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...]

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...]

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...]

Wide plank flooring. It’s definitely in vogue for high-end construction and remodeling. And it’s gorgeous. But as attractive as wide plank flooring is, it’s equally difficult to achieve: sourcing, milling, and accounting for movement issues all combine to make installing … [Read more...]

If you haven't already read about the lumber lore regarding the beginnings of fraction-based lumber thickness descriptions, you’ll want to first do that.  Now regardless of how plausible you think that story is, at least you’re starting to understand what a fractional designation … [Read more...]

There’s no doubt about it: lumber is really of the greenest building materials on the market. But don’t expect to get LEED points for just any lumber. In order for the Green Building Council’s program to award points for lumber though, it has to be FSC-certified lumber. Despite … [Read more...]

Remember learning all about fractions in elementary school? You always had to reduce them to mixed numbers and all of that. Mrs. McGuffy was a stickler about it. You can still remember her deep red pen markings all over your math page, reminding you. Well, forget it. All of it. … [Read more...]

Are you starting to understand why lumber suppliers have no choice but to seem like wishy-washy politicians, when asked about lumber pricing? When we say “it depends,” there’s a lot behind our words.From grade and board size to seasonal and geographic issues, Part 1 and Part … [Read more...]

Hopefully after reading Part 1, you’re starting to realize why lumber suppliers are hesitant to list pricing in a straightforward format. So much goes into determining exactly what your lumber order will cost. In addition to grade and board size, the origin of your lumber plays a … [Read more...]