Who says you can’t teach an old dog, new tricks? At J. Gibson McIlvain Company, we’re over 200 years old, and yet we’re still learning and growing and adding new services and products to our “bag of tricks.” In the past decade, we’ve added softwoods and plywood. Now, we’re adding a new species to our current offerings: Red Grandis. Unlike many popular species we currently carry, it is predictable to source, inexpensive to obtain, and consistent in quality. Beginning this winter (2012-2013), we’re pleased to announce that we’ll be making this new premium lumber species available to our many valued customers.
Growing Conditions
As a plantation species, Red Grandis is grown in FSC-certified forests in Uruguay. The FSC-certified harvesting practices combined with two decades of refining by the companies Confusa and Ururfor have resulted in a 66,000-acre mature forest. That inland Uruguay multi-generational forest produces Red Grandis with the following characteristics:
- No defects
- Large diameters
- 20-year growing cycles
Thanks to modern vegetative reproductive technology, effective clones are being produced in each generation of this hearty and productive tree. With the combination of silvicultural and forestry practices, the result is consistent yet healthy forest products.
Species Comparisons
One of the species to which Red Grandis bears the greatest similarities is Genuine Mahogany, particularly in the areas of density, hardness, and grain structure. Freshly sawn Red Grandis is between the coloring of Mahogany and Cherry. While the sapwood can be difficult to differentiate from the heartwood at first, oxidation makes the board even more uniform over time. The narrowness of Red Grandis sapwood — like that of Mahogany — makes obtaining boards made completely of heartwood entirely possible. We consider Red Grandis a suitable alternative to Mahogany, Spanish Cedar, or Cherry. While it rivals any of those species in appearance, stability, durability, and workability, it is slightly softer than Genuine Mahogany.
Prime Applications
Red Grandis can be obtained in 8-9” widths and boards up to 16’ in length; however, most boards are closer to 13’ in length. Some of the most common applications of this high-quality hardwood include the following:
- Mouldings
- Interior millwork
- Furniture
- Cabinets
Unique Considerations
Unlike most other exotic hardwood species which we receive in the 12-15% moisture content range, Red Grandis is kiln dried to 6-8% North American standards. Those other exotic hardwood species with higher moisture content require us to air dry them first before kiln drying them, increasing the lead time between our receiving the wood and being able to sell it. Since Red Grandis comes to us in sale-ready condition, and it is already between ½ to 2/3 the price of many comparable exotic species, we’re extremely pleased to make this product available to our customers.
At the end of the day, what will make Red Grandis preferable to Mahogany to our customers won’t be the price; it will be the sustainability and ease of sourcing. At J. Gibson McIlvain, we believe it’s a great option for those who value cost-effective, sustainably grown, high-quality exotic lumber. To place your order for Red Grandis or to learn more about this wood species, call us today toll free at 800-638-9100 or submit our online contact form at mcilvain.com. We ship throughout the contiguous United States, Hawaii, Alaska and the Caribbean.