Wood Science . Blogspot

Wood Science is Now LumberTalk . com

2007-11-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that Wood Science has officially moved to LumberTalk.com.

After more than two years, it has become more than I expected and needs more than blogger to continue with my plans for it. LumberTalk will have even more useful content with more how-to's, technical information, and even regular profiles and interviews with small companies in the lumber industry.

The content (started in 2005) on Wood Science will remain as it is and all new content will be added to Lumber Talk from now on.

Thank you,

Chris
www.LumberTalk.com

Beautiful Structural Timber Trusses

2007-11-14T12:54:00.000-08:00

I ran across these structural timber trusses today when I was looking at small home plans from Ross Chapin Architects and it reminded me of the Parts of a Structural Timber Truss sketchcast I made a while back.

These structural timber trusses at the Whidbey Institute are absolutely beautiful. I am not sure who made them but I will probably try to find out later.

They have an impressive sense of balance. I especially like the way they burst out of the vertical columns along walls and reach up to the walls as well as the ceilings. The timber trusses themselves support the structure of the building instead of being supported by the wall and only supporting the roof. These structural timber trusses have a great balance between being structural and aesthetically appealing. They are as interesting as they are functional.

Here's a broad view of them.

Small Home Plans

2007-11-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

Small home plans typically include plans for small homes under 1,800 square feet but this article is really about small home plans for small homes under 1,000 square feet.

Often small homes under a thousand square feet are used as cabins or weekend homes but there is a growing movement towards living in very small homes to take advantage of energy savings, minimal investment in land and home, and because some people just enjoy the outdoors more and consider a home to be a place for sleeping. That's where my interest in small home plans really comes from.

Not exactly regular small home plans but if you are looking for a DIY small home, this is a fantastic step by step construction of the small home pictured above (really a small cabin).

Some Considerations for Choosing Small Home Plans

How much small do you really need? Be honest with yourself and your lifestyle and don't try to choose a small home plan that will require you to live in a new way.

Why do you want a small home? Do you want to be outside more? Save energy? Be less wasteful? Save money? Build something yourself? Want a second home? There is a very good chance your reason for searching for small home plans is different from one of the above.

Where are you building your home? Make sure the small home plan you choose makes sense for where you are building as well as why you want to build. If you are trying to save energy, a small home plan for a house made mostly of glass that you are going to build in the middle of the desert might not be the best idea. That's extreme but you get the idea. At least, I hope so.

What do your small home plans include? Before purchasing your small home plans be clear about what is included with your purchase. Do you get hard copies of the drawings, blueprints, a cd with plans, and a materials lists? Do you get just one of those or all of them? Can you make copies or do you have to buy additional copies? Do the small home plans meet the building codes for your building location?

This is not an endorsement (though I will take kickbacks if they want to give them) but my favorite small home plans are designed by Ross Chapin Architects.

Another WoodScience post about small homes.

How to Build a Dock Foundation

2007-10-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

This sketchcast is an overview of the basic components required to build a dock or pier foundation and how they fit together.

The main components are:

Pilings
Pile Caps/Beams
Stringers

You will also need the appropriate hardware and surface deck materials for your pier or dock. The sketchcast does not cover spans or what sizes of materials you should use. There are a lot of variable to take into consideration for that stuff. So, if you want my advice I will go for the mega overbuild. Check with your local building codes and consult an engineer to be safe.

Make sure you use properly treated wood when building your dock or pier. For fresh water, use wood treated to at least .60 pcf and use 2.5 pcf for saltwater. Marine environments are really tough on wood.

Along the same vein, use the best hardware you can get. The price difference will be next-to-nothing and you will always know that your dock or pier is really strong. Use hot dipped galvanized or even stainless steel hardware.

If you have any questions about the components, where to get them, or how to build a dock or pier foundation, post a comment here.

Plywood Grades & Information

2007-09-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

I get questions about plywood grades from time to time so I figured I would see what it is already out there about plywood and compile it for you here. There is some good stuff.

Plywood Grades Sources:

Plywood - this is like a plywood 101 and 201 combined. It covers hardwood plywood, how plywood is made, uses for plywood, and plywood grades.
Plywood Grades Stamps - Even though this is a lesson specific to TECO, it still applies to the plywood grades stamps on most plywood.
Softwood Plywood Grades - Informative article that sticks closely to construction plywood grades. Excellent read if you are about to building something with plywood.
Hardwood Plywood Grading Rules - Sticks to hardwood plywood grading and gives a very clear explanation.

Plywood Grades (from "Plywood")

CDX: Lowest grade of exterior plywood available usually used for sheathing on roofs or walls. Can be used for utility purpose. Available in 3/8", ½", 5/8" and ¾"thicknesses in 4x8 pieces.

5/8" Underlayment: 4x8 used for subflooring, when a smooth surface is needed. This plywood is made with exterior glue.

BC Plywoods: BC grade plywoods have one finished face usually yellow pine made with exterior glue and is available in 3/8", ½", and ¾" in 4x8 pieces.

Finished and Special Purpose Panels Plywood Grades

AC Plywoods: AC grade plywoods have one finished face usually Douglas Fir made with exterior glue and is available in ¼", 3/8", ½, 5/8" and ¾" pieces.

Luan Plywood: A cheap grade of Mahogany plywood available in 1/8" and ¼" 4x8 pieces. Perfect for Cabinet backing, or any utility purpose.

BB Plyform: ¾" 4x8 sheets finished 2 faces, oiled for easy removal after being used for concrete forming.

Hardboard: Standard pressed hardboard 4x8 sheets available in 1/8" and ¼" thicknesses. Pegboard available in the same sizes.

Homasote: ½"x 4 x 8 sound board. Used on floors or wall for sound barrier, also great as bulletin boards.

A/B Marine: Marine plywood available in ¼", 3/8", ½" and ¾" thicknesses 4x8 sheets (sold by the sheet only). Marine plywood is usually used in boat making application. The same exterior glue as in all exterior construction grade plywoods is used. The main difference, and what makes marine plywood more expensive is the voidless inner plys that make up the plywood. Inner plys must be solid. (A boats motor causes vibration, if a plywood with inner voids is used the plywood can delaminate. Marine plywood has all voidless inner plys.)

MDO: Medium Density Overlay is regular plywood core with a smooth 10 mill paper applied to one or both faces. The smooth paper facing is an excellent surface for painting signs. If sealed and primed properly MDO can be used outside. Thicknesses available in 3/8", ½", ¾" GIS an G2S. 4x8 sheets.

MDF: Medium Density Fiberboard, a heavy fibered board used in cabinet making. Excellent for paint applications. What Cabinet makers like about the product is it’s routeable surface. MDF is also used in making speaker cabinets. Sizes available are ½" and ¾" sheets.

CCA Treated Plywood: A grade of "green" CCA treated plywood is chemically treated to prevent corrosion. Re-Dried after treatment, this plywood is excellent for exterior application.

Hardwood Plywoods: Species types are: Birch, Red Oak, Cherry, Mahogany, Walnut and Maple. Sizes are available in ¼", 3/8", ½", ¾" in most species types. Most Hardwood plywoods stocked are graded A-1 which means good on one face. Other grade designations are Cabinet Grade and paint grade for more common used birch panels.

Treated Wood Vine Posts

2007-09-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Treated wood vine post alternatives. This is a short post from Decanter about how vineyards are moving from the use of treated wood vine posts to metal posts because of the perceived dangers of CCA.

Alternatives to CCA treated wood vine posts include:

ACQ (Alkaline Copper Quaternary) treated posts
MCQ (Micronized Copper Quaternary) treated posts

There are others but you still face a few of the problems posed in the Decanter article. Namely, you cannot burn treated wood vine posts or chip them for mulch or bedding.

Metal vine posts might be the option for the future but they have the same UNappeal as synthetic corks - they work just as well but don't look as cool.

Timber Frame Construction

2007-09-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

I found some free ebooks today from the American Wood Council that will help you with any timber frame construction project you are working on. They include information about topics ranging from spans to timber frame connections to proper materials choices. They are totally free, compliments of the AWC. Enjoy your timber frame construction project.

Plank-and-Beam Framing for Residential Buildings ebook
Heavy Timber Construction ebook
Design of Wood Frame Structures for Permanence ebook

Whether you are building a house, barn, or bridge each of these will help you with your timber frame construction project - especially the "Heavy Timber Construction" ebook.

You can buy treated or untreated timbers from American Pole and Timber.

How to Build a Wood Bulkhead

2007-08-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

This is a sketchcast of how to build a wood bulkhead. It covers the basic design and components of a wood bulkhead. This is a follow up of how to build a vinyl bulkhead a few weeks ago.

Here are the basic wood bulkhead components covered in the sketchast:

Pilings
Wales
Center Match
Filter Cloth
Tie Rods
Dead Men
Hardware

One main point is to always make sure you use properly treated wood when building a wood bulkhead as it will have a huge impact on how long the wall lasts. If you are building in saltwater, use wood treated to a retention of 2.5 pcf. If your bulkhead will be in freshwater, use at least .60 pcf treated wood.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

Parts of a Structural Timber Truss

2007-08-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is another sketchcast about the basic parts of a structural timber truss. This should give you some basic knowledge about structural timber truss terms and components so you will have some idea of what you are talking about when you discuss your project with your supplier, architect, or engineer (or all of them).

There are many kinds of timber trusses (not all are structural) and most consist of the same basic components, as covered in the Parts of a Timber Truss Sketchcast. Enjoy.

I liked this first-hand article from Deer Tracks & Trails about Timber Roof Trusses. He also suggests that trusses should be engineered - sound advice.

Here is a good page with truss types with pictures. There are WAAAY better ones out there but I cannot find the one I really want right now.

If you are looking for someone to build your structural timber trusses, American Pole and Timber manufactures excellent custom structural timber trusses. Ask for Eric Lincoln. Eric will help you with the design, if needed, and will make sure you end up with a beautiful structural timber trusses you will be proud to display and show off.

If you are looking for simple roof trusses - trusses that are used to build a regular house (trusses are NOT exposed) this Manufactured Roof Truss page.

How to Build a Vinyl Bulkhead

2007-07-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

This is a sketchcast of how to build a vinyl bulkhead. From a side view, it covers the basic required components, a few key terms, and very general installation guidelines of a building a vinyl bulkhead.

It does not endorse any specific vinyl sheet piling brand because installation of most of them is the same with a few exceptions.

Vinyl Bulkhead Materials & Terms

Vinyl Sheet Piling - the piling itself, usually made of PVC with UV inhibitors.
Wale - treated lumber or timber used to support the front of the bulkhead.
Backboard - treated lumber or timber used to support the backside of the bulkhead.
Tie Rod - galvanized or stainless rod with threads on each end used to connect the bulkhead to the deadmen.
Deadmen - treated posts or short poles buried behind the wall and connected to the bulkhead to support the vinyl bulkhead and prevent it from collapsing into the water under extreme pressure from behind.
Top Cap - treated lumber or timber used to cover the top of the bulkhead. Usually connected to the backboard and front wale using screws or nails.
Mud Line - bottom of the water.
50/50 Rule - commonly used rule for vinyl bulkhead design stating that the sheet piling should be driven as far into the ground (below the mud line) as it is exposed. 50% of the sheet should be below the mud line and 50% of the sheet should be above the mud line.

Plastic Lumber & Wood

2007-07-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Synthetic lumber is rapidly becoming a more commonly used material in construction. In the past, it was used mostly for outdoor furniture or fixtures but with improvements in strengths and weathering properties, plastic lumber is being used more in capital construction.

In another post I covered some of the many composite deck options but this post is about the broader use of plastic lumber and some of current options.

Polywood, Inc, based in New Jersey, "manufactures structural plastic lumber from post-consumer and post-industrial recycled plastics. Using our patented technologies, we’re developing and advancing the use of structural, industrial plastic lumber." They claim their polywood is "tougher and more resilient" than treated wood. I would like to know more about what they mean by "tougher" but you have to contact them for their technical data. I am always skeptical of imitation products.

Bedford Technology makes Fiber Force plastic lumber for building playground equipment, pedestrian bridges, and other small outdoor structures. "[Fiber Force is] made of recycled high density polyethylene plastic, colorants, ultraviolet stabilizers, and combined with fiberglass." It also comes in a variety of colors, including blue, red, and yellow. Amazingly, they offer sizes up to 12x12-20'!

American Composite Timbers (ACT) makes structural lumber and timbers (also up to 12x12) "composed of recycled plastic, fiberglass and select additives which offer a choice of colors, UV stabilization, and if special ordered, flame retardancy." To me, the flame option of adding a flame retardant is the interesting thing because there are not many outdoor products (especially in wood options) that are flame retardant.

TimberGuard is an interesting and durable option I have actually seen before. It is NOT plastic lumber but is polymer wrapped lumber so it has the proven strength of wood. It is made with a process that kind of pushes the lumber through a sheet of thick polymer materials that dries into a very hard shell around the wood. It is very tough stuff.

21 POLY is similar to TimberGuard but is a polymer coating that is sprayed onto wood (usually about 1/16" thick) and binds to the wood fibers. It is an excellent product and is very easy to work with. You can drill, cut, and nail it and it comes in tan, green, dark brown, and battleship gray.

I will try to keep up with plastic lumber and poly lumber options out there but this list is a good start for durable outdoor materials.

Pine Beetle Problems in BC

2007-07-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent article in Inside British Columbia, written by Dave Neads, discussing the region's massive-scale pine beetle problem and its effects on timber supply, the economy, and even the society as it moves into the future.

To give you an idea of the scale of the forestry problem consider the Chilcotin, an area the size of Switzerland, predominantly forested with lodgepole pine. By 2010 it is estimated that the MPB will have killed roughly half a billion trees in the Chilcotin. Half a billion. That would represent 25 years of logging at current rates. All gone in the next few years.

Here is some Wood Science information about Southern Pine Beetles.

Tree Topping and Felling Video

2007-07-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

In this video a tree is topped and then felled by a man in a bucket.

Loading Logs on a LoggingTruck

2007-07-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

This is a great video of a logging truck being loaded by a loader. The loader is pretty talented. It is about the same all the way through so once you have seen the first 3o seconds or so you can probably move on to the next video.

Pressure Treated Wood and Gardening

2007-07-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

I just ran across this article about using pressure treated wood in raised gardens on Compost Bin, a blog mostly about gardening.

It is a good article and includes information from John Bumby of The Maine Wood Treaters about various treated wood options and why ACQ is corrosive to hardware.

Here's another post from Projo Garden Blog on the topic of treated wood in your garden: "Pressure treated wood and gardening: newer solutions."

