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Walnut Lumber: Perfect for Interior Applications

Last updated on October 6, 2013 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

Tall walnut dresser
Tall walnut dresser

Historically, Walnut has been prized throughout all corners of America, especially among furniture makers. Since the Colonial Era, when Walnut lumber was exported from the American Colonies back to Britain and the rest of Europe, the lumber’s beautiful appearance has been highly sought after by furniture makers and other craftsmen. Not only is the wood famous for the wonderfully unique chocolate brown coloration of its heartwood, but it is also popular due to the simple fact that it is generally cheaper to obtain than Mahogany. This price difference is one of the many reasons that the use of Walnut lumber was so widespread throughout the country during the Colonial Era, and today, Walnut’s popularity is nearly equal to that of Cherry, one of the most beloved woods in America.

Walnut is generally considered to be best suited for indoor applications, so some of the most common purchasers of Walnut lumber are furniture makers and flooring companies. The wood’s rich tones and deep chocolate brown make it perfect for constructing focal point furniture pieces, beautiful floors, centerpiece doors, and unique paneling. What’s more, the wood is extremely easy to work and machine, yet, because of its middle-of-the-road hardness, it still holds details well. Very rarely can a wood claim to be both gentle on cutting edges yet hard enough to retain finishing details; however, Walnut exhibits both of these characteristics.

Walnut pie crust table
Walnut pie crust table

Walnut lumber that has been freshly milled can sometimes exhibit a variety of color hues, especially purples and creams, but these variations in color patterns can be fixed if the lumber dealer follows the correct processes. The high quality lumber dealers at McIlvain Company, for example, steam their boards to ensure that the Walnut remains evenly and uniformly chocolate brown in color. If permitted to remain exposed to air and sunlight, Walnut will eventually lighten in color, allowing it to blend very well with a wide range of other wood species.

For interior applications, Walnut is a perfect lumber choice. The wood boasts a perfect balance of hardness and workability, and its color and grain patterns make for beautiful and unique wood projects.

Filed Under: Walnut

Hardwood Plywood

Last updated on October 6, 2013 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

Cherry Plywood
Cherry Plywood

Plywood is a type of wood that is engineered in such a way that it is well-suited to a wide variety of applications. Plywood is manufactured by adhering multiple layers of wood veneer – extremely thin layers of wood – to one another with a special type of durable glue. When the veneer layers are glued together, they are usually attached with their grain patterns at right angles to one another because this positioning increases strength and reduces the possibility for warpage, cracking, shrinking, twisting, and other types of damage to which non-plywoods are usually susceptible.

Plywood was designed to be stronger than non-engineered wood, and hardwood plywood in particular is very stable. Unlike most species of wood, plywood is largely impervious to the movements, shifting, and checking that can be caused by changes in temperature and humidity. Because of this stability, hardwood plywood is a “go-to” wood choice for craftsmen in a variety of industries, especially those in which the final projects are expected to perform under tight tolerances, such as door panels trapped within rails and stiles.

Other industries, such as the flooring industry, benefit from plywood’s exceptional strength, and the wood is often used as a strong and reliable base layer. Unlike marine grade plywood, which is specially designed to be flexible enough to bend to meet the specifications of the boating industry, most types of hardwood plywood are not very flexible. Although there are exceptions to this rule, hardwood plywood is generally quite difficult to bend. Again, though, the fact that it is so strong is definitely part of its appeal.

Sapele Plywood
Sapele Plywood

Many types of hardwood plywood are manufactured by gluing thin layers of a durable and inexpensive hardwood together and a single layer of a more highly sought after type of wood on each end. This gives the entire hardwood plywood board the appearance of a more expensive type of wood, making it easy to match to the rest of the project’s lumber, but it keeps costs down by filling the inner layers, which remain unseen, with an inexpensive (yet fully functional) type of wood veneer. This is not always the case, however, and some companies manufacture hardwood plywood where the entire core of veneer layers is made from the same type of wood as the outside layers.

According to the J Gibson McIlvain Company, a centuries-old wholesaler of high quality lumber, the most commonly requested types of hardwood plywood are Cherry, Natural Birch, African Mahogany, Red Oak, Natural Maple, Sapele, White Maple, White Birch, Walnut, and White Oak. These plywoods are, of course, available in a multitude of sizes and thicknesses, making hardwood plywood a great option for a wide range of applications.

Filed Under: Plywood

Ipe Decking – FAQs & Wholesale Supplier Information

Last updated on October 6, 2013 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

Fresh Ipe deck
Fresh Ipe deck

Ipe is a famous and prized Brazilian tropical hardwood that is used most often in outdoor applications, especially for decking projects. Ipe decking is world renowned for its attractiveness, durability, and overall toughness, and this outstanding reputation is well-earned because it’s known for being one of the only hardwoods that will last for as long as you own your house. Not only is Ipe strong and durable, but the wood is also quite beautiful. If it is properly kiln dried, its warm rich brown color and tight grain pattern make the wood very well-suited for indoor flooring projects. Its durability makes Ipe especially practical for high traffic areas of the home.

Ipe lumber is also known as “ironwood” as a result of its remarkable density and hardness, and because of these characteristics, the wood boasts a lifespan of over forty years. In addition to being popular for decking projects, Ipe is also used in other outdoor applications, including bridge building, boardwalks, outdoor furniture, marinas, and siding. Even if left untreated, the lumber is known to last for a great many years. Although non-treatment often causes the wood to fade to a silvery gray patina, many homeowners feel that this color is just as preferable as the brown color of the freshly installed lumber.

