As you explore the differences in wood species, you’ll notice two main ways the wood tends to move (for more on wood movement see Part 1). These two ways are called tangential shrinkage and radial shrinkage. It’s helpful to check out a reference chart so you can see the … [Read more...]

One of the main characteristics of wood which you have to learn to accept if you’re going to work with this material is that it always moves. It doesn’t matter what kinds of measures you take to try to prevent it from moving, wood will still always find a way to expand and … [Read more...]

Perhaps in your world, spring means planting a garden or finishing classes. Here at J. Gibson McIlvain Lumber, it means getting ready for deck-building season (which some people refer to as “summer”). During this preparation period, our millwork experts spend the majority of each … [Read more...]

In Part 1 we looked at two of the four benefits our customers often cite as to what sets J. Gibson McIlvain apart from other lumber suppliers: our expertise and our status as an Importer of Record. While those issues are certainly significant, the next two are immensely … [Read more...]

There are many places you can get your lumber. We get that. But the fact is that our customers can get their lumber other places, too. But they don’t. So we’ve asked them why they buy from us. We think the four basic reasons we heard over and over offer a pretty compelling … [Read more...]

Many have seen African Mahogany as the answer to the issues facing Genuine Mahogany. Due to the downgrading of the South American species, interest in its African cousin have increased, at least from North American buyers. But, as we discussed in a previous post, the fact that … [Read more...]

The development of cracks in wood, known throughout the industry as “checking,” can be quite upsetting to unsuspecting home and business owners. Whether these checks appear in a wood deck, floor, or the large supporting timbers in a timber frame structure, they can leave … [Read more...]

In our first article, we discussed the tendency of timber to crack, also known as “checking.” We explained that this natural process is a direct result of the differences in moisture content between the outer and inner layers of a piece of lumber. Naturally, the greater the size … [Read more...]

Large timbers can give your floor, deck or other wood structure a charming, rustic look. It’s no wonder they’ve become so popular. But 12x4, 6x6, and 12x12 pieces of timber pose some unique challenges. One of the main issues which people notice with larger pieces of timber is … [Read more...]

If you’re a long-time Genuine Mahogany customer, you’ve probably noticed that we’re trying to steer you in a different direction, lately.  Not only do many African species rival South American Mahogany, but some of them even outperform Genuine Mahogany and respond better to fine … [Read more...]