I built a raised garden this year and feel like the plastic liner I used made the treatment used to preserve the wood (ACQ in my case) virtually irrelevant.

Wood Column Suppliers and Manufacturers

2007-06-12T05:29:00.000-07:00

Wood Columns are sometimes difficult to find online and when you do find them prices are not usually listed.

I have put together a list of wooden column suppliers here who have good selections, listed prices, or both. Of course you can call any of them for prices and some offer free online quotes when you submit their contact forms.

HB&G Columns - My favorite wood columns site. They have, and display, round and square wood columns and openly list their pricing. The site is nice, clean, and easy to use. The site includes the full range of information you might need about their columns whether you are an architect, builder, or DIYer. HB&G even has an installation video and a pdf.

Melton Classics - Good selection of wood columns and the site shows technical specifications of the column options. No prices posted. 10 year warranty on columns.

Chadsworth's 1.800 Columns - simple to use website and a good selection. They do not post prices due to fluctuating raw materials costs as they say on their "special announcement" dated September 21, 2005 (this posted 6-12-07).

Timeless Architectural Reproductions - Paint grade and stain grade wood columns. No prices listed on their website.

Colonial Columns - I am not a fan of the design of this site but that is not the point of this. Colonial Columns has a good list of wood columns and caps and bases and an installation guide for caps and bases.

Pagliacco Turning & Milling - Their website makes choosing the style you want simple.

Worthington Millwork - Nice site with a great column installation guide. If you need to know how to install a column, look here. They also have a great list of allowable capacities for their columns as well as specs and cad drawings (free cd).

AIC Millworks - Interior columns. They show pricing (and they are not bad) but have a somewhat limited variety.

Imperial Columns - If your eyes can handle the website you can see their prices. My vision was collapsing so I don't know if the prices were good or not.

Columns.net - They have a good selection of wood columns and great tool for choosing your cap, column, and base that shows what your column will look like.

Elite Crown Moldings - A Canadian company with a limited selection of wood columns but they do have a price list and you can order online.

Redwood Suppliers and Information

2007-06-07T05:41:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of questions about redwood and where to buy it. Here is a list of companies that supply redwood lumber. Redwood is an excellent wood for decks, fences, gazebos, and patio because it is strong and naturally resistant to damage from termites and rot. Typically, there are two categories of redwood grades:

Garden or Construction Grades - ranges from rough with large knots to pretty clean (sometimes called "construction heart" or "con heart redwood")
Architectural Grades - tight or no knots (sometimes called "clear heart redwood")

To learn more about redwood grades and uses, start at the California Redwood Association. They have a fairly comprehensive redwood FAQ and an excellent page about available redwood grades.

Redwood Suppliers

OregonWildWood sells very high quality (furniture quality) redwood.
Himes&Starr in Carrollton, TX supplies redwood deck materials and some redwood timbers.
Redwood Lumber & Supply Company in California specializes in redwood.
Capital Lumber supplies redwood from multiple locations across the west and southwest and also has a redwood MSDS.
R.H. Wilson supplies redwood in the UK.
McGee Lumber in North Carolina supplies redwood lumber.

I found this redwood supplier locater on the California Redwood Association's website. They have it covered. I have given them enough links in this post, I should get some kick backs.

Good luck. I hope you find the redwood you are looking for.

Chain Saw Safety Video - Directional Face Notch

2007-06-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

Below are two videos about chain saw safety that are definitely worth watching.

The first video shows how to safely and correctly cut a Directional Face Notch.

The second video is produced by Lowes Home Improvement and is a very thorough safey guide for using a chainsaw - especially for a home user.

It covers topics such as:

General chain saw safety features
Protective clothing and equipment
Safely starting a chainsaw
Checking area where you are going to cut
Limbing and bucking
Binding and kickback
Common sense

If you are going to be using a chainsaw, be careful.

Earthquake Test on Two Story House

2007-06-07T05:05:00.000-07:00

This video shows a controlled earthquake test on a two story wood house. Watch how much the house flexes with the ground movement, especially at the connection between the first and second floors.

It is easy to imagine the damage an earthquake can cause to the structural integrity of a house and this demonstrates that very well.

Setting a Utility Pole with Air

2007-06-04T12:10:00.001-07:00

This is a video of a utility pole being set in the sandy ground using an air jet. According to the guy on the video they are using 13,000 cubic pounds of air per minute. I have never seen this method used on dry land. It is often used to "jet" pilings into the ground along sandy shorelines. This is great, especially considering the size of the pole.

Lumberjacks Logging Giant Trees

2007-06-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting and fun video of lumberjacks cutting some really big trees. It's called "A Tree Story." I didn't realize the last step in felling a giant tree is RUN!

Unfortunately, you have to click this link and leave Woodscience.blogspot.com but it is worth the visit. Lumberjacks cutting giant trees video.

Splitting Logs with Black Powder

2007-06-04T09:50:00.001-07:00

This is pretty cool. These guys had a really big log they needed to split into smaller pieces. I am kind of impressed at the precision with which they split the log. Do not try this at home.

Cutting Timbers with Portale Band Saw Mill

2007-06-04T08:40:00.001-07:00

This is not a video of professional sawyers (at least it does not appear so) but it does show the basics of how logs are cut with a portable saw mill - logs on ground, logs on mill, band saw cuts, timbers stacked.

Discovery of the Tallest Tree in the World

2007-06-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

This video is about the discovery and climb of the tallest tree in the world. The tree is 115.55 meters, or 379.10 feet, tall. The view from the top is pretty cool.

Building Small Houses

2007-05-25T04:58:00.001-07:00

There is a population group of people who want small (even downright tiny) houses. I happen to be one of them. People are intrigued by the idea of owning a really small home for many reasons including:

small houses require less energy for utilities
small houses require less maintenance
more investment in land versus house
being outside is better than inside
small footprint/impact on natural settings
the intrigue of owning fewer possessions

The Small House Society is an excellent place to start looking if you are interested in building a small house. From their website:

Defining Small Houses. People often ask what defines a small house. To our knowledge, there are no set guidelines to determine when a house is considered tiny or small. A space that might be considered small for a family of four would be large if only a single person were living in it. The goal is for each person to find the right size space that fits their life and comfort level.
There is a category of small homes which are under 500 square feet. A house of such small size might be referred to as a micro house, compact house, mini house, tiny house, small house, or little house. As you will see from our Resources page, our interests are broad and include all sizes of homes - not just the miniscule house. However, these miniature houses are what seems to grab the attention of the media. So, that is why they are often associated with our organization.
Benefits. There are many beneficial aspects to the small house movement and the trend toward living in smaller spaces. There are benefits to individuals and society. People who live in smaller living spaces generally own fewer possessions, consume less, and have lower utility bills. Smaller homes require less building materials for construction and smaller land use - therefore costing much less to purchase, maintain, and live in. Construction of smaller homes can utilize more efficient, natural, healthy, high-quality materials that might not be affordable in a larger dwelling. All of these benefits result in healthier, more cost effective living, and a better environment.
Defining Small Houses. People often ask what defines a small house. To our knowledge, there are no set guidelines to determine when a house is considered tiny or small. A space that might be considered small for a family of four would be large if only a single person were living in it. The goal is for each person to find the right size space that fits their life and comfort level.

There is a category of small homes which are under 500 square feet. A house of such small size might be referred to as a micro house, compact house, mini house, tiny house, small house, or little house. As you will see from our Resources page, our interests are broad and include all sizes of homes - not just the minuscule house. However, these miniature houses are what seems to grab the attention of the media. So, that is why they are often associated with our organization.

You can find more information at sites such as TreeHugger, Sunlight Homes blog, and this article on great small homes from the New York Times.

Small House Plans

There are a hand full of companies that sell small house plans and even small house kits or pre-built small homes that are delivered to your land or site. The range of styles is almost unlimited and, of course, you can always have one custom designed by an architect based on your specifications. Here are some suppliers of small home plans and kits:

Small Home Communities

I would like to see a small home community. So far, I have only seen small homes used by individuals as temporary or permanent living on acreage and only a few in actual neighborhoods. What I have never seen is an entire community built with small or tiny (micro) homes. It is easy to imagine an entire community of small homes with lots of green space, trees, a pond, decks, and a social population of outdoors-minded neighbors. If anyone knows of such a community, please let me know.

This is an update to this post - July 19, 2007. PopSciBlog wrote a post about tiny houses on July 17, 2007. I really hope this means small homes are coming on the mass' radars. The tiny-homes communities are becoming clearer to me.

DayCreek Solar Post and Beam House

2007-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is great. DayCreek.com is mostly about the [green] construction of this house with a few ramblings tossed in here and there. I particularly like the first-hand information about the solar-panel use after a year and his Barn Board Bonanza story of taking the wood from old barns that were going to be demolished anyway.

Summary: The house is 16-sided, post and beam frame, and has two independent cordwood walls with foam insulation between the wall units. The mortar used to construct the cordwood walls is comprised of an experimental mix of paper, sand and masonry cement. The house is built on a rubble-trench foundation, reducing the amount of concrete typically required for a frost wall. The primary water source for the house is a underground rainwater cistern with a conventional well as a backup source in times of drought. The house is heated using passive and active solar, wood stove and electric boiler (off peak rate) as a backup. Electricity is supplied from the local utility and a grid-intertie, 4.2kW solar electric system.

There is also some other great information about living self-sufficiently, green construction, and renewable energy.

Exterior Protective Wood Stains, Sealers, and Coatings

2007-05-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

We are covering three classes of topical wood protection here - Stains, Sealers, and Polymer wood coatings.

Each is made for the purpose of protecting wood from harsh environments of varying degrees and each has pros and cons.

First, these are the main causes of damage to wood:

Water
Water is absorbed into the wood and washes out the natural wood resins and color. Freezing/thaw cycles can splinter and crack the wood. Also water promotes algae, mold, and mildew growth and rotting. In harsh marine environments, marine boring organisms are probably the largest threat to wood.

Sun
Ultraviolet (UV) rays bleach the wood fibers and breaks down the cell structure.

Mold, Mildew, Algae, Fungus
Wood and moisture are a natural food source for mold, mildew, algae, and fungus. This generally causes a black, green or gray discoloration.

Contamination
Contamination comes in the form of food, dirt, atmospheric pollution, etc. This is a good food source for Mold, Mildew, Algae, and Fungus.

Wood Boring Organisms
Shipworms, Gribbles, and termites are the biggest threats. Shipworms and gribbles lives in wood at the surface level of water and commonly cause the "hour-glass" shape in pilings at the waterline. There are various kinds of termites but, basically, they all eat wood. Pressure treating wood usually eliminates most of the danger of termites because it effectively makes the wood inedible to termites.

Wood Stains - Least Protection
Although they do offer a slim layer of protection, wood stains are not actually considered to be protective coatings but many colored stains do offer protection from the sun's UV rays. Further, fungicides are often added to inhibit mold and mildew growth. Be very clear that the primary purpose of stains is to color wood.

Here is what the Paint Quality Institute Says about Stains:

To understand exterior stains, it's important to recognize that these popular products fall into two broad categories, according to experts at the Paint Quality Institute, a leading authority on the subject. There are "semi-transparent" (sometimes called "transparent") stains, and "solid color" (or "opaque") stains.

Semi-transparent stains are applied in a relatively thin coating that allows both the grain and texture of the underlying wood to show through.

Solid color stains contain more pigment than semi-transparent stains, are of heavier consistency, and go on in thicker coats, which still reveal the texture of the wood, but not the grain. Because they are more highly pigmented, these types of stain have more "hiding" ability, which makes them a better choice for blemished wood, and on projects involving different types of wood.

Both semi-transparent and solid color stains come in oil-based and latex-based formulations. Oil-based exterior stains tend to penetrate wood, while latex stains form a protective film on the surface.

The best brands are Cabot and Wolman.

Wood Sealers - Medium Protection
Sealers are made to protect wood against against moisture, sun, snow, (UV rays), and usually from mold and mildew as well. Using a great sealer can greatly reduce the amount of cracking and checking in your wood and greatly increase the life of your structure.

Microporous, or penetrating, sealers are best to use because they allow moisture to escape so it will not remain in the wood and increase the rate of decay. Essentially, they allow the wood to "breathe" a little.

From what I have seen and read, the best brands of wood sealers are Cabot and Wolman although the most popular brands are Behr and Thompson's. According to an article at www.dcs1.com:

"About the only product that most contract cleaners will agree on is that "Thompsons" is not a product of choice!"

For an easy test to find out if your deck or fence needs to be resealed.

Polymer and Plastic Wood Coatings - Major Protection
Polymer and plastic coatings keep chemicals in the wood and harmful elements completely out of it. Environmental concerns about the chemicals used to pressure treat wood made the use of plastic coatings such as EPL more popular because a plastic coating can completely encapsulate treated wood and the chemicals used to treat it. Polymer coatings such as 21 POLY are usually used in marine environments and are extremely effective at encapsulating wood and protecting it against attacks from marine borers. 21 POLY is so effective pilings coated with it come with a 25 year guarantee even in saltwater. That's a big statement because saltwater is a really harsh environment for wood structures.

If there is a downside to plastic and polymer coatings it might be the difficulty or inconvenience of applying them. Plastic is thick and heavy and easily applied incorrectly leaving an uneven surface. Vinyl coatings usually come in two part components and must be applied before construction using special equipment. They are, however, exceptionally effective for their intended purposes.

There is the overview of the three main classes of topical protective wood products. Best of luck on your projects. Leave comments if you have questions.

Pressed Truss Suppliers

2007-04-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

This is a list of pressed truss suppliers by location. There are no manufacturers of timber trusses here. If you want quality timber trusses go to AmericanPoleAndTimber.com.

First, this is cool. See the truss calculator from Get-a-quote.

Truss manufacturers: Alpine engineering truss manufacturing members list

Truss Manufacturers Association of Texas (TMAT) members list

Wisconsin Truss Manufacturers Association members list

Stone Truss in California

Delta Truss, Inc of Florida

Ridgway Roof Truss Company in Florida

Razor Truss in South Carolina

Howarth Timber in the UK

Scherer Brother of Minnesota

Escondido Roof Truss Company in California

Concord Truss in New Jersey

Construction Resource Network

2007-04-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

"The Contractors Choice"
DeadBeats1.net
The Construction Resource Network. A Site Made by Contractors, For Contractors. Providing the BEST Construction Resources on the Net!
Permits, Construction forms, Legal forms, Demand Letters & More!

Composite Decking Choices

2007-04-23T05:15:00.000-07:00

There are now numerous choices for composite decking and lumber and, frankly, I think people are a little confused and maybe even misinformed. The growth of composite deck brands has been outrageous over the last few years and sales of composite lumber as a whole is expected to exceed $3 Billion in 2008 so I want to clear up a little of the confusion and bring some of the leading composites to light.