Ipe Decking
Ipe Decking

Ipe is truly a remarkable wood. The lumber is so durable that it has a class A fire rating, meaning that it is approximately as fire resistant as metal and concrete. Even if left untreated, Ipe lumber will outlast most other types of lumber. Its high density and extreme hardness allow the wood to resist absorbing moisture extremely well, and because of this, the amount of movement it exhibits after installation is very minimal. Ipe’s density also allows it to resist insect attacks, mold, decay, and other types of damage to which other decking woods are often susceptible.

Ipe is an exceptional lumber choice for both outdoor and indoor applications. While it’s popular as a durable indoor wood, its hardness and density make it a world famous decking material. Ipe decking will outlast nearly every other decking material, and it will do so while remaining both stable and beautiful.

J. Gibson McIlvain, located near Baltimore, Maryland, offers wholesale Ipe decking to contractors and installers throughout the United States. Contact McIlvain today at 800-638-9100 to request a price quote for your next Ipe project.

Learn more about Ipe decking:

  • Buy odd length Ipe decking and save
  • Ipe decking fastening systems
  • Ipe installation eccentricities

Filed Under: Ipe

Cherry Wood Lumber

Last updated on October 6, 2013 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

Cherry wood case with details
Cherry wood case with details

Cherry wood is one of the most famous species of wood used in the United States, and it has a long history of use in various applications. Traditionally, Cherry lumber was used by furniture makers to manufacture handcrafted masterpieces, and although its uses today have expanded, it still finds itself perhaps used most commonly in the crafting of furniture.

One of Cherry lumber’s main appeals is its extremely beautiful appearance. The wood displays warm tones of brown and reddish orange undertones, and its grain pattern is subtle and attractive. When purchasing Cherry, however, it is important for consumers to be aware of the existence of a “break in period.” The rough and freshly sawn boards of Cherry tend to be a much different color than older finished boards. The freshly sawn lumber is a light pinkish color, but with time and UV exposure and oxidation, the lumber’s color will deepen into the beautiful brownish red for which it is so prized.

Cherry lumber moves very predictably when properly dried, and it therefore makes for fine finished projects. As mentioned above, Cherry is often used to create furniture pieces, many of which act as the beautiful centerpieces and focal points of America’s homes, and it is also popular for use in door, window, flooring, and moulding projects.

Like other types of wood, Cherry’s quality varies as a result of the region in which it is grown. Therefore, high quality lumber dealers will search far and wide to find the regions of the world that produce the finest Cherry. One such region – the region preferred by one of the countries oldest and most reputable lumber wholesalers, McIlvain Company – is the Appalachian region of the United States. This area, which includes Pennsylvania and the Ohio River Valley, tends to produce Cherry with consistent coloration, fine grain patterns, and other characteristics of top quality Cherry that customers have come to love.

Filed Under: Cherry

Log Home and Timber Frame Provisions

Last updated on October 2, 2013 by Sozo Staff Leave a Comment

Log homes and timber frame construction provide unique settings in which to showcase massive specimens of lumber and craftsmanship. They echo with nostalgia for a bygone era in which pegged joints and solid wood joinery were appreciated as they should be. The strength required of thick posts and gigantic trusses elicit feelings of awe. As timber frame construction ventures beyond the scope of rustic homes, the industry is on the rise. However, the sheer length and quantity of appearance-grade lumber required can sometimes be difficult to obtain. Luckily, the longtime lumber specialists at J. Gibson McIlvain Lumber consistently provide the Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar that is suitable for this industry.

A premier log home or building with timber framing begins with premium raw materials. The large timbers and specialty products required for these projects necessitate a seller who prizes quality and attention-to-detail as much as master craftsmen do. When it comes to pegged and draw-bored mortise and tenon joints, only the best lumber will do. At J. Gibson McIlvain, we take quality control seriously.

As the timber of choice for structural parts, Douglas Fir boasts excellent strength and weather resistance. Because these trees quickly grow to great heights and widths, they’re easily available—a key factor when large lengths and widths are needed. Widths such as 8”x8” or even 12”x12” are common, as are lengths of 25 feet and longer. The tight grain of Douglas Fir finishes well, making it an ideal species for timber framing needs. One downside for a Midwest or East Coast supplier is that Douglas Fir grows only in the Pacific Northwest, making shipping such large timbers difficult and expensive with some suppliers. Other suppliers, though, like McIlvain, offer nationwide shipping, thus eliminating this drawback.

For lovers of that rustic look, White Oak may be more desirable. Strong and weather-resistant like Douglas Fir, this species is also plentiful enough to meet demand.

With the structural parts taken care of, there are still more raw materials needed. Hardwood flooring, paneling, mouldings, doors, and windows all require lumber that matches the design. Some within the timber frame industry outsource those aspects of the build, while others do all the work in-house to achieve optimal design continuity. Both builders and subcontractors require lumber providers that keep inventories of various sizes and species available and ready to ship.

J. Gibson McIlvain can provide for all the needs of timber frame and log home builders. In fact, we even have a buyer dedicated exclusively to this distinct market. This expert is responsible for sourcing and maintaining structural timbers with the highest appearance grade. We keep timbers with widths topping 32 inches and lengths of 40 feet, ready to be shipped to your job site at any time. We understand the industry’s needs, and we stand ready to meet them each and every time we’re given the opportunity.

For over 200 years, McIlvain has provided the nation’s most discerning customers with the highest quality lumber in the world. From domestic and exotic hardwoods and softwoods to plywoods and custom millwork, McIlvain has the lumber products and services that you need to help make your next project a success. For more information on what sets McIlvain apart, to request a free quote, or to see their full line of top-quality lumber, click here to visit them online. And for insider tips and woodworking tricks, check out these selections from their blog:

  •  Is B-Grade Lumber Worthwhile?
  • Lumber Industry Finds Itself on the Cusp of Change
  • Is Your Lumber Supplier in Compliance With the Lacey Act?

Filed Under: Fir

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