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Knots, Wane & Splitting…

Knots, Wane & Splitting…
Did you know that trees have branches?
Did you know for every branch on a tree there is a knot on a piece of lumber?
Did you know that trees are round?
With round trees, there will be wane, or round edges on lumber.
We often have people want perfectly knot-free lumber that has no wane and no splitting.
 
We often are the bad guys because our material, just like any other dimensional lumber material will have these imperfections.  Here are a few things maybe no one told you:
-A #2 grade board will have less imperfections than a #3 grade board…and there will be a price difference.  A #1 board will have less imperfections, but are usually cost prohibited to frame with.
-Wane and/or bark on a board will not structurally affect the wood or the strength of the lumber.
-Checking, or cracking around the growth ring is common in lumber.  As a board dries out, the checking will become noticeable.
-Not every tree grows to be 16′ long.  Some trees are only going to be able to make 12′ or 14′ material due to the vertical ability to grow tall and strong.
-Timber can and will split or twist, and vendors will not let us return them.
-Rough sawn cedar is not as rough as it used to be.
-Some material we buy only has one supplier.  When they are out, your choice is to wait or change to another product.
-We pay ‘fuel surcharges’ from some vendors even when we pick up the material from them.
-Many wholesalers will not allow special order items to be returned.  Those that do will likely have a restock charge, and many will take FOREVER to issue a credit.
-When we call a wholesaler to see if an order is ready, we will go pick it up.  Often, the order is not really ready…and we wait.
-When a vendor gives a ‘ready date’ for a special order item, this date is not set in stone and they will pay no penalties if they cause delays if they miss the date.
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