First, some of the negatives of composite decking materials are:

Composite decking is typically NOT structural. This may not be true for all brands. This will become apparent if there is any kind of failure in your deck's substructure because the deck's surface will bow and bend with the underlying failures.
Composite gets dirty easily. Stains, scratches, and mold usually form and show easily on most composite decking.
Does not look like wood. While this is a matter of preference, just be honest about it. If you want composite - great - but please do not try to pretend that anyone will be fooled into thinking your composite decking is, or even looks similar to, wood (EVER).

Trex - Trex is made from reclaimed wood and plastic, comes in multiple colors and finishes, can be bent slightly to create contours in your deck, and can be installed using traditional screws.
ChoiceDek - ChoiceDek is a Weyerhauser product made from recycled wood and polyethylene and is only available at Lowe's. It comes in 4 colors, two finishes, and is very similar to Trex in that is can be bent slightly and installed using regular screws.
Correct Deck - Correct Deck is made from wood and polypropylene, comes in many colors, and can be installed using regular screws or with special hidden hardware so no screws show from the top.
TimberTech - Timbertech is made from "reclaimed wood fibers and pure plastic resins," comes in a variety of colors, and must be installed with their special hardware - meaning no screws show from the top but that you have to buy the special hardware. Timbertech also has a composite fence product.
EverGrain - Evergran is made from plastic and wood. It is available in many colors and can be installed using regular screws and hardware.
GeoDeck - GeoDeck is made of plastic and recycled plastic and blended with a mixture of "purified cellulose fibers and other minerals." It requires special hardware for installation and is available in three colors. GeoDeck's biggest claim is that their decking will not fade.
WeatherBest - WeatherBest is a Louisiana Pacific product made from wood flour and high density polyethylene. It is available in multiple colors and installs with regular screws.
Veranda - Veranda composite decking made by Universal Forest Products from a mixture of wood and plastic, comes in a variety of colors, and can be installed using regular deck screws. Veranda composite deck boards have two textures - one face is smooth and the other is wood-grain.
Eon - Eon Decking is "the only 100% plastic" decking product - whether you like that or not. Eon comes in 4 colors, has a wood-grain finish and looks like plastic (at least to me). Eon requires the use of the Eon fastener system for proper installation.

Tips for Composite Decking Installation and Care

Pre-drill for all screws.

Build a better/stronger substructure than you would for a regular wood deck.

Keep the surface clean. Composites offer lower maintenance costs if you keep them clean - free of dirt, oils, a free standing water.

Small Wood Poles, Posts, and Dowels

2007-04-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

This is a list of companies that sell small wood posts, poles, and dowels of unusual sizes. There are a variety of wood types including maple, oak, pine, birch, and mahogany.

If you are looking for 3" x 12' (or similar size) poles, Marks-Miller is the place for you.

Marks-Miller Post & Pole, Inc.
Wood LD
Woodworker's Supply
McFeely's
Anchor Fence Company Locust posts
Excel Dowel & Wood Products
Rockler
Hoover Fence

If you are looking for treated fence posts in large quantities or large poles and timbers, go to American Pole And Timber.

Horse Jump Poles

2007-04-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

Where to find Horse Jump Poles. Materials include wood, vinyl, and even some other vinyl materials.

Old Dominion Jumps & Standards
Premier Equestrian
State Line Tack
Classy Courses Inc.
Next Day Jumps
Take 5 Equestrian
Light 'N Lasting
Jump 4 Joy

Also, look for horse jump poles in the menus at the left and top of this page as they change from time to time.

If you are looking for materials to make your own horse jump poles to save money I can tell you from experience it is tough to do unless you are producing some pretty major quantities. Also, jump poles are an irregular size for typical wood industry uses. For instance, it is difficult to find 3" diameter poles x 12' long - the size most commonly requested.

Barn Plans

2007-04-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

I get asked about where to find barn plans and kits almost daily so here is a list of places to find barn plans and barn kits. There are usually some sites and helpful books listed at the margins of this blog as well so please look there.

BarnPlans - Plans for house barns, horse barns, even dog houses.
BarnsBarnsBarns - Plans for - and illustrations of - barns, stables, houses of many styles.
ABetterBarn - Do-it-yourself barn plans.
BarnPlan - Mix of sources for plans, materials, and ideas.
StableWise - Horse farm planning including barns and stables.
BackRoadHomes - Barns and cabins you can live in.
BarnsByGardener - Specializes in barn construction.
RodeoBarns - Barn kits with plans ready for assembly.
BarnMakers - Barn kits and they offer assembly guidance and labor.

Companies that Buy Old Barns or Sell Old Lumber

2007-04-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

I field many questions about where to sell an old barn or where to sell the materials from an old barn. Alternatively, I get questions from people who want to buy old barns or old used barn wood siding or antique barn beams.

So, here is a list of companies that buy and/or sell old barn wood or used or antique lumber. Most do both to one degree or another so I have not separated them.

Old Barn Wood Site . com
Mountain Lumber . com
Antique Wood Co . com
Old Barn Wood . com
Antique Arbor . com
Old West Wood . com

I hope this helps you on your quest to sell your old barn or buy old or used lumber.

If you are simply looking for large timbers or poles, you can always go to www.AmericanPoleAndTimber.com.

The Timber House - of the Future

2007-04-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Timber House is an interesting concept from Houses of the Future.

The Timber House uses timbers and timber-fiber products to create a home that blends well with a natural environment in both form and practicality.

Eco-friendly design is incorporated throughout the home from its integrated water management system to the solar power system that runs through the house (red streak in the picture at right).

In addition to being stylish and decidedly green, the Timber House is pre-manufactured and assembled on site using relatively low-tech methods and requiring little skilled labor.

I hope we see these catch on. Imagine a neighborhood made of these.

Hardwood Inventory on Display

2007-03-27T05:10:00.000-07:00

Coastal Lumber Company in Weldon, N.C. keeps a list of their hardwood and exotic wood inventory on their website available for download. You can sign up for their mailing list and have it mailed to you periodically as well.

I am highlighting the company because of their use of the internet to distribute information about their offerings in a slightly different way than most of their peers.

Click on "Hardwood Inventory" at Coastal Lumber.com to see a list of their on hand, including species such as:

Ash
Cherry
Basswood
Hard Maple
Red Oak
Poplar
Hickory
Soft Maple
Walnut
White Oak
Cypress

How to Build a Barn (video)

2007-03-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

This is great! It is about 5 minutes long but it shows the complete barn build from flat ground to completed barn - including using an auger to drill holes, setting timbers, framing, setting trusses, window, door, roofing, siding, everything...

If you are looking for information about how to build a barn, watch this. Ok, they call it a garage but barn is so similar and no one ever asks me how to build a garage.

Enjoy.

Log Home Materials

2007-03-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

I like this website. Kudos to Johnson Lumber for doing a great job of displaying their log home materials information and even including pricing.

They even list the prices for Eastern White Pine square timbers on this page.

Here is their log materials page.

Here. They buy timbers, logs, trees on your lot

2007-03-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

I often get questions that go something like this: "I have 12 big trees on my lot. Do you buy them or know anyone who does?"

Answer: "No"

First, I have to say that "big" for most people with a weekend ranch they want cleared for free (or profit) usually is not the same as "big" to someone in the timber business. I admit it is difficult to judge length straight up (like a standing tree, for instance) but what someone describes as "big" usually turns out to be about 35 feet tall and not 70 foot monsters they first described.

To be fair I should say I also would want to sell my 7 trees and watch someone else do the work rather than pay to have them removed or remove them myself.

Without further illustration, here are some companies that buy wood on lots of all sizes. As I find more I will add them. Fair enough?

Prentiss & Carlisle
Maine

Rocky Mountain Log Homes
Montana

Timber Trusses - Beautiful Ones

2007-03-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, these are some of the nicest timber trusses I have ever seen.

This is a page from Montana Idaho Long and Timber Inc.'s website showing some of their timber trusses.
The also make timber frame homes using Douglas Fir and Lodgepole pine.

Hardwoods Selection - Bingaman Lumber

2007-03-20T05:26:00.000-07:00

I found Bingaman Lumber Company in FDM Magazine. You can find the online version of that magazine at http://www.fdmonline.com.

From the Bingaman Lumber website:

Bingaman & Son processes approximately 35 million board feet a year at its two facilities in Kreamer and Clarendon. The company's sawmill, Pine Creek Lumber in Mill Hall, gives Bingaman access to an abundant, reliable supply of hardwoods to meet its customer's needs now and in the future.

On average, Bingaman carries an inventory of 2.5 million board feet of kiln-dried lumber in 12 different species:

Ash, Aspen
Basswood
Birch
Cherry
Hard Maple
Hickory
Poplar
Red Oak
Soft Maple
Walnut
White Oak

This selection gives Bingaman's customers many options and enables the company to meet special requests for mixed thicknesses, grades, and species of lumber. Bingaman also offers surfacing and ripping.

Best Timber Frame Pics & Virtual Tour

2007-03-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

The Country Carpenters website is one of the best I have seen for this kind of business - timber frame barns.

This is a virtual tour of the inside of a timber frame barn - very cool.

They have an excellent photo gallery with an extensive collection of photos for each kind of barn they have but the site uses frames so you have to go to the main site and find the galleries, which are located within the page for each type of barn.

While I wish they would not use frames, I have to give them kudos for the extensive collection of pictures on the site.

Cowls Sawmill

2007-03-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

I found Cowls Sawmill today and think it is interesting that they work to develop and maintain interest in their operations by making it something of a spot of interest. With the heading "Visit a Classic New England Sawmill!" the attract attention so you can "Come see what we saw."

You can find more information at their website.

It is a great idea and their website has great tools to make getting a quote easier for potential customers.

Vintage Barns Dismantled and Reassembled

2007-03-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is a cool company I had not seen before - The Barn People. They buy vintage barns, take pictures, dismantle the barns (marking pieces for reconstruction), and reassemble them on your property.

Take a look at their company and how they do what they do. Very interesting.

Chris

CCA Pressure Treated Wood Safety

2007-03-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of questions about the safety of pressure treated
wood, especially CCA treated wood.  So, here is some basic
information regarding safety and regulations.

This quote is from a report by the Department of Analytical
Chemistry of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station:

"Studies have shown that virtually no inorganic arsenic is
absorbed through the skin, but is readily taken up by
ingestion. Thus, the potential exposure is hand to mouth,
and therefore, children are considered the most vulnerable
to this potential risk."

Here are some cautionary suggestions from the Environmental
Working Group about CCA Pressure Treated Wood:

Seal arsenic-treated wood structures every year with polyurethane or other hard lacquer
Don't let children eat at arsenic-treated picnic tables, or at least cover the table with a coated tablecloth
Make sure children wash their hands after playing on arsenic-treated surfaces, particularly before eating.

You can find Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and other
information about pressure treated wood here: 
http://www.americanpoleandtimber.com/services.shtml

Specifc Gravity and Weights of Wood Species

2007-03-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

This is a great chart I ran across showing the specific gravities, weights per board foot, and weights per cubic foot of various wood species in both green and dry.

I found it to be helpful for inventory descriptions and freight planning.

Click on the chart for a larger image.

I hope you find it useful. The version above is slightly cleaned up but the original version is at http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/weigt-wood-d_821.html

I appreciate link-backs. Just post a comment to ask for a link.

Thanks,
Chris

Treated Wood Q&A

2007-03-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

This is a question I was asked today and thought it was interesting. My answer is below.

Chris,
I am wondering why the companies that treat timbers with CCA don't treat them for just the first four to six feet of the timber? Of course, some would proabably have to be fully treated depending on the use of the timber but...

Since the arsenic is so very poisonous even in the ash form it seems much wiser to make timbers available that were treated only for the area that will be beneath the soil. I would like your input on this.
-----
Answer:

Good questions. 1st, against intuition, the part of the pole that rots is not always what is below the ground but what is right AT the ground line. With pilings, it is the part of the pole right at the water line - where the air meets the environment where the harmful organisms live.

The reason timbers are not partially treated is because of the WAY they are pressure treated. The entire timber is put into a cylinder into which the treatment chemicals are poured. That cylinder is sealed air-tight and pressure is put into it to drive the chemicals deep into the cells of the wood. It is not currently possible to partially pressure treat wood.

The arsenic is actually arsenate, which is a naturally occurring form of the element. I have yet to see proof that arsenate is actually harmful. Rather, it sounds a lot like arsenic, so rules were made against it.

Wood Poles versus Wood Pilings

2007-03-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

What is a pole and what is a piling?

Simply put: The same thing used a different way.

Poles are used small-end-up. Pilings are used small-end-down. Yes, the same log might be used for either if it meets the required specs.

Actually, it slightly more complicated than that mostly because of grade standards. POLES are typically set to higher standards of quality than pilings. Poles usually have to be straighter and better looking than pilings depending on the use since poles are usually above the ground, might be free-standing, and aesthetics might be important. On the other hand, pilings are often driven half-way (or all the way) into the ground and probably used to support something under compression (there are many many exceptions such as bulkheads). Further pilings often benefit from the synergistic support of other structural components. That is, if you drive two pilings into the ground and connect them with a beam they are both now individually stronger than before you connected them.

Poles are almost always round (almost) while pilings commonly come round or square (timbers).

Both can be treated and usually are (and should be if used outside or in harsh environments). Pilings usually get treated more heavily than poles because they are probably going to be used in a more harsh environment such as in water for a bulkhead, dock, or pier.

If you have any other questions about poles and pilings, post a comment.

How to Install a Bulkhead or Retaining Wall

2007-03-06T11:28:00.001-08:00

This is an excellent how to pdf about installing vinyl bulkheads and retaining walls. It was created by ShoreGuard (cmi inc) but Northstar Vinyl Seawall and others are installed exactly the same way. I like the step by step detail they use for the instructions.

It even covers curved vinyl walls and corners. If you want additional help with your vinyl wall, you can always contact the good people at American Pole And Timber.

http://engineer.cmiwaterfront.com/installation/cmi_installation.pdf

If anyone knows of a great how-to-guide for building wooden bulkheads please post the site as a comment and I will add it as another post.

Timber Frame Built in a Day

2007-03-03T02:51:00.000-08:00

From the introduction, I gather this frame was put up in a day, although it looks like they had a lot of help - except for the guy sleeping on the lumber (just a for a while).

I think this is my favorite video of a timber frame construction - they even slow it down at the end for a job well done.

Timber Frame Guest House Being Built

2007-03-03T02:46:00.000-08:00

This is the construction of a timber frame guest house. It does not show the completed structure but it is short and shows the progress clearly.

