Truth: Lumber Shortages Aren’t Always Due to Poor Forestry Management (Part 2). Even though many assume that lumber shortages are always due to unsustainable forestry or lack of natural resources, such a concept is pure fiction, especially when it comes to current shortages of … [Read more...]

Truth: Lumber Shortages Aren’t Always Due to Poor Forestry Management (Part 1). Like most tall tales, there’s at least a seed of truth from which all lumber lore grows. In the case of lumber shortages, that tendency is certainly the case: historically, overharvesting and other … [Read more...]

Mahoganies are known for their durability and beauty, making them ideal for use in exterior projects. As prices have continued to climb and availability has become scarce for Genuine Mahogany in recent decades, consumers and contractors in the United States and Europe have begun … [Read more...]

In our previous articles (see Parts 1 & 2), we mentioned some of the reasons why wide plank flooring can be difficult to work with compared to standard-sized flooring. Because a wide plank board includes wood from different parts of the tree, it’s bound to behave … [Read more...]

In our first article in this series, we mentioned some of the challenges associated with installing a wide plank hardwood floor. We discussed the importance of choosing your wood species wisely and expecting to spend more money and time getting it ready to install if you choose a … [Read more...]

Wide plank flooring is all the rage right now. This is especially true when it comes to luxury home renovations. Planks that are larger than 4” in width are considered wide by industry standards. Many of the latest plank flooring projects call for boards as wide as 12.” A good … [Read more...]

At this point in our discussion of the varying North American and European moisture content standards for kiln-dried lumber (see Parts 1 & 2), it may behoove us to look at why kiln drying is so important in the first place. What exactly does it accomplish? That will be our … [Read more...]

Now that you know the difference between European and North American kiln-dried lumber standards (see Part 1), it’s up to you to make sure the lumber you buy is appropriate for your particular climate. If you’re working with an African or European species, you’ll want to be … [Read more...]

Most people who deal in lumber and purchase it for their construction projects know the importance of kiln drying. Properly kiln drying lumber can prevent all sorts of problems, such as warping, cracking, and cupping in the future. North American vs. European Moisture … [Read more...]