So you’ve decided to install a new deck. Design plans and measurements are already completed. You’ve done your homework and chosen high-quality, tempered wood. You know which top-notch stain you’re going to use to make the deck aesthetically pleasing. Now, in order for your decking project to be a … [Read more...]

In a recent post, we mentioned the idea that contrary to popular belief, composite decking is not actually more environmentally friendly than tropical hardwood decking. A key factor in understanding this issue is to realize that buying exotic lumber actually benefits the environment and does this in … [Read more...]

While hardwoods certainly have their place, don’t neglect to use softwoods for appropriate projects! After supplying only hardwoods for centuries, J. Gibson McIlvain Lumber began sourcing quality softwoods just over a decade ago. While the process did require a bit of a learning curve, we now have a … [Read more...]

While plywood and moulding prices have basically remained the same, hardwood and softwood prices have continually climbed. Typically, a price change for raw materials translates into price changes for manufactured or engineered wood products also (even if there is a time lapse). What would keep … [Read more...]

We’ve already looked at Red and White Oak and two types of Maple. Rounding out 5 of the most significant North American hardwood species, we’ll take a look at Poplar and Cherry. Really, these species don’t have much in common besides the fact that they’re both North American hardwoods. But each has … [Read more...]

In continuation of Part 3, we’ll look at the remaining 4 standards that resulted from the U.S. Department of Justice working with Gibson Guitars to create lumber usage policies to reflect “due diligence.” We’re delighted to share, alongside those policies, J. Gibson McIlvain’s own policies, already … [Read more...]

The great diversity of American forests can be credited to temperate climates, and because of the special conditions that contribute to thriving hardwood forests, most of them grow in the Eastern U.S. Of course, that comes in handy for us here at J. Gibson McIlvain Lumber, since our base of … [Read more...]

Don’t let wide plank flooring's current popularity lead you to believe that it’s easy to achieve. Choosing, sourcing, and preparing wide plank lumber for installation is the easy part; the installation itself is pivotal. Because every step along the way to achieving a wide plank flooring is more … [Read more...]

If you’re getting ready to install a deck, you’ll probably find that figuring out how far apart to space your boards is one of the most challenging parts of the process (see Part 1 & 2). There are a whole host of factors that come into play when making your final decision. After taking into … [Read more...]

When it comes to contemporary limitations of in-demand species like African Mahogany, many people believe that lumber shortages are always caused by unsustainable forestry or a lack of natural resources. The Mahogany scarcity, like the Poplar crisis, is caused by factors within the lumber market … [Read more...]

Do you know what aspect of your lumber is perhaps more important than its species, its origin, and even its grade? The answer is the way the lumber has been dried. No matter how wonderful your lumber was for starters, if it’s dried too quickly, it can become worthless. But the damage caused by … [Read more...]

Decking installation is both a science and an art. Besides picking wood that is going to look attractive, you have to consider how well it’s going to hold up over time. One of the main factors to think about is wood shrinkage and expansion as it relates to deck board spacing (see Part 1). In this … [Read more...]

Perhaps no other misconception about the lumber industry is as widespread - or as false. Perhaps it would be true, or might be true, in a hypothetical world where money grew on trees - except that money could only be accessible by damaging the trees from which the paper came to print the money. … [Read more...]