Students Build a Timber Frame House

2007-03-03T02:44:00.000-08:00

Interesting. The next few posts are from you YouTube videos of timber frame structures being built.

This is a group students building a timber frame house.

Wood Protection Association

2007-02-14T07:44:00.000-08:00

I ran across the Wood Protection Council Today. The text below is from their homepage. It seems like a good organization for information and training for the UK and, maybe, EU standards.

Welcome to the Wood Protection Association – Preserving Confidence in Timber!
Wood is a superb material and the only truly sustainable resource for construction. Plantation grown softwoods from certified sources are most widely used in construction but such timber lacks sufficient natural durability for many situations. However, the correct treatment in conjunction with good design and maintenance will deliver exceptional performance for any application.

The Wood Protection Association provides:
■ Advice on selection of suitable wood species for different end-uses
■ Advice on selection of appropriate wood protection products
■ Specifications for high quality preservative treatments for all Use Classes
■ Specifications for flame retardant treatments
■ Information on suppliers of coatings, preservatives, flame retardants and wood treated with these products
■ Information on safe and effective use of all types of wood protection products and treated timber

For safety, value and versatility, pre-treated timber is the ideal construction material. Yet, along with its practical benefits, its use also has considerable environmental importance making possible the continued utilisation of timber with the lasting care of the world's forest resources.

http://www.wood-protection.org/default.asp

Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook

2007-02-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

This leads to the Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook page where you can download the book in one pdf (very large file) or by chapter. Here is the table of contents, which is on that page (the links for each chapter are active):

Cool book and it's free.

Front matter (PDF 292 KB)
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contributors
Chapter 1 -- Characteristics and Availability of Commercially Important Wood (PDF 916 KB)
Timber Resources and Uses
Species Descriptions
U.S. Wood Species
Imported Woods
Chapter 2 -- Structure of Wood (PDF 434 KB)
Bark, Wood, Branches, and Cambium
Sapwood and Heartwood
Growth Rings
Wood Cells
Chemical Composition
Species Identification
Chapter 3 -- Physical Properties and Moisture Relations of Wood (PDF 495 KB)
Appearance
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Weight, Density, and Specific Gravity
Working Qualities
Decay Resistance
Thermal Properties
Electrical Properties
Coefficient of Friction
Nuclear Radiation
Chapter 4 -- Mechanical Properties of Wood (PDF 1.2 MB)
Orthotropic Nature of Wood
Elastic Properties
Strength Properties
Vibration Properties
Mechanical Properties of Clear Straight-Grained Wood
Natural Characteristics Affecting Mechanical Properties
Effects of Manufacturing and Service Environments
Chapter 5 Commercial Lumber (PDF 551 KB)
Hardwood Lumber
Softwood Lumber
Purchase of Lumber
Commonly Used Lumber Abbreviations
Chapter 6 -- Lumber Stress Grades and Design Properties (PDF 329 KB)
Responsibilities and Standards for Stress Grading
Visually Graded Structural Lumber
Machine-Graded Structural Lumber
Adjustment of Properties for Design Use
Chapter 7 -- Fastenings (PDF 1.1 MB)
Nails
Spikes
Staples
Drift Bolts
Wood Screws
Lag Screws
Bolts
Connector Joints
Multiple-Fastener Joints
Metal Plate Connectors
Fastener Head Embedment
Chapter 8 -- Structural Analysis Equations (PDF 320 KB)
Deformation Equations
Stress Equations
Stability Equations
Chapter 9 -- Adhesive Bonding of Wood Materials (PDF 433 KB)
Adhesion to Wood
Surface Properties of Wood Adherends
Physical Properties of Wood Adherends
Adhesives
Bonding Process
Bonded Joints
Testing and Performance
Chapter 10 -- Wood-Based Composites and Panel Products (PDF 904 KB)
Scope
Types of Conventional Composite Materials
Adhesive Considerations
Additives
General Manufacturing Issues
Standards for Wood-Based Panels
Plywood
Particle and Fiber Composites
Wood-Nonwood Composites
Chapter 11 -- Glued Structural Members (PDF 975 KB)
Structural Composite Lumber
Glulam
Glued Members With Lumber and Panels
Structural Sandwich Construction
Chapter 12 -- Drying and Control of Moisture Content and Dimensional Changes (PDF 1.3 MB)
Determination of Moisture Content
Recommended Moisture Content
Drying of Wood
Moisture Control During Transit and Storage
Dimensional Changes in Wood
Design Factors Affecting Dimensional Change
Wood Care and Installation During Construction
Chapter 13 -- Biodeterioration of Wood (PDF 599 KB)
Fungus Damage and Control
Bacteria
Insect Damage and Control
Marine Borer Damage and Control
Chapter 14 -- Wood Preservation (PDF 1.2 MB)
Wood Preservatives
Preservative Effectiveness
Effect of Species on Penetration
Preparation of Timber for Treatment
Application of Preservatives
Handling and Seasoning of Timber After Treatment
Quality Assurance for Treated Wood
Chapter 15 -- Finishing of Wood (PDF 2.2 MB)
Factors Affecting Finish Performance
Control of Water or Moisture in Wood
Types of Exterior Wood Finishes
Application of Wood Finishes
Finish Failure or Discoloration
Finishing of Interior Wood
Finishes for Items Used for Food
Wood Cleaners and Brighteners
Paint Strippers
Lead-Based Paint 15-35
Chapter 16 -- Use of Wood In Building and Bridges (PDF 779 KB)
Light-Frame Buildings
Post-Frame and Pole Buildings
Log Buildings
Heavy Timber Buildings
Timber Bridges
Considerations for Wood Buildings
Chapter 17 -- Fire Safety (PDF 318 KB)
Fire Safety Design and Evaluation
Fire Performance Characteristics of Wood
Flame-Retardant Treatments
Chapter 18 -- Round Timbers and Ties (PDF 396 KB)
Standards and Specifications
Material Requirements
Availability
Form
Weight and Volume
Durability
Strength Properties
Chapter 19 -- Specialty Treatments (PDF 298 KB)
Plasticizing Wood
Modified Woods
Paper-Based Plastic Laminates
Glossary (PDF 178 KB)
Index (PDF 154 KB)

Vermont Timber Works - Mortise and Tenon

2007-02-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

I found Vermont Timber Works online today. They have done some impressive work and have a very nice explanation of their methods at http://www.vermonttimberworks.com/joints.html

This picture is a great example of mortise and tenon work.

Here is their "tools of the trade" page showing that they do a lot of their work by hand. Funny that I do not see a CNC machine.

Welco Lumber

2007-02-12T13:05:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting supplier who was off my radar until recently - Welco Lumber

A list of their product lines...

Wood Preservatives: we offer wood preservative treatments of CCA, ACQ, Creosote, ACZA, and Penta.

Re-manufacturing: we offer a complete service of custom dressing, ripping, chopping, trim sawing, custom dapping, and custom drilling.

Custom Cut: we can offer all sizes up to 50 ft. of custom cut timbers in all species. Our timbers are used in many projects such as hotels, temples, aquariums, libraries, damns, canals, tunnels and wharves.

Bridges: we supply timbers to contractors servicing the forestry, oil & gas industry as well as pipeline contractors and government agencies.

Railway: we supply rail companies, treaters and contractors with crossing planks, cross ties and railway bridge timbers.

Marine: we supply timbers and piling for use in coastal marine applications both treated and not treated.

Log Home: we supply throughout North America; waney cants, slabbed logs, house logs, and appearance grade timbers, as well as D. logs in 6 x 8 and 8 x 8. All of our log home timbers are produced to meet or exceed Wall Log 40 Grade and are available in lengths up to 50 feet.

Our mills in Northern British Columbia log heavily in the winter months. The extreme cold climate slows growth, improves wood quality, and yields wood with a low and uniform moisture content. We use dense, high quality pine and spruce which is resistant to checking and we also air dry our cants to a moisture content of maximum 23%.

Oil & Gas: we supply pipeline skids, bridge timbers and pipeline chauls as well as crane mats in both hardwoods and softwoods for crane matts, please see our link to www.tundramatt.com

Sawmills: our exclusive mills are located in northern British Columbia and Southern Alberta producing in excess of 50 million board feet annually.

This page is at http://www.welcolumber.com/products-timbers.html
I like their favicon although I would prefer more pictures on their site.

Home Depot Considers sale of supply business

2007-02-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

ReutersMonday, February 12, 2007; 2:41 PM
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Home Depot Inc. (HD.N) said on Monday it was considering a sale, spin-off or initial public offering of its professional supply business to focus on its retail stores, reversing a controversial policy of former CEO Robert Nardelli to expand the unit.
Wall Street has criticized the wholesale distribution unit with its lower profit margins, saying it diverted resources from retail stores as competition from Lowe's Cos. (LOW.N) intensified. Home Depot Supply accounts for some 15 percent of the company's total sales, while retail stores account for 85 percent of revenue.
Partnership

Home Depot Supply sells building materials, wastewater and utility products to municipalities and contractors in the United States and Canada.
"With annual revenues of approximately $12 billion, HD Supply is a healthy, growing and vibrant business," CEO Frank Blake said in a statement. "We are undertaking this evaluation to determine whether there are strategic alternatives with respect to HD Supply that would optimize shareholder value."
The company said it has retained Lehman Brothers as its financial advisor to assist in the process.
Home Depot launched the supply business in 1997 and grew it by acquiring companies like National Waterworks Holdings, a water and sewer products supplier. The unit continued to expand under Nardelli, who joined the company in 2000, and last year the company bought Hughes Supply for $3.2 billion.
Home Depot has been under intense pressure from investors because of weakening sales and profits. It also faces a regulatory probe into its stock options award practices.
Nardelli earned at least $119.2 million in salary and bonus, not including options, through the end of fiscal 2005. When he stepped down as chairman and chief executive in January, it was with a severance deal of about $210 million.
When Nardelli resigned, the retailer said it was by mutual decision between him and the board. He was replaced as chairman and chief executive by Frank Blake.
"You have a new regime in place, and it's trying to put its mark on where the growth of the company really sits," said Bill Schultz, chief investment officer for McQueen, Ball & Associates, which owns Home Depot stock.
Blake is "trying to cut expenses and trying to change the culture a little bit," Schultz said.
Sales growth at Home Depot's stores has cooled over the past year as the U.S. housing market slowed. Sales at stores open at least a year fell 5.1 percent in the third quarter, and in November it said it expected a 4 to 5 percent rise in earnings per share for its 2006 year, down from a previous forecast of growth at the low end of 10 to 14 percent.
Analysts have said Blake, a former General Electric executive, is taking a more inclusive and conciliatory approach to shareholders and employees than Nardelli.
"The company is refocused on retail, seems determined to listen to its major shareholders, and will likely use the $10 billion in proceeds to buy back more stock," Credit Suisse analyst Gary Balter said in a research note
Last week, Home Depot gave a seat on its board to Relational Investors, an activist shareholder that had announced plans to nominate at least two directors to the retailer's board this year. The decision to add Relational principal David Batchelder to the Home Depot board ended the firm's threatened proxy fight.
In a research note, Sanford Bernstein analyst Colin McGranahan said a potential buyer of Home Depot Supply could include Wolseley PLC (WOS.L), a British building materials supplier, and private equity firms.
Shares of Home Depot were up 46 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $41.46 on the New York Stock Exchange, while Lowe's rose 26 cents to $33.68.
Home Depot's stock is up less than one percent so far this year.

You can find this full article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/12/AR2007021200745.html

Declining Demand for Lumber through 2007

2007-02-12T11:22:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting outlook for 2007 lumber business.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Butch Bernhardt
Prepared December 28, 2006 503-306-3488

DECLINING DEMAND FOR LUMBER
TO CONTINUE INTO 2007 AS HOUSING SLOWS

PORTLAND, Ore. – After four consecutive years of record lumber consumption, demand for lumber fell in 2006 and is expected to slow further during 2007, according to a forecast by Western Wood Products Association (WWPA).

A decrease in housing construction is expected to reduce lumber demand in 2006 by 3.2 percent to 61.9 billion board feet, compared to the all-time high of 63.9 billion board feet recorded in 2005. The slide in demand will continue into 2007, with WWPA forecasting total lumber use at 57.1 billion board feet, a decrease of 7.2 percent.

Slower housing markets are the key reason for the lumber demand declines. New housing starts will be down nearly 9 percent in 2006, and fall another 10 percent to 1.69 million in 2007, according to the association’s forecast. Residential construction is the largest market for lumber, accounting for more than 40 percent of the lumber used each year.

The volume of lumber used in repair/remodeling is anticipated to decrease as well, though not as deeply. WWPA anticipates repair/remodeling use of lumber to fall 2.6 percent in 2006 and nearly 6 percent in 2007.

“While home prices will still fall in some areas, we think that housing starts and home sales are nearing a sustainable rate,” said Kevin Binam, the association’s chief economist. “But construction is going to be lower than we’ve seen in the past few years and that will mean less demand for lumber.”

DECLINING DEMAND FOR LUMBER

The weaker markets for lumber will create challenges for Western lumber mills. Lumber production in the West is expected to finish 2006 at 18 billion board feet, down 6.7 percent. For 2007, production volumes are expected to fall again by 6.7 percent to 16.8 billion board feet.

Production at mills in the Coast region, covering the western portions of Oregon and Washington, is anticipated to be 6 percent lower in 2006, then dip by 4.7 percent to 10.5 billion board feet by 2007. Mills in the rest of the Western region will feel the downturn more acutely, with production down 8 percent in 2006 and off another 9.7 percent to 5.5 billion board feet in 2007.

Sawmills in the South also will be impacted by slower markets. After producing at record levels the past two years, Southern production is predicted to slip by 7.1 percent to 17.4 billion board feet in 2007.

Lumber imports are forecast to fall as demand slides, though volumes shipped from Canada will fare better than those coming from other foreign shippers. WWPA estimates Canadian imports will be down 1.4 percent in 2006 and off another 6.1 percent in 2007, slipping below 20 billion board feet for the first time in three years.

Non-Canadian imports will see larger declines, decreasing 11.7 percent in 2006 and 18.6 percent in 2007 to 2.28 billion board feet. Unfavorable currency exchanges and lower lumber prices are expected to reduce shipments from Europe by almost 600 million board feet from 2005 levels.

Western Wood Products Association represents lumber manufacturers in the 12 Western states and Alaska. Based in Portland, WWPA compiles lumber industry statistics and provides business information services to mills. The Association also delivers quality standards and technical support services to the industry.

