To a great extent, when it comes to lumber, you do get what you pay for. If you want top-quality boards, you can expect to pay a premium for them. However, there is one way you can get around that rule a little bit: reconsider sizes. We’ve already looked at how the U.S. standards are […]
Lumber
Rethinking Standard Sizes for Lumber, Part 3
Thickness isn’t the only size issue about which the U.S. lumber industry is a little different than the rest of the world. While we tend to prefer thinner thicknesses, we also prefer longer, wider boards. Americans typically prefer boards that are in the 10-12 foot range and refer to boards shorter than 8 feet as […]
Rethinking Standard Sizes for Lumber, Part 2
In Part 1 we discussed the issue of North American norms when it comes to lumber thicknesses and began to explore how that ends up meaning that we pay more per linear foot than do our European and Asian counterparts. This time, we’ll continue to look at that issue and then consider some potential solutions […]
Rethinking Standard Sizes for Lumber, Part 1
We hear it all the time: customers decrying the way lumber prices continue to rise. While we can talk all we want about how lumber pricing is a complicated issue and how higher pricing can actually be good news, we get it: as a customer, you’re concerned about your bottom line. We all wish we […]
Why Color-Matching Lumber Is Nearly Impossible, Part 4
Now that you’ve gained a greater appreciation for the miracle that even remotely color-matched decks truly are, we’re ready to let you in on our lumber experts’ top four principles to follow in attaining color-matched decking lumber for your upcoming build. 1. Start with an Excellent Dealer Seriously, if you do this one thing, the […]
Why Color-Matching Lumber Is Nearly Impossible, Part 3
In an effort to continue to help close that contentment-robbing “expectation gap,” we’ll continue to look at the many reasons for color variation in lumber. Some of the major influences on lumber color have to do with the origin of lumber. By origin, we’re not only referring to the way that the soil and climate […]
Why Color-Matching Lumber Is Nearly Impossible, Part 2
In our effort to explain the many influences on lumber color variation and how it influences the elusive color-matching aim, we’ll begin by explaining how grain and sunlight affect lumber color. Natural Grain Variations As grain flows over knots or moves to provide stability to a tree in its fight against natural powers, an amazing […]
Why Color-Matching Lumber Is Nearly Impossible, Part 1
Have you ever thought about what leads to (or away from) experiencing contentment? Many philosophers and writers have described it as “the expectation gap.” The very same relationship can easily exist between high-quality lumber and an uninformed customer. Often, customers expect lumber to look and behave like mass-produced, manufactured products; as the ultimate “green” building […]
Guide to Decking Lumber: What It Needs at the Jobsite
From the origin of your lumber to your local lumber supplier and then to your job site, your decking lumber goes through a lot. Every time it’s moved or handled, you can expect each decking board to accrue added dirt, grime, and moisture. We’ve already discussed why sanding should be done after installation, and not […]
Guide to Decking Lumber: When It Gets to Us
As we discussed in our last post, decking lumber is not a finished product. Sure, it gets to you in a ready-for-installation form, already S4S, E4E, and possibly grooved to allow for a hidden fastener system. But that doesn’t mean it’s pretty. Not yet, anyway. Since the long, tumultuous journey of your decking boards began […]
