Throughout the course of reading this series of articles (see Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3), you may have gained some new appreciation for how truly difficult of a job matching lumber color really is for lumber dealers. Yet, if you’ve seen jaw-dropping magazine photos of homogeneous wood floors and decks, you know that […]
Construction
Matching Lumber Color Is Trickier Than It Seems – Part 3
One of the factors people don’t always take into account when it comes to understanding color variations in lumber is the amount of time and distance the boards spend on their way to the lumber yard and to the job site. In this next article in our series about matching lumber color (see Part 1 […]
Matching Lumber Color Is Trickier Than It Seems – Part 2
In this second installment of our series on color matching lumber (see Part 1), we’re going to take a closer look at the role the elements and several other external factors have to play in lumber’s color variation. Hopefully, this article will give you greater insight into the reasons behind this natural phenomenon in order […]
Matching Lumber Color Is Trickier Than It Seems – Part 1
If you’ve watched any home improvement shows on television or skimmed through house decorating and design magazines, chances are you’ve seen some amazing hardwood floors and decks. These glamorous showplaces seem to boast flooring made from lumber that is not only expertly installed but perfectly color matched for a completely flawless look. However, achieving that […]
Good News for Forests & the Future: Why We Should Start Considering B Grade Lumber
Did you know that there are benefits to buying B grade lumber? No, we’re not just talking about saving money here. Buying lower grade lumber is actually related to sustainability and forestry health, and it’s something that’s important to consider. Don’t worry: we won’t force the issue. If you really want or need A grade […]
Best of the Best Tropical Hardwood Decking Species: Our Top 3 Picks
The in-house millworks at J. Gibson McIlvain Lumber is certainly capable of all kinds of custom work, including creating knives for historic restoration projects, but this time of year, all hands (and tools!) are on deck for — you guessed it — grooving decking boards for hidden fastening systems. (Yes, we are in the groove.) […]
Building an Ipe Deck That Lasts for Decades, Part 4
Ipe decks are truly gorgeous additions to any commercial or residential outdoor space — and with proper installation and minimal routine maintenance, they’ll remain that way for literally decades. But first, they must make a long and arduous journey from along the Amazon river to your job site. And you’ll have to deal with all […]
Building an Ipe Deck That Lasts for Decades, Part 3
Extremely dense and hard — not to mention gorgeous — Ipe tropical hardwood decking is understandably and increasingly in vogue for today’s commercial boardwalks as well as luxury residential decks. As fantastic as this lumber truly is, the top factor in allowing it to live up to its potential is proper installation. In order to […]
Building an Ipe Deck That Lasts for Decades, Part 2
Ipe is truly an amazing tropical decking species! With proper installation, your new Ipe deck can last for decades. However, in addition to anticipating wood movement, there are some added installation eccentricities which this remarkable species requires. One relates to color matching, and the other is connected with working with such an extremely hard species. […]
Building an Ipe Deck That Lasts for Decades, Part 1
We used to call Spring our “decking season,” but realistically, we should call it “Ipe season.” The majority of the decking lumber that we sell at J Gibson McIlvain Lumber is Ipe, and we’re glad that so many of our customers acknowledge and appreciate this truly remarkable tropical hardwood decking lumber. An extremely hard and […]