You will find the full downloadable text for this article at the wwpa website at http://www.wwpa.org/newsroom.htm

Span and Connection Calculators

2006-11-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

This is great. I just found this today from the American Wood Council. The calculators are at the top right of the page.

http://www.awc.org/index.html

They also have a great free downloads library at http://www.awc.org/Publications/download.html

Enjoy.

Specifc Gravity, Moisture Content, and Density of Wood

2006-11-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Here you go. Like Math? This is for the forestry students who like to insert some math into the subject.

It is an interesting read about determining specific gravity and understanding moisture content and density.

This is from the USDA, the Forest Service, and the Forest Products Labratory.

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr76.pdf

Wood Species Weights

2006-11-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

What a great tool! This site has the weight per cubic foot of many species of wood.

http://www.woodwood.com/species.cfm

Same idea and more concise but in metric:

http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_wood.htm

Offering Internet Marketing Assistance

2006-11-06T13:01:00.000-08:00

Building Products Plus will begin offering free internet marketing assistance to loyal customers who purchase more than a certain dollar amount per year from Building Products Plus or American Pole and Timber (amount to be determined).

The free assistance will be focused on improving the effectiveness of customers' existing websites, although, we will consider helping customers with the design and implementation of new sites as well.

We want to increase the number of qualified leads our clients receive from their websites so they can turn those leads into sales.

Building Products Plus is asking nothing in return for the service other than continued business from our clients. This is yet another way we are dedicating ourselves to the success of our clients. We appreciate that our success is based on their success. http://www.BuildingProductsPlus.com

American Pole And Timber Online Leads

2006-10-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

The success of www.AmericanPoleandTimber.com has been astounding - the site brings in a great deal of traffic and, even more importantly, converts that traffic into quality phone calls and inquiries (leads) through our internet form. We have generated some excellent sales from it, including increased sales of existing products in new areas and sales of NEW products, especially our manufactured products such as timber trusses and solid uniform diameter poles.

There are always improvements to be made, however, so I am always looking for feedback. If anyone visits the site I would appreciate feedback you can offer either via the online form or with comments here.

#1 difference between site redesign and the old design - and the #1 reason for the increase in success: Invitations to call or contact us online increased about 20 times in the new site.

To learn more about optimizing websites for leads go to http://www.LeadOptimize.com

Multi-Year Housing Market Contraction

2006-10-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

U.S. Homebuilders Batten Down the Hatches as Multi-Year Contraction Awaits
- From Building Online eUpdate
10/12/2006

NEW YORK -- (BUSINESS WIRE) With the U.S. housing market likely in the midst of a fairly severe, probably multi-year contraction, U.S. homebuilder weakness will likely extend into 2007, though a downturn could easily extend another year should a recession develop before the current housing correction troughs, according to Fitch Ratings in its latest edition of 'Chalk Line'.

"Past post World War II period cyclical declines tended to be precipitated or extended by meaningfully higher interest rates and/or a sharply slowing or recessionary economy. This downturn was not," said Managing Director and lead Homebuilding analyst Bob Curran. "Further, probably slight to moderate declines in national housing prices may be evident over the coming months and, this, initially, may reinforce the buyers' negative psychology."

Further declines in housing metrics could occur during a recession, partially because delinquencies and mortgage defaults could spike up. Investors in home mortgages would suffer and demand that mortgage terms be tightened and the loan originators, as in the past, could likely over-tighten mortgage standards.

For the most part, public homebuilders reported growth in revenues, sales prices and deliveries, but lower margins and profitability in the June 2006 (or approximate) quarter. In general, return ratios were slightly higher than a year ago, while most companies' credit ratios were similar or a bit weaker. Delivery comparisons are likely to be less robust in the third quarter and margins and profits will be down sharply on a year-over-year basis. All companies reported better profits for calendar 2004 and 2005 (following record profits during each of the prior 6-12 years or more).

U.S. Home Builders Seek Lumber from Russia

2006-10-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

U.S. Home Builders Seek New Lumber Sources In Russia
- from Building Online eUpdate
10/13/2006

SAINT-PETERSBURG, Russia -- Addressing the International Forestry Forum here, U.S. home builders offered to share American home building technology with their Russian hosts and encouraged them to boost exports of softwood lumber and other wood products to America.

"We support opening up competition in the U.S. lumber market because we know that it will be beneficial for those families in our country who want to buy homes," said Jerry Howard, executive vice president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). "We also appreciate the benefit it will bring to our home builders, who are seeking a steady supply of affordably priced lumber."

Howard and NAHB Immediate Past President David Wilson, a home builder from Ketchum, Idaho, represented NAHB and the International Housing Association (IHA) at the conference. NAHB serves as the secretariat of the IHA, which was established in 1984 to provide a forum for home builders and related industry groups around the world to share information and discuss issues related to the housing industry.

As a result of environmental and regulatory policies that have greatly reduced timber harvests from public lands, America today does not have the domestic capacity to meet its demand for lumber. Last year, more than 38 percent of the lumber used in the U.S. was imported, with Canada supplying the bulk of that amount.

However, a new softwood lumber accord between the U.S. and Canada that is scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1 will create a complex system of border taxes and quotas that will artificially raise lumber prices during periods of normal or slow demand, and thereby harm housing affordability. The pact is also expected to cause new uncertainties for U.S. builders over the availability and price of Canadian lumber.

"Access to a reliable, steady supply of lumber is the lifeline for any American home builder," said Wilson, who provided conference participants with an overview of light-frame wood construction techniques in the U.S. housing industry. "We believe that lumber trade barriers impose an unreasonable burden on U.S. home buyers and on the industries that depend on adequate, affordable supplies of lumber to provide the housing and other vital goods and services America needs."

While Howard noted that the new trade pact is a misfortune for Canada, he said it represents an opportunity for Russia and the rest of Europe to increase lumber exports to the U.S. over the long term.

"Today, the U.S. is overly reliant on Canadian imports to meet its lumber needs," said Howard. "We are reaching out to you to correct this problem and we are looking to Russia to add equilibrium to our market for this essential commodity for the home building industry.

"The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University projects 14.6 million household formations over the next 10 years," he added. "In the next 10 years, we conservatively estimate that we will need to construct 18 million new homes. We want to work with you to open up this new trading opportunity."

During their week-long visit to Russia, Howard and Wilson also held productive talks with representatives of the Builders Association of Russia, the Union of Timber Manufacturers and Exporters of Russia, Ilim Pulp Enterprise, BaltRoss, Slavyansky DSK and the Association of Wood Housing.

The meetings come one week after Howard visited Stockholm to discuss with Swedish trade and industry officials ways to secure new import sources of softwood lumber and other wood products and to export American building systems and log homes technology.

Brief log home history

2006-10-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

Log ConstructionIn the Folk Building Tradition Of the New World
by Ron Diener - April, 1996 from Rumford.com

Log construction of folk design and folk tradition in the inland portions of America were of three general types, depending a great deal on the origins of the builders.
British Log Home Style:The horizontal stacking of logs, whether peeled and rough hewn or squared by broadax or adze, was the preferred method of those of British and British-American origins.

The corners of the log structures were either coped (the upper log carved out to fit the lower log), notched (both adjoining logs trimmed for fitting), or blocked (adjoining logs mortised for locking in place). The more carving that was done at the ends of the logs, the more the tendency to initiate rot and spoilage of the wood.

The chinking of the logs was done with moss and/or mixtures of moss with clay and straw. Years later, as various cements and mortars became available, they were also applied to this use.

The roofing was commonly thatch. In some areas where there were straight-grained hardwoods, shake shingles were made with froe and mallet. They were soaked and applied wet, because when dry they could not be pierced with a nail without bending the nail back on itself or without splitting the shake itself. A third roofing material was bark slabs, laid on poles, fastened with nails and/or tied with rawhide.

Chimneys were made of logs, with "fireclay'' linings that could not and did not protect the wood from flame when the clay cracked or opened. Thus, these chimneys were built outside the log walls. The firebox of the fireplace was clay-lined, as thick as eight inches deep.

The building design, such as it was, tended to follow the rudest concepts of "enclosure,'' with special care to exploit any and all loft space. Larger structures were thus made of multiple enclosures, rather than a larger enclosure divided into "rooms.''

French Log Home Style: The vertical arraying of logs, usually peeled and rough hewn, was found chiefly among the French and francophone settlers, both in Canada (Quebec, Nova Scotia) and in "Louisiana'' and "Illinois.'' The French region along the Mississippi River south of the confluence with the Missouri was known as Louisiana. North of this line the French regions were usually called Illinois, westward to the ill-defined boundaries of New Spain, later New Mexico. Some historians believe that this building design is an offshoot of the stockade concept.

The logs were either chinked (moss, straw, clay) or plastered to a smooth surface with bousillage (straw, cow manure, clay).

The roofs were usually made of shake shingles over posts (some shakes as long as four feet). Occasionally a thatched roof was made. But frequently the thatched roof was thought of as a temporary expedient until good shakes could be split.

Fireplaces were made of stone, as often fully interior as exterior in relationship to the outside walls. The French were the earliest to experiment with stoves and ovens, both in urban and in the rural/folk settings. Thoroughly adequate, if not masterful, stone pointing and masonry were commonly known and practiced.

The basic folk design of the structure was rectangular with sufficient space for subdividing into rooms. The roofline was gabled in such a way that the front entrance and rear entrance, together with a house-long porch area, could be covered by extending the roof well beyond the walls of the structure. This design left a large second-story space, divisible into more rooms.

German Log Home Style: Log framing - as opposed to solid-log construction - techniques were the basic method brought by those from Germany and the Alpina (some of French, Italian, Austrian and Slavic origins, but chiefly Germanic). This technique is called Fachwerke. Its major mechanical features are commonly used in modern pole construction.

The logs were peeled and squared, then fitted by mortising. The interstices of the log framing were filled. There were three techniques of such fill. First, brick was used, with plastering interior and/or exterior an option. Second, pointed (i.e., squared with chisel and mallet) stone was applied with an interior plaster. Third, rubble stone was used together with an interior and exterior plastering applied at the same time as the stonework.

Fireplaces were central to the construction, often with a single flue or two flues serving multiple mantles and fireboxes.

Roofs were commonly thatched, later replaced with terra cotta tile if the owner could afford the additional expense. Generally speaking, shake shingles were not trusted because of fire hazzard.
The most common design was that of the central European Hof. The house occupied one of the narrow ends of a larger rectangle, with a parallel building on the opposite narrow end. Walls joined the two buildings, with a gate on each side for a team or hitch to pass through the courtyard. The building opposing the house was used for animals and storage, with roofing and roofline complementary to that of the house.

The house was thought of as two large rooms with a lower and upper story, or Etage. These larger rooms could be subdivided with hanging walls (not load-supporting) of lighter material - occasionally even cloth or hides.

Throughout the Old Northwest (Ohio, Indiana, Michigan), the Northwest (add Wisconsin and Illinois), the Trans-Mississippi west, the Rocky Mountain west, and the New Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho), as well as in the bordering provinces of Canada, all of these styles stood in strange and wonderful juxtaposition. In the oldest cities (i.e., New Orleans, Kaskaskia, Cahokia, St. Louis, St. Charles, Ste. Genevieve), they even stood side by side.

A major change took place in the immigrations into these lands of the New World after 1848. Large numbers of university educated men came from those areas where the revolutions of that year failed - Germany, Italy, France, as well as other central and east European capitals.
They applied scientific principles to building and construction. They thought of their physical pied-a-terre as a place of experimentation, not as bothered by tradition or continuity as their contemporaries.

They did, of course, take on important professional and civic responsibilities in the New World (one of their number, Carl Schurtz, was a member of Lincoln's cabinet). But large numbers of them were intimidated because of their poor or highly accented English, and preferred not to confront or compete with the Yankees. They turned to farming, shopkeeping, merchandising and manufacturing, usually in their own ethnic communities with their own ethnic foods, dress and language.

They tended to influence domestic architecture profoundly wherever they went. And that influence stemmed chiefly from their examples, rather than through an imposition of ideas or concepts. They build round or octagonal barns, turreted dormers (long before Victorian styles), hillside solar-assisted homes, and many creative and innovative styles and designs.

But before them, others had come, in waves, as unrest after unrest swept Europe.

In 1736 the Moravians from Bohemia (via Saxony), as followers of Ludwig Graf von Zinzendorf, came to the New World to help fill Penn's Woods with dissidents. This, the largest of several groups from central and eastern Europe, also led the way for many others: Mennonites, Brethren, chiliastic communities, communistic settlements.

In 1745 unrest in Ireland helped to feed the shores of the New World with new stock.
The hunger and over-population of Frankish Germany in the 1740s and 1750s pushed its lesser inhabitants both east and west to the Volga River regions of Czarina Ekaterina (Katherine "the Great''), as well as to upstate New York, the marshes of New Jersey, coastal Delaware and deep into Penn's Woods.

Unrest in the Pyranees led lesser nobility of both southern France and northern Spain to come to the New World after 1763, together with their entourages who quickly abandoned their masters after their arrival on the Western shores.

More unrest in Ireland brought more refugees in the 1770s and 1780s.

Ambitious adventurers of the Low Countries from the lowly stow-away peasants to the rather wealthy younger sons of nobility and even royalty left their homelands to find their fortunes in south Asia, the Orient and America between 1785 and 1810.

The French Revolution and its sequela to the fall of Napoleon pushed out wave after wave of persecuted, tormented and threatened Frenchmen to help settle both the United States and British America (Canada), men of means and of talent and of education.

All of them, each and every group, had its special imprint on domestic architecture, folk architecture, the design and the style that are not really a "design'' or a "style'' at all, but rather the simple repetition of the known and familiar. But the repetition of the known and familiar often had to take shape in unknown or new materials. Thus domestic folk architecture developed in spite of itself.

What is Timber Merchandising?

2006-10-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

What is Timber Merchandising

- article from myfuture.edu
This is a sector of the forest and forest products industry.

This sector includes wholesale distributors who import timber and wood products from overseas and/or interstate or buy from local manufacturers for sale to merchants and other large volume clients. They are often associated with large timber producers and are usually based in capital cities or major regional centres.

Timber merchants sell to trade users of timber products (eg commercial and industrial builders, furniture manufacturers). They usually handle many different types of timber species and products, bought from a large number of suppliers. They may provide ancillary services (eg quantities and sizes to order, drying, moulding).

Re-manufacturers design and construct wall frames and roof trusses to engineered specifications for domestic and commercial building. Others produce pallets, casks, boxes, crates and so on for agricultural and industrial use.

Retailers sell timber products and associated hardware in smaller quantities to individual tradespeople and the general public. Here the emphasis is on display, customer service and packaging.

