As a builder, you have many decisions to make about each job that you take on, from subcontractors and materials to timelines and profit margins. Every time you need plumbing done as part of a job, you probably don’t thumb through the phone book (or go to good old Google) and … [Read more...]

Buying directly from the Importer of Record can minimize your risk. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s no small feat presently to get lumber safely and legally from the forest to the job site. While all the regulations and liability issues have you wondering how you can … [Read more...]

Government lumber regulations can be complex but are vitally essential. Even though no one likes the added paperwork and sometimes confusing process of keeping up with government regulations, when it comes to the lumber industry, it’s easy to see the far-reaching, … [Read more...]

Lumber shipping considerations for our Caribbean Customers. Offering timely nationwide shipping across the United States is one of the many services that sets J. Gibson McIlvain apart from many of our local competitors. As direct importers of many exotic species who keep a … [Read more...]

Today’s lumber industry makes environmental sustainability of our renewable resources of prime importance, and since we rely on the continual availability of lumber, we have always made that one of our core values as well. We also keep up with the governmental regulations of the … [Read more...]

Perhaps before reading this series of articles (see Parts 1, 2 & 3) you weren’t aware of the subtle differences between the various National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) lumber grades. Or maybe you had heard of the different grades, but you weren’t sure what specific … [Read more...]

Because domestic hardwood is an organic product, you can usually expect to find at least some defects. It’s the rare piece of lumber that has absolutely no defects on it whatsoever. That’s what makes Firsts and Seconds grade lumber so valuable (see Parts 1 & 2 for lumber … [Read more...]

Each NHLA grade has its own clear set of standards. In this article we’ll lay out the grading standards for Firsts and Seconds, FAS One Face, Select, and #1 and #2 Common grades. (If you haven't already read Part 1, please refer to that article for the beginning of this four part … [Read more...]

Chances are if you go to your local lumber dealer in search of a certain species of wood, one of the first questions the dealer will ask you is what grade of lumber you’re planning to purchase. If you’re not sure what grade of lumber to choose, they’ll most likely ask you what … [Read more...]

Is buying exotic lumber bad for the environment? How does today’s lumber industry actually affect the rainforests? As responsible global citizens, many of us are growing in our appreciation of and dedication to preserving our natural resources. And deforestation is definitely a … [Read more...]