Be aware that Lacey Act legislation applies to all lumber species, not just those protected by CITES. If the offending party is not in the U.S., the Lacey Act may be unable to hold them accountable; however, if you’re the first player in the U.S., you may be the one … [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 … [Read more...]

North American forests are home to more than 20 unique species, and J. Gibson McIlvain keeps an inventory of the 5 species that make up 75% of domestic hardwoods. Whether you’re looking for hardwoods for flooring, cabinetry, furniture, or millwork, we won’t be surprised if one 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 … [Read more...]

Once you’ve determined your wide plank lumber species and size, it’s time to prepare those floor boards for installation. While these steps are similar to those you’d go through with any lumber, greater widths require extra care and consideration. Special Considerations for … [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. … [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 … [Read more...]

Like most tall tales, there's a kernel of truth at the root of all lumber lore. That is absolutely the case in the event of lumber shortages: Overharvesting and other concerns related to unsustainable forestry management have historically been key contributors. Recent shortages … [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 … [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 … [Read more...]

Whenever you receive an order for a deck installation, your customer probably has some pretty lofty expectations. Often, they’ll assume that you’re able to install a deck with little to no gap between the boards, and that once the deck is installed, the boards will stay in place … [Read more...]

J. Gibson McIlvain is a timber importer which sources lumber from all around the world. Each geographical area and individual lumber mills have their own distinct methods of operation when it comes to pre-drying their wood. While most imported timbers are dried to a moisture … [Read more...]