Wood Design and Building Expo - Nov 6-8

2006-10-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

2006 Wood Design & Building Expo

American Pole and Timber will be at the 2006 Wood Design and Construction Expo
November 6 - 8, 2006 in Anaheim, California.
www.PoleAndTimber.com

Two American Pole And Timber project consultants, Dennis Macel and Eric Lincoln, will be at the expo to discuss pole and timber products as well as manufactured products such as timber trusses and Solid Uniform Diameter poles. We hope you can visit us there.

Schedule of events:

Monday, November 6, 2006
8:00 am - 11:45 am Educational Sessionsbr
11:45 am - 7:45 am Exhibit Hall Open
12:45 pm - 5:45 pm Educational Sessions

Tuesday, November 7, 2006
8:00 am - 10:15 am Educational Sessions
10:15 am - 3:45 pm Exhibit Hall Open
11:00 am - 7:00 pm Educational Sessions

Wednesday, November 8, 2006
7:30 am - 12:15 pm Educational Sessions

To learn more about the expo, visit http://www.wooddesignandbuildingexpo.com.

www.PoleAndTimber.com

2006-10-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

www.AmericanPoleAndTimber.com got more than 120K page views during the month of September and drew in five times as many leads as it did the month before.

It has been considered very successful. We are re-designing www.BuildingProductsPlus.com now.

Chris

Successful Inventories

2006-10-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

Physical Inventories at Building Products Plus are getting more accurate and faster. Like anything, they go more smoothly when there is more planning.

Key factors for success:

Straighten, Clean, Tidy before the count
PRE-COUNT
PRE-COUNT
PRE-COUNT
Training - make it clear to everyone what is to be counted and how it is to be recorded.
Bar Code Scanners and wireless canopy over yard - faster initial entry and no re-entry. Easier to correct mistakes as well
Daily communication during pre-count about progress
Count teams that work together well during the count

It helps to have an experienced team who knows what they are doing as well but really believe that will the above, the count could go well with people who have minimal training of the products themselves. This is especially true for the pre-counts where you truly are simply counting. It does not matter what the product is, just count it and tag it. The counter should know that part.

Raise Floor Building Benefits

2006-10-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

Raised Floor Building - Top 10 Benefits
10.10.2006

Raised Floor Home Building: Top Ten Benefits A Southern Pine Council Article Raised floor houses are beautiful and have proven to stand the test of time. There are many benefits to using the raised floor method to build a house. The Southern Pine Council has compiled what it considers to be the top ten.

1. Classic Style Homebuyers are rediscovering the classic elegance that a raised floor design adds to the look of the American home. Drive through the older neighborhoods of your community. The homes with ageless grace and beauty are usually raised. Visually, the raised foundation functions as a pedestal, enhancing curb appeal regardless of architectural style.

2. Uplifting Comfort Inside the raised floor home, there are special qualities that nurture the body and soul. The feeling is warmer, more intimate. Remember that special place when you were a child, a tree house perhaps, where you felt cozy and safe? Raise the floor above the ground and your perspective changes. You feel more secure. An ordinary view from the window becomes a vista. There is calm and quiet above the din of street noise. The subtle "give" of a wood floor system provides a more comfortable walking surface, putting less stress on your back, legs, and feet.

3. Extended Living Space Enjoy your porch and deck. If it is not raised, a porch is not really a porch. Porches and decks are natural amenities for a raised floor system, adding usable living area to your home outdoors. Consider the charm and hospitality of a front porch, the pest-free privacy and comfort of a screened back porch, or a spacious deck for outdoor cooking, entertainment and relaxation. On slab, a "front porch" is just a front patio. The special ambiance you come to expect when gathering on a porch or deck can only be experienced with the raised floor system.

4. Lifetime Foundation The raised floor system has withstood the test of time. Some of the oldest, most historic homes in America are still standing proud with Southern Pine floor assemblies. Southern Pine is the strongest of all North American softwoods, so you can expect a lifetime of strength, stability and durability when framing with Southern Pine. And today, modern pressure-treatment adds long lasting resistance to decay and termite attack. 21 POLY polymer coating encapsulates treated wood making it impenetrable to termites and fungus.

5. Simple Foundation Any foundation can settle, but the use of piers with a raised floor system makes leveling or repairs simple. Repairing or leveling a cracked, damaged concrete slab can be very expensive. With the raised floor system, leveling is as easy as jacking up the floor and adding shims. The raised floor is also less susceptible to disruption from tree roots.

6. Easy Home Improvement Installation, maintenance, and modification of utilities such as water, sewer, and electrical are comparatively simple with a raised floor. Remodeling? Plumbing fixture modifications are easy with the raised floor system. If you want to move the location of a toilet or bathtub on a slab foundation, get the jackhammer! Routing and rerouting of wiring for electrical, telephone, television, and computers is relatively easy and less expensive. If the home is raised high enough off the ground, air conditioning ducts can be installed from below. This option allows floor registers to direct air closer to the actual living area.

7. Natural Insulator Why live on the cold, damp ground? Wood is a natural insulator. A properly constructed and insulated raised floor system isolates the home from potential moisture problems and provides a warm, comfortable walking surface.

8. Reduced Flood Risk Flooding is a potential risk for many homeowners. A raised floor system could be the solution to raising your home's foundation at or above base flood elevation. Considering other options — slab atop dirt fill, slab on backfilled perimeter wall, or ring levee — the raised floor may be the most practical and cost effective way to protect your property and meet local building ordinances in flood prone areas.

9. Pest Control Most pests are ground dwellers. With a raised floor system, your home is up off the ground away from pests. For optimum protection against termites, pressure-treated and kiln-dried after treatment (KDAT) Southern Pine lumber is available. American Pole and Timber offers 21 POLY polymer coating, which makes your raised floor system impervious to termites. For more information call American Pole and Timber at 866-397-3038.

10. Flexible Landscaping Landscaping looks best around the foundation of the home. It helps "ground" the structure to the site. However, the installation of built-up flowerbeds and other landscaping against a slab foundation can invite termite infestation and rot. With a raised floor, landscaping can be located near the foundation without inviting this risk. Furthermore, root-severing slab construction often demands the removal of existing trees in close proximity to the structure. Near a raised floor, these valuable, beautiful and energy-saving shade trees can be preserved. Footings of a raised pier and beam structure only penetrate the root system, allowing trees to thrive.

21 POLY Polymer coating for wood comes in green, tan, brown, and grey and will make a raised floor system last virtually forever and passes building codes. For more information about 21 POLY or pressure treated wood, call 866-397-3038.

Dowel Mills - Production Methods

2006-09-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

By Alan Froome on TimberLineMag.com 5/1/2004

RATON, New Mexico — Western Wood Products Inc. is not new to the post and pole business. Owner Ray Levengood has been running a plant in Mountain View, Wyoming since 1991 where his company produces about 6,000 components daily. The plant produces poles and posts ranging from 3-8 inches in diameter.
“We recognized an opportunity and decided to build a second plant,” said Ray. He picked a location in Raton, New Mexico and started to design a new mill. “Very few people are as serious as we are about the post and pole business,” said Ray. “I wanted to build the best plant I could and traveled all over, looking at ways to process small logs.”
WWP has been operating dowel mills since 1993 when the company invested in equipment from Round Wood Systems (RWS) of Montana. It bought two more machines in 1997.
Ray started discussions with Round Wood Systems in 2002 about an improved machine design for the proposed new plant in Raton. He specified consistent production, reduced maintenance and high quality product as his main priorities. Round Wood Systems subsequently supplied two machines that were custom designed to meet his specific requirements.
“We started to build the new plant in September 2003 and took delivery of the first RWS dowel mill in January 2004,” said Ray. “The second mill was delivered in February. The new mills are a tremendous improvement over the old ones at our other plant.” The new design features seal-less heads, and Ray expects the new machines to prove much more durable compared to the old machines.

New Plant
The new plant in Raton is designed to be a first class, state-of-the-art facility. Logs are debarked, electronically scanned to determine diameter and length, and then sorted according to eight sizes prior to processing.
The plant contracts for logging and usually works with logs from 4-12 inches in diameter and from 6-16 feet long; the preferred length is 8 feet. The logs are debarked by a Valon Kone Brunette (VKB) 16-inch ring debarker and then passed through a scanner that controls the eight sort system downstream. The sorting system was supplied by Precision Sawmill Sorting from Montana with a log scanner from WGBM.
“We sort them as we like to run all day without changing the cutter heads on the dowel mills,” Ray explained. “It takes about an hour to change a head.” He added, “We grind our own knives and replace them twice a day at Raton, but we are trying to get a full 8 hours with the new machines.” (On the older dowel mills at the Wyoming plant, the knives are changed three or four times daily.)
After sorting, the logs are fed by a belt conveyor into one of the two Round Wood Systems dowel mills. If a log has an extremely high taper, it will pass through the larger mill and then be kicked out to be processed on the small machine. A four-gang drill is used to drill holes in fence posts as required. Afterward the posts are transferred by belt conveyor to a 140-foot long green chain, and workers pull them off and stack them by size. After bundling and strapping, final length trimming is carried out by an L-M Equipment Co. package cross-cut saw.

Dowell Mills
Dowel mills are machines designed to process raw unbarked logs directly into dowels or other round wood products such as poles, fence posts, furniture parts and other round wood components that require accurate size and smooth finish. Logs must be delimbed before processing although debarking or rough sizing is not necessary before feeding them into the RWS machine.
RWS manufactures two basic sizes of dowel mills for either fixed mill floor installations or portable trailer mounting. The smaller RWS-6020H machine produces round wood dowels 2-6 inches in diameter from rough logs up to 9 inches in diameter; the larger RWS-8040H machine turns out dowels from 4-8 inches in diameter from logs up to 12 inches in diameter. An optional second head that will make 2-4 inch dowels can be fitted to the larger machine to extend its range.
The process of converting logs into round wood is accomplished in two steps. The infeed and outfeed systems accurately center and guide the log through the cutting head and prevent it from turning in response to the torque exerted by the knives. The log does not spin or turn.
According to Round Wood Systems, its machines can reduce labor by one half and increase production 100-200% compared to labor-intensive machines that turn the log. “We now have 30 machines in operation and have been building them for four years,” said sales manager Ed Smith. “Our latest design is improved so they run more smoothly and need less maintenance.”
The dowel mills can process logs at speeds up to 110 linear feet per minute, said Ed, although most companies run them at speeds of 50-80 feet per minute.
“The mills can process almost any length logs,” he added. “They are only limited by the log butt size. However, most mills run logs from 5 to 20 feet long.”

Round Wood Systems
Montana Hydraulics opened for business in 1998 in Helena, located in the forests of central Montana. In the beginning the company kept its machine tool and fabricating shops busy by provided mechanical and hydraulic service to anybody who needed it. This initially included work for the sawmill, logging, railroad, and construction industries in the region. This diversified service continues but today also includes the manufacture of precision-machined components for the aircraft industry.
In 2000 the company began supplying components to Montana Manufacturing, which was building dowel mills in the area. A year later Montana Hydraulics began building the complete machines, and in 2002 it bought the manufacturing rights for them from owner Harold Bouma.
It established a separate division to further develop these and other machines. Round Wood Systems (RWS) was formed in 2003 to focus on the design and manufacture of sorting systems, trim saws, dowel mills and their associated material handling and conveying systems. RWS employs about 20 personnel at present. Some of the key people include general manager Mark Ehlke, sales manager Ed Smith, purchasing manager Charlie Wiles and engineer Richard Hogan.

Dowell Mill Specifications
The RWS dowel mill has five main components: main frame, infeed, cutting head, outfeed and hydraulic system. There is also an electrical control console for the operator.
The main frame features one piece welded construction and supports pairs of feed rolls to guide the logs into the cutting head and prevent them from twisting as they go through the machine. Both the 6-inch and 8-inch dowel mills utilize the same frame design, but the 8-inch model is longer because it uses four pairs of feed rolls — compared to only three pairs on the 6-inch machine.
The mill infeed section guides the logs into the machine and comprises a number of smooth machined bed rolls. They work in combination with upper toothed rolls to grip the incoming log. The upper and lower rolls are mechanically linked to maintain a log center line concentric with the cutting heads and are mounted on cantilevered spindles. Squeeze pressure and roll drive is applied hydraulically, and the operator can adjust the squeeze stroke to optimize the log feeding action and resulting throughput. All roll bearings are sealed, tapered roller-type with grease-zerk fittings. To reduce maintenance, no ball bearings, roller chain or keyed shafting are used in the construction.
Cutting heads are supplied for three dowel size ranges: 2-4 inches, 2-6 inches and 4-8 inches. Each size head can be adjusted to produce a series of standard dowel sizes within its range. In addition, RWS can supply non-standard bushings on request to make custom sizes. For the most efficient operations, RWS recommends running the smallest size head capable of cutting the required post or pole diameter.
All RWS dowel mill heads use the same five bolt and three locating pin pattern, which ensures the head-machine centerline will be maintained irrespective of the size head fitted over the entire life of the machine. The heads are driven by an electric motor, and both the 6-inch and 8-inch capacity dowel mills have a drive platform designed to suit both 50 hp and 100 hp motors. Normally, the smaller machine uses a 50 hp motor and the larger machine use a 100 hp motor. In addition, a 20 hp electric motor is used on the hydraulic power pack.
Each head has three roughing knives that make the first cut and three finishing knives to make a smooth, finish cut. The knives are made of tool steel and ground to suit the individual application, depending on the customer’s wood species, moisture content of the wood, desired log feed speed, and other factors.
Head bearings are tapered roller type with adjustment by shim packs and lubricated by pressurized oil spray, which also provides cooling. Oil flow is provided by a gear type pump, belt driven by the main head motor to directly link the lubrication flow to the head rotation. The lubrication tank is separate from the main hydraulic system. Oil containment in the head is provided in a ‘seal-less’ manner using centrifugal force on the oil in the return direction rather than conventional lip contact type seals. According to RWS, this results in lower rotational drag, reduced maintenance and longer life.
The outfeed section continues to guide the material after it exits the cutting head. The resulting dowel is carried by smooth machined hour-glass shaped rolls mounted on cantilevered spindles with upper press rolls running in tapered roller bearings with grease-zerk fittings. Drive is provided by hydraulic motors, synchronized to match the speed of the infeed section.
The hydraulic system provides power to the infeed and outfeed rolls, the squeeze cylinders and outfeed kicker. A single 20 hp electric motor drives two pumps in a ‘piggy-back’ configuration. A tandem hydrostatic transmission pump supplies the feed drive, and a pressure compensated pump supplies the squeeze cylinders and kicker. The infeed hydraulic motors are connected in series, and the circuit is separate from the outfeed section; the outfeed motors are also in series. Both circuits are mechanically connected and actuated by a single electric device.
The hydraulic system oil tank is provided with a filter, heater for cold weather operation and a cooler to protect from overheating. An accumulator is also supplied for the squeeze cylinder circuit to provide compressibility and fast response.
RWS can also supply a belt infeed and outfeed conveyor to complete the customer’s production line. In addition to the dowel mills, RWS manufactures an automatic pointing machine to sharpen a point on fence posts or stakes plus a five-drill gang drill that can drill up to five holes in one pass.

