas and the West Indies. Our large, on the ground inventory of a huge variety of hardwoods, softwoods, and plywoods means we can ship much faster than the island brokers that these customers rely on normally. A nice bonus … [Read more...] about Shipping Improvements for Caribbean Contractors
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.
Give Your Lumber Room to Move
Winter is just around the corner (less than a week according to my calendar), and while many of us are staying indoors to ride out the colder temperatures, armies of builders and contractors are braving the elements in their day to day jobs. Whether the job be renovating a summer home to get it ready for the next beach season, or making needed repairs to keep the cold out in the coming … [Read more...] about Give Your Lumber Room to Move
Plenty of Ipe to Rebuild East Coast Hurricane Damage
I have written in the past about the difficulties that come with buying Ipe, due to distinct seasons created by the rainy season. Additionally, there is global competition for the resource, and we have had to get more and more savvy about when we buy and how to extend our buying season in order to take best advantage of sizes that quickly become scarce. This year the playing field was set, … [Read more...] about Plenty of Ipe to Rebuild East Coast Hurricane Damage
Do I Need Air Dried or Kiln Dried Ipe Decking?
There is no question that the primary use for Ipe is as a decking material. As a decking product, Ipe is surfaced on 4 sides (S4S) and eased on 4 edges (E4E) which prevents splintering and sharp edges in this very, very hard wood. Depending on how our clients choose to install the Ipe decking, we may have to rout a groove for clip fasteners, but at most, that is all we are doing to the wood … [Read more...] about Do I Need Air Dried or Kiln Dried Ipe Decking?
Lacey Act Compliance Becomes a Little Less Cloudy
It has been more than a year since we wrote about the Lacey Act. What then was something not many people had heard about, let alone understood, has now become front page news since the seizure of material from Gibson Guitars. With 60% of our business in importing exotic hardwoods, we were riveted to the details of this case and wondered how the vaguely worded legislation would be enforced. The … [Read more...] about Lacey Act Compliance Becomes a Little Less Cloudy
The Lumber Industry is Poised on the Cusp of a Market Change
Recently I wrote about the shortage of African Mahogany and how the plummeting market price has essentially killed the lumber mills that harvest it and now there isn't enough supply to meet the demand. Unfortunately it is a growing trend not unique to the lumber industry and I made a passing comment about North America's penchant for this price reduction frenzy. Lumber and many other raw … [Read more...] about The Lumber Industry is Poised on the Cusp of a Market Change
Tru-Dry Radio Frequency Dried Timbers
It has long been established that the only way to dry lumber is slowly with long heat up and cool down times. The maximum temperature and the rate of heating and cooling will vary from species to species. In fact, specific schedules have been published to guide kiln operators, but many kilns have their own practices which they follow, hard won through years of experience. Mixing species is a … [Read more...] about Tru-Dry Radio Frequency Dried Timbers
African Mahogany Shortage is Indicative of a Larger Global Issue
Before anyone gets too excited, there is not a shortage of African Mahogany (Khaya spp) due to over harvesting. There is still plenty in the forests and the species is not endangered at all. The shortage comes from a lack of people harvesting, sawing, and seasoning it. If you read my article about Poplar price increases then this article may give you some deja vu. In the last few weeks and … [Read more...] about African Mahogany Shortage is Indicative of a Larger Global Issue
The Recession Hits Poplar
Poplar is a great utility species and probably one of the best hardwoods when you want a painted finish. It mills really easily, comes in all kinds of widths and lengths, and is dirt cheap. Or is it? It seems that the species that everyone want to use to save money is climbing in price pretty rapidly to the point where we have to question whether it is the economy wood to use anymore. Since the … [Read more...] about The Recession Hits Poplar
The Slippery Slope of Grading Adjustments
I'm knocking on wood as I say this but it does seem that business is picking up and this recession may be waning. However there are some alarming things happening in the building trade that we see as a supplier of everything from plywood to rough lumber. Manufactured and engineered products like moulding and plywood prices seemed to have stalled over the last 5-8 years while hardwoods and … [Read more...] about The Slippery Slope of Grading Adjustments