Start at Western Wood Products
The most recent installation of an RWS dowel mill was at Western Wood Products in Raton, New Mexico. Two machines were installed in February. In March, when Ray talked with TimberLine, Western Wood Products was still in the initial ramp-up period.
“We are having a few glitches getting the new plant up to full production, but the new dowel mills are a tremendous improvement over the older ones,” said Ray. “Our target is 6,000 pieces per eight hour shift from the two mills, and we got 3,100 pieces from one machine on the first day, so we think it’s realistic.” By way of comparison, at the company’s plant in Wyoming, it takes three dowel mills to produce about 6,000 pieces.
The dowel mills supplied by RWS are new, improved designs that are intended to provide smoother running and require less maintenance.
When asked about debarking, Ray said, “We run lodge pole pine at our Wyoming plant and do not debark the logs. However, at Raton we run a mix of Ponderosa and yellow pine, and I have found it better to debark the logs first.” Ray added, “We also sell the bark for landscaping material and the shavings for animal bedding.”
Western Wood Products ships posts and poles all over the U.S. “When we introduced dowels to the fence post market, people were really impressed,” said Ray. “One lot of ranchers came all the way from Florida to buy our posts. Compared to peeler cores, which are all heart wood, the dowels are much more stable and don’t warp in the hot sun.”
The new plant employs 15 people but will increase to 22 when it is in full production. The company has been warmly received in Raton. “I have never been in such a great community,” said Ray. “The folks here are really awesome.”

www.PoleAndTimber.com

2006-09-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

It is the best site in the marine and shoreline construction business.

www.PoleAndTimber.com
www.PoleAndTimber.com
www.PoleAndTimber.com

Turning Waste Wood into Profit

2006-09-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

One of the most common ways mills and custom-wood-product manufacturers turn their wastes and scraps into a profit is by turning those scraps into shavings for sale as animal bedding or landscaping ground coverage.

This can be accomplished in either of two ways - in house or by selling (or giving) the scraps to someone else who turns them into shavings. Not only is there a value on the top line through the sale of the shavings but also to the bottom line because typically a disposal fee is required to get rid of those scraps. Here, we will discuss the benefits and risks of operating a shaving mill in-house.

Let's take a quick and simplified look at running a shaving mill. The basic requirements are:

Shaving mill
electricity source to run the mill (they require immense power)
labor to run said shaving mill
marketing of the shavings
bags for shavings
enough wastes to necessitate a shaving mill

Shaving mills are NOT cheap machines. This factor alone makes the entire venture questionable. The fixed cost required to even begin shaving wood wastes in-house can start from $10,000 (if you find a decent working used mill at a great price) to $100,000 for a new high-capacity shaver with a loading mechanism. You can easily spend more money but for the sake of this, we will stick to a $50,000 machine.

In my experience, you will spend additional money setting the mill up with electricity - running lines, transformers, and breaker boxes that can manage the huge draw a mill can put on the current electrical system at your location. A generator could be used but who wants another machine to maintain? Besides, you have to feed generators. Let's price this ordeal at $5,000. The monthly electricty bill for running the shaving mill 40 hours per week is $300 (this is cheap), which comes to $3,600 per year or $10,800 over three years.

Now, we have a shaving mill and electricity to power it. All we need to start making shavings is waste materials (logs, tree cuts, or blocks or scraps of wood - and they MUST be untreated) and labor to load the machine and keep it in operation. For the sake of argument, let's drop the problem of having enough scraps and say that we DO have enough scraps to run this machine non-stop five days a week for the next one hundred fifty-six weeks (three years).

Now we need labor. Let's say one person run constantly for 40 hours per week. The work costs the company $10 per hour after benefits and labor taxes. This is cheap labor, by the way, but the point of this discussion is a simplified analysis. At $10 per hour, 40 hours per week equals $400 per week, times 52 weeks per year equals $20,800 per year. Over three years, this yearly salary comes to $62,400.

Let's get to the production numbers, which brings up the number of bags we need. Let's assume, one person running the mill can shave and fill 80 50lb bags of shavings each day - this is pretty great production from one person. Either way, we need 80 big clear plastic bags each day at a cost of about 40 cents each which comes to $32 per day. Over a five day week, this equals $160 and over a 52 week year it equals $8,320. Over three years, this will come to $24,960.

To recap: We can now make and bag shavings. The variable costs per year will be $3,600 (elec.) + $20,800 (cheap labor) + $8,320 (bags) for a total of $32,720 in variable costs. This does not include admin costs, returns, gas for forklifts or other equipment used to help operate the mill. It also does not include maintenance costs or other unforeseeable costs that might arise.

$32,720 per year in variable costs.

At $3.00 per bag (often the going rate), we need to sell 10,907 bags per year to cover those simple variable costs. We produce 80 bags per day X 5 days per week X 52 weeks oper year for a total production of 20,800 bags per year.

At $3.00 per bag, the revenues from 20,800 bags comes to $62,400. This is a profit of $29,680 per year. Keep in mind that we did not figure in any ads for the shavings, our really super-productive labor is really cheap, and we are working in an environment with zero mishaps.

Other costs that need to be subtracted from this profit are: the costs of marketing your new products, sales costs (salesperson, labor to load or deliver), payments made on the shaver, and maintenance costs.

There you go. Money can be made from turning wastes into shavings but all aspects have to be carefully managed and costs need to be kept to a minimum.

From another blog

2006-09-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

Right now, I am having trouble because of the rediculous blocks between Blogger and Blogger beta so I am just copying some of the text from this article instead of blogging it.

About the DIY homebuilder market:

To a visitor from the UK, the gleaming efficiency of the production lines is a site to behold. It’s reminiscent of car factories with wall and roof panels moving through assembly lines with a minimum of human intervention. If you want to read up more on it, there is a very funny description on the But She’s a Girl blogsite. Baufritz produce around 250 houses a year with a staff of 260, of which around 80 work in the factory and a further 60 work on site as erection crews. Work it out: it’s roughly one house per person per year. Say 1800 hours input. In the UK, you would expect to see between 3000 and 5000 hours work go into a traditionally-built house of similar size, and not that much less for a timber-frame one.

Pretty cool.

There's more. Read on if you like:
http://markbrinkley.blogspot.com/2006/07/baufritz-biological-housebuilders.html

Getting Better Profits from Timber

2006-09-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent article about trends in profiting more from timber.

http://www.cnr.uidaho.edu/extforest/FMP14.pdf#search=%22timber%20profits%22

Waste Wood from Landfill Becomes Profit

2006-09-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Waste Wood into Profit

Sawyers turn wood otherwise destined for the landfill into a business. June 5, 2002

Here's a great value-added story I heard recently. A landfill operator in North Carolina who accepts trees and brush bought a portable sawmill and is milling "waste wood" (logs brought in by tree trimmers, homeowners, etc.). He produces lumber and sells it to local hobbyists, furniture makers, etc., as well as making "packaging timber" which is sold to a steel manufacturer. His prime value-added product consists of surveying stakes, which he makes and sells green to utilities and land surveyors. He will soon be adding a small kiln to his operation so he can market dry lumber. Not bad for an operation that charges folks for the wood they deliver (tipping fee). Most of us have to buy our raw material as opposed to getting a payment to accept it.

Steve Bratkovich

Few Acres Can Yield Big Timber Profits

2006-08-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Few acres can yield big timber profits
By Keryn Page

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Landowners with as few as five acres can manage their land for pine timber production, and an often overlooked byproduct can add to the profits.

Tim Traugott, a Mississippi State University Extension Service forestry professor, said in the past landowners needed 20 to 40 acres of land to make timber production economically feasible. With today's market situation and prices, however, five acres of pine trees is more than enough.
"If a landowner plants five acres of pine trees today and manages it the way it should be managed, he or she can expect a return of $25,000-plus -- it could be much more than that -- when it matures at 35 years of age," Traugott said. "Timber buyers routinely purchase tracts of five acres or less."

Case studies show existing pine stands can earn an average of about $100 to $150 per acre per year. "That doesn't mean you plant the trees and get $100 to $150 a year -- landowners must properly manage the timber, thinning a few times over the 35-year lifespan. When the timber is harvested after 35 years, the profit will equal about $100 to $150 per acre per year," Traugott said. Traugott said his data is based on timber that is managed as a crop, much like the management techniques used by producers of soybeans, cotton and other traditional crops.

Without proper management, pine trees cannot be expected to generate these high profits.
"No matter how many acres you have, you need to manage it like a crop. If landowners seek professional help, manage the timber just like they would any other crop and market the crop properly, a five-acre pine tract will make them a tremendous amount of money," Traugott said.

Small-acreage pine plantations work because good management produces a higher volume of timber. With proper management, a landowner could produce the same volume of timber on a five-acre tract that could be produced on a 25-acre tract that has not been properly managed.
"Landowners need to understand it's not the number of acres that matters; it's the volume of timber on those acres. If you plant in pine trees and manage it properly, you're going to have high timber volumes," Traugott said.

Extension forester Britton Hatcher said selling timber at maturity is not the only opportunity landowners have to make money off pine trees. An often overlooked source of income is the pine straw that gathers on the forest floor each year.

"A lot of people here in the South are looking at a product every day that they don't realize can make them money. It is possible for landowners with pine stands in the right condition and location to make $150 or more per acre per year by selling the pine needles for mulch," Hatcher said. "If a landowner does all the work on five acres, yields 100 bales per acre and wholesales the straw for $3 per bale, those five acres could yield $1,500 per year."

Landowners can choose to harvest the pine straw themselves or contract with a harvester to do the work for them. The benefits of hiring someone else to harvest may outweigh the reduction in overall profit.

"Landowners who contract with someone to harvest their pine straw can make a considerable income, plus they don't have to do the work themselves. Not only can a landowner make money from their straw, but getting the pine straw up also helps to reduce a potential fire hazard," Hatcher said. Hatcher said managing a pine tree for straw production is not difficult: pine trees inevitably drop the needles, and landowners can simply gather them for baling.

There are two main methods of harvesting pine straw. Buying equipment to mechanically harvest is less labor-intensive but can become rather expensive. A relatively simple and inexpensive method is to purchase a hand baler, which is more labor-intensive.

Pine stands must be at least 6 to 8 years old to produce enough pine straw to make baling economically worthwhile, and baling can extend until the stand's first thinning. Once logging debris is cleared, needle harvest can continue after the thinning. Needle fall starts in late October or early November and can continue until April.

Pine straw yields, depending on harvest method, are estimated at 100 or more bales per acre for healthy, growing pine stands. Landowners who are willing to fertilize have the potential to see more than 250 bales per acre. "There's a square bale that averages about 15 to 20 pounds and a round bale that weighs about 40 pounds. The square bale has been known to bring as high as $6 or $7 per bale, and the round bale has sold for more than $12 per bale," Hatcher said. "If you're the landowner and you're doing all the work yourself and start wholesaling or retailing it, you're talking about a good bit of money."

Pine straw contains nutrients vital to tree growth, so landowners should fertilize stands with diammonium phosphate to replace the nutrients lost in baling.

Hatcher warned that producers are not allowed to harvest pine straw on lands enrolled in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program.

Should Manufacturers Become Retailers

2006-08-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

An interesting article by George Koeninger in the 08/06 FDM Magazine

Mr. Koeninger professes that a manufacturing company should be very cautious if it is considering moving into retail. In fact, he basically argues against it altogether. His reasoning is sensible and comes from his 35 years of experience. He gives seven reasons and a few possible alternatives for those who are not necessarily wanting retail but are really wanting extra revenues - and profitability.

Here are the simplified versions of his reasons:

Retail takes cash away from manufacturing, often leaving manufacturing technology and capabilities behind the curve.
There are few/no returns in a manufacturing environment. If you manufacture and retail, your cash is not assured until after you have made the product, let it sit on a shelf, then it is not returned.
Need a stronger brand than the other brands on your store front or people will go to the others.
You''ll have to pay for an excellent management team for the retail startup from the very beginning - very expensive. See #1.
You will probaby need a completely new software system - retail is a different business than manufacturing.
Where are the profits reported? How is your bonus system structured? Will manufacturing personel get smaller bonuses because the retail division is not meeting numbers?
"Us v. Them" mindset between retail and manufacturing will always exist.

His main suggestion is that manufacturing companies looking for new sources of profitable revenue should develop new markets abroad in places that are hungry for American products.

Build it right, people

2006-08-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

When you are building something, build it right. No matter what you are building just DO IT RIGHT - use the right materials, the proper methods, get the right advice, use the right equipment, or just hire it out.

Cheaper is not necessarily better - in fact, almost always not with building materials.

Get posts that are long enough. Get joists that are big enough. Get the correct hardware. Use the right tools. Get the right level of treatment if you are building around water.

Do it right. Do it right. Do it right.

Wood Damage

2006-08-29T11:16:00.000-07:00

The latest installment of...

American Pole and Timber Weekly - Edition 104

Welcome! We hope you find value in this edition of Pole and Timber Weekly.
If you have any questions, call us at (866) 397-3038. You can always visit us online at http://www.PoleandTimber.com.

Breaking Down Wood - the Major Causes of Damage to Wood
There are 3 main factors that cause wood to break down - water, sun, and wood boring organisms.

Water
Moisture is harmful to wood in AT LEAST two ways. First, the presence of dampness creates an environment where harmful fungi can grow and destroy the wood. Termites also require some moisture to live in wood. Second, repeated entry and exit of water causes the wood to swell then shrink again and again. Over time, this cycle causes the wood to split, warp, and crack.

Sun
The sun - actually, the sun's heat - causes wood to split, warp, crack, and twist because it causes water to evaporate. Boards warp toward the sun because the sunny-side-up is shrinking due to a decrease in moisture. Basically, the top side of the board becomes shorter than the bottom side so it bows, warps, cups, or twists. Further, the sun's UV rays cause the wood to turn gray.

Wood Boring Organisms
The most common wood boring organisms are termites, teredos (shipworms), and limnoria. They all eat wood. Termites are on land, though, while teredos and limnoria live in wood in the water.

Solutions
The #1 solution is to use pressure treated wood coated with 21 POLY from American Pole and Timber. Pressure treating wood with CCA or ACQ effectively makes wood inedible to organisms. Coating wood with 21 POLY makes it completely impenetrable to wood borers, UV rays, and water.