Plus Sized Decking
In the decking market there are generally 2 thicknesses available for the decking boards: 1" and 5/4. The nominal sizes are 3/4" and 1" respectively. The idea here is that the thicker cut boards are more stable and best used in climates "adverse" to wood. Extreme dry or wet climates and harsh day/night temperature swings puts your decking to the test so the extra thickness can ameliorate this … [Read more...] about Plus Sized Decking
Vision Tally System
In the past year we have upgraded our inventory software and hardware, added new lumber storage, and added new trucks to our fleet. This week we are taking another exciting step forward that will not only make us more efficient but it will ensure greater line of sight into our inventory and be able to increase the accuracy of our shipments outbound to you, our customers. This week with a new … [Read more...] about Vision Tally System
Millwork Quality Control
Starting with top quality lumber and carefully choosing colors is only the beginning when making mouldings and millwork. Even the most choice piece of Mahogany can be ruined if your moulders and planers aren't making quality cuts. Details like blades, feed rate, and board support all work together to make a beautiful cut or a terrible one. Millwork installations place the wood in highly visible … [Read more...] about Millwork Quality Control
Ipe Siding As Rainscreen Cladding
While not a new idea, it is becoming more and more common to see tropical decking and exterior wood species climbing the walls and becoming rainscreen siding. And why not? These weather resistant woods that we trust for our decks will do an even better job of cladding our homes, acting as a rainscreen siding to lock out the moisture and making them beautiful. It seems like a perfect … [Read more...] about Ipe Siding As Rainscreen Cladding
Vague Plywood Grading Leads to Pricing Confusion
What are you paying for plywood? Ask this question to 10 different people and you will get 10 different answers. You will also find that those 10 people have 10 different products even though they are calling them the same thing. The issue is that plywood grades are just not simple and leave a lot of room for interpretation. This means you can have 2 sheets of plywood with the same grade and … [Read more...] about Vague Plywood Grading Leads to Pricing Confusion
Paint Grade Material
For most of us when you think of painting wood you think of Poplar. This is probably the best species around for taking paint well with it's good base color and close pores. Very little if any priming is necessary and the paint flows smoothly across the surface. Plus you just can't beat the price of Poplar! This is great for interior work but once you head outside Poplar … [Read more...] about Paint Grade Material
Lumber Sustainability and Stewardship
Whenever someone learns that I work for a lumber company I am often greeted with questions about where our lumber comes from or how we are coping with waning supply. The general perception is that loggers clear cut every tree in the last 200 years and there are so few trees left that how could an industry such as ours continue to operate. Whether this is because of an exhausted supply or in good … [Read more...] about Lumber Sustainability and Stewardship
Teak Specifications are Different from Other Wood Species
Lumber users have come to expect certain general specifications from their wood such as commonly available lengths and widths. However when talking about Teak those specifications play by their own rules. The reality is that is not so much the tree's natural limitations but the market driven price point that effects how Teak is available. Between sheer distance from forest to lumber yard and … [Read more...] about Teak Specifications are Different from Other Wood Species
Choosing the Best Wood: A Special Customer Request
One of our core value adds here at J. Gibson McIlvain is that we know a LOT about wood. Every day we help our customers pick the best species for their project and advise on care, installation, and maintenance. Recently it seems one of our would- be customers decided to test us to see how good we really are. It was a few weeks ago when one of the jolliest people you have ever heard called in. He … [Read more...] about Choosing the Best Wood: A Special Customer Request
Why J Gibson McIlvain
Over the last 6-8 months I have spoken with many of our customers and our sales staff in an effort to understand our place in the market and why people buy from us. The stories and feedback I got were powerful and helped to crystallize some points that have been running around my head for several months relating to why someone should use J Gibson McIlvain as their wood supplier. In every … [Read more...] about Why J Gibson McIlvain