Always use wood that is treated to the correct retention level for your needs. Treat to .40 pcf for Ground Contact, .60 for Freshwater, and 2.5 for Brackish or Saltwater.

To learn more about pressure treated wood and 21 POLY, go to http://www.PoleandTimber.com. You can call directly at (866) 397-3038.

New Website with New SUPER ULTRA CONTENT
The new and improved and super-ultra-amazing Pole and Timber website will be out in late August or early September! Check back often at http://www.PoleandTimber.com. In addition to more interactive content, it will include cut sheets for our products and information specification sheets for treated wood and marine construction.

Until Next Week
Good luck out there and call us if you need anything!

American Pole and Timber is a national manufacturer and supplier of treated poles, timbers, pilings, large timber trusses, and other commercial and industrial wood products. Call us at (866) 397-3038.

Benefits of Building with Poles and Pilings

2006-08-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

Benefits of Building with Poles and Pilings

Poles and Pilings have long life spans due to reduced heartwood exposure.
They can be sanded, stained, or painted to match existing décor.
Poles and Pilings are stronger and suffer less warping than dimensional timbers.
Long life span and superior strength make them very cost effective.

Definitions:

Pole — defined by its particular structural installation. If the pole is set with the butt (large end) in the ground, such as a utility pole or barn pole, it is referred to as a pole.

Piling — also defined by its installation. Pilings are driven into the ground with the tip (small end) first.

I wrote this for http://www.AmericanPoleandTimber.com among other things.

Chromated Copper Arsenate Treated Timbers

2006-08-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

Background
Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a chemical registered for use as a wood preservative.

How is Timber Treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate
It is injected into wood at high pressure so that it saturates the wood. It is used to protect wood from dry rot, fungi, moulds, termites and other pests that can compromise the integrity of the timber.

What are Chromated Copper Arsenate Treated Timbers Used For?
Chromated copper arsenate treated timbers are commonly used for decks, walkways, fences, gazebos, pergolas etc. Other uses chromated copper arsenate treated timbers include highway noise barriers, sign posts, utility posts and retaining walls.

Disposing of Chromated Copper Arsenate Treated Timbers
Chromated copper arsenate treated timbers should not be burned, mulched or used for compost. They should be disposed of using solid municipal waste methods.

The Future of Chromated Copper Arsenate Treated Timbers
In the USA, industry has volunteered to cease using chromated cooper arsenate treated timbers by the end of 2003. This decision has been supported by the EPA who will ban chromated copper arsenate treated wood for residential applications.

Alternatives to Chromated Copper Arsenate Treated Timbers
In response to this alternative treatments and preservatives have been developed and registered with the EPA. Other possible alternative materials include untreated woods such as cedar and redwood, plastics, metals and composite materials.

Source: AZoM.com

New American Pole and Timber website

2006-08-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

Here it comes! It is almost here! September 1st. This Friday.

New and improved. It rocks.

Cycle Counting in a Job Shop Environment

2006-08-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

Cycle counts in a job shop (custom manufacturing) environment can be the biggest PITA I have dealt with. With many other activities, you can train your people, set them in motion, and after some repetitive lessons and a few trials and errors, things run no their own (for the most part).

With a job shop, materials change so much and so quickly, each cycle count is bound to be different and reconciling those differences is nothing less than paper chasing and detective work. All cycle counts have SOME degree of this but this environment is nuts.

If you have any comments or questions about this, go for it. I did not say it is impossible, just a pain in the A$$.

Creosote Shortage

2006-08-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Industry-wide Creosote Shortage

There is a currently an industry-wide shortage on creosote wood treatment. The shortage, caused indirectly by the high costs of oil, has created an approximately 40% decrease in total creosote production.

Creosote is a coal based product. The higher costs of oil have made some coal derivatives more attractive for use in other markets thus decreasing the amount available for creosote production.

The shortage is expected to last many months and will probably get worse before it gets better.

American Pole and Timber suggests CCA treated posts, poles, and timbers as alternative. CCA pressure treated wood is more attractive and cleaner to work with and position as well.

Call American Pole and Timber toll free at (866) 397-3038 to ask about CCA treated timbers, poles, posts, and lumber.

- Article by Chris Denny

Marine Borers

2006-08-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

How Marine Borers Destroy Wood

Shipworms (Teredos) and Gribbles (Limnoria)

Shipworms and Gribbles are the main causes of organic damage to marine structures. The best solution for protection against marine borers is to protect the wood with a physical barrier which does not allow marine borers to reach or penetrate the wood.

Shipworms (Teredos)

Shipworms live in saltwater or brackish water and can get up to SIX FEET LONG. They are worm-like bivalve mollusks with a greatly reduced shell which they use to bore tunnels into wood. Shipworms typically spend their entire lives in a tunnel in a single piece of wood.

Shipworms damage the wood from the inside-out. The damage is difficult to assess but you can recognize a shipworm infestation by the small holes they leave in the wood.

"Wherever you have untreated timber, you're going to have problems with shipworms," said David M. Cacoilo, a partner and design engineer at Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers in New York, which has worked on a dozen marine borer projects. "Once they're there, the potential for the population to explode is tremendous."

Gribbles (Limnoria)

Gribbles attack in huge numbers at the outer edges of the wood and create the common “hour-glass” shape pilings often develop at water level.

Gribbles are nearly microscopic crustaceans, resembling the wood louse, with seven pairs of legs and four pairs of mouthparts. Given enough time, they can devour the pilings under a pier until the structure is weakened enough to collapse.

Clean Water Equals More Marine Borers

Interestingly, a large population of shipworms and gribbles indicates low water pollution levels. Areas with high levels of pollution in the water have little problems with these marine borers but when the water gets cleaned up, they move in.

Ultimate Solution to Marine Borer Attack

American Pole and Timber suggests using CCA pressure treated poles, pilings, and timbers and coating them with 21 POLY vinyl coating as the ultimate solution for protecting wood structures against marine borer attacks.

21 POLY is a vinyl coating specially engineered to bond to wood. It is approved, and used, by the corps of engineers and is proven effective at protecting wood structures against marine borers. For more information about 21 POLY, go to www.PoleAndTimber.com.

Call American Pole and Timber toll free at (866) 397-3038 to ask about 21 POLY Coated timbers, poles, pilings, and lumber.

New Website with New SUPER ULTRA CONTENT

The new and improved and super-ultra-amazing Pole and Timber website will be out in late August or early September! Check back often at www.PoleAndTimber.com.. In addition to more interactive content, it will include cut sheets for our products and information specification sheets for treated wood and marine construction.

Until Next Week

Good luck out there and call us if you need anything!

American Pole and Timber is a national manufacturer and supplier of treated poles, timbers, pilings, large timber trusses, and other commercial and industrial wood products. Call us at (866) 397-3038 or contact us online.

- Article by Chris Denny

American Pole and Timber Aiming at the National Market

2006-02-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

Building Products Plus currently serves the national market but focuses mainly on the Texas Gulf Coast region. The American Pole and Timber division of the company is currently redefining itself as a national service center. American Pole and Timber will be actively marketing and selling to clients across the nation. Contractors, architects and engineers, and homeowners will be able to easily access our services and products online at www.americanpoleandtimber.com and place orders via phone. Online purchases are slated for the future.

Steel Business

2006-01-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce that Building Products Plus is getting into the steel sheet-piling business. This brings up a whole new set of fantastic inventory and management issues! Here we go!

Real Time Initiatives

2006-01-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

Currently, a major concern at Building Products Plus is getting the inventory, and the company as a whole, into real-time.

Customization Pleases Customers and Attacks Inventory Accuracy
The difficulty with real-time inventory and information systems for this company stems from the inherent nature of a job-shop and custom production environment. Materials often enter the system as one SKU, change into three other SKUs, and might even leave without a SKU because of extreme customization and manufacturing. There is no SKU (other than a "special" code) for something that was cut, drilled, dried, treated, redried, and coated with a polymer coating before it was shipped.

Attempts are made to maintain a SKU throughout the process but often, especially with longer and more complex projects, that SKU is lost when the item begins to look like another SKU, at which point the existing materials are NOT removed from the system and other non-existant materials ARE removed from the system, resulting in a large positive qty of one SKU and a large negative qty of another. The difficulty is in ensuring that transactions occur in the system - which affects costing, pricing, inventory accuracy, and possibly even the customer's experience.

My current focus for achieving a real-time environment is split into four inter-connected areas.
1. Receiving
2. Treating Transactions
3. Cycle Counting
4. Kiln Transactions

Complexities
Each area has its own set of complexities. We have the hardware, including wireless barcoding equipment and a wireless canopy that covers approximately 20 acres. Receiving with the handhelds has been established as a way of business now. Kiln transactions are being entered on the handheld by myself right now. This is mostly because I am not comfortable with the level of training and understanding the workers in the yard have concerning the item codes, the way the kiln modules work, and ways in which the transactions actually affect the total system from inventory qty to financial impacts. Cycle counting is in its infancy and treating transactions are still entered into the system manually from handwritten purchase orders (the treating plant is a strategically located, but separate, company).

General Order of Transactions
In a simple environment, without customization, an ideal complete material flow for - say a 10x10-20 - from raw to finished good in our system would be thus:

1. The 10x10 is received via wireless handheld at the delivery truck as an untreated timber SKU, let's say U10x10. Inventory transx looks like "plus U10x10".
2. The timber is dried before treating and the transaction is accomplished via the wireless handheld at the point of entering the kiln. The adjustment to the new SKU occurs automatically in the system. The transx looks like "minus U10x10, plus D10x10".
3. The timber is then treated. This should be a transaction whereby a Purchase Order is created for the treating of the timber via the wireless handheld, which automatically emails/faxes the PO to the treating company and prints a copy of the PO for our office use. The adjustment to the SKU/inventory will be made at the time of receipt (back to step one) and looks like "minus D10x10 and plus T10x10".
4. The timber is sold (was probably already on order when we bought it). When the order is invoiced, this adjustment looks like "minus T10x10".
5. Cycle Counting is near-random and is intended to be an adjustment to "tidy-up" the accuracy of the inventory.

8-25 Log Inventory Grid Method is Effective

2006-01-29T08:39:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to report that after about four months in use, the 8-25 Log Inventory Grid method has taken hold very well and is effective for minimizing confusion and disorder in log inventory. One main contributor to the success, as predicted, is the ability of salespeople to customize the item description on sales orders and tickets when needed. An effective and simple way to help workers at all levels learn the 8-25 system is to simply advise that for pole/piling inventory the number 9 will never be used for diameter.

The Forest History Society

2005-08-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

http://www.lib.duke.edu/forest/

"The Forest History Society (FHS) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational institution that links the past to the future by identifying, collecting, preserving, interpreting, and disseminating information on the history of interactions between people, forests, and their related resources -- timber, water, soil, forage, fish and wildlife, recreation, and scenic or spiritual values. Through programs in research, publication, and education, the Society promotes and rewards scholarship in the fields of forest, conservation, and environmental history while reminding all of us about our important forest heritage."

ProSales Magazine

2005-08-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

"The Official Magazine of the National Lumber and Building Materials Dealers Association"
http://www.prosalesonline.com/

This is a great magazine. It typically includes the latest industry news covering everything from recent mergers and acquisitions in the business to the latest trends in marketing, sales, customer preferences, inventory management, etc.

Great Forestry Industry Site

2005-07-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

This is the most comprehensive directory I have seen for the Forest Industry.
http://www.forestdirectory.com/

8-25 Round Stock Inventory Grid

2005-07-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

This is the 825 Log Inventory Grid, a display of a method for coding and managing log and round stock inventories. The name is derived from the two dimensional differentiation of the inventory coding decision and should be read "eight, twenty-five."

Simply explained, any pole with dimensions of 8" TOP X 25' or smaller will be coded by TOP (blue) and anything with a 9" BUTT or larger OR longer than 25' will be coded by BUTT size (red). Certain dimensions might not need codes because of duplicities (e.g. - 9"BUTT x 10' = 8"TOP X 10').

The 825 model is based on the most often specified pole and piling sizes as well as general inventory control needs.

As with any method of pole and piling inventory, there are still conflicts between inventory mangement requirements and sales/customer requirements. Specifically, in order to maintain inventory quantity accuracy, the same item code or SKU should always be used regardless of customer specification. However, the sales system should have the capability to customize the DESCRIPTION of the pole or piling in order to (1) minimize questions in the mind of the customer and (2) ensure that the yard worker pulls the material the customer specifies. It is important that the yard worker who pulls the materials then offers feedback to the system (possibly via the salesperson), especially if a material subsitution was necessary.

If you have questions or comments about the 825 Log Inventory Method, please contact me at woodscience@gmail.com.

Mill Production Output and Management

2005-07-28T23:33:00.000-07:00

This pdf contains a great article regarding decision making in milling production from logs. It also contains an example of an overcomplication of simple concepts. Overall, the article is useful and touches on many of the factors milling managers need to take into account when making production decisions.

http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/ja/ja_mendoza002.pdf

While there are many exceptional professionals in the lumber industry, the kind of material in this article should be displayed in a more easily understood format.

Southern Pine Beetles (SPBs)

2005-07-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

These are some interesting pictures of SPB damage. The first is an arial photo of SPB damage to an area of forest in Louisiana. The second is a closeup of accute damage in a tree.

Pole and Piling Inventory is the current issue

2005-07-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

Tracking inventories of poles and pilings is an industry-wide complication. The main issue is how to classify the poles/pilings because they are often requested or specified based on use. Pilings are typically requested/specified by BUTT size whereas poles are usually named by TOP size. This means the same piece of round stock might be requested in two different ways - for instance, a 10"BUTT 20' piling is the same as an 8" TOP 20' pole. This issue mainly causes confusion in TWO places - the inventory system and in the mind of the customer.

A customer who is expecting a 10"BUTT 20' item might be confused by the 8" TOP description on an invoice. Notes can be made, etc, but it causes confusion nonetheless.

The simple solution of choosing one label method or the other and using a "special" line item to set the customer at ease often causes inaccuracies in the inventory tracking system. Let's use an example where we have decided to label the poles by TOP size but a customer has requested multiple pieces of a speficic BUTT size - 10"BUTT 20' for this example which would typically have an 8" TOP but might have a 7 1/2", or even 9", TOP. Because the yard worker is pulling materials based on the required BUTT size, he might actually be pulling poles of various TOP sizes, and thus different SKUs from inventory, whereas the salesperson only invoiced only 8" TOP SKUs.

This creates inaccuracies in inventory quantities and value as well as adversely affects the actual cost and margin of that specific sale.