Wood has been used for construction by humans from the stone age. There are several factors by which wood becomes a favorite option for home construction. Wood being a natural resource is the first and important reason above all other factors. They are biodegradable and leaves the least carbon footprint when compared to other building materials like bricks, steel, stone, concrete, etc.
What is the difference between lumber and timber?
You might be confused about the terms timber and lumber in all the wood-related articles. In simple words, if the wood is still rooted in the soil, its a timber. Or if the wood still has its bark on it, its a timber. Lumber is the processed wood that is cut into standardized sizes for constructional purposes.
Now let’s find out the significant factors while choosing the best lumber for your home.
One of the basic and important factors in choosing your home lumber is Pricing or budget. Even though the market rates for wood are fluctuating based on current affairs, you should estimate a maximum budget that can be affordable. We can prepare the estimate based on the type of lumber chosen. For domestic lumbers(lumbers processed inside the country, state, or nearby local area) the pricing can be under a low budget. We can avoid various taxes and transportation charges for such kind of lumbers.
Whereas for imported lumber, the cost will be as much as ten times that of moderate domestic lumbers. And if you are looking for rare imported wood pieces, then expenses can be skyrocketed. The price can be significantly high whether the wood is domestic or imported if the chosen one comes under Figured Woods. Woods that are handpicked based on its age, grain nature, curls, etc are some examples for Figured Woods.
The major classifications of wood are Softwood, Hardwood, and Engineered Wood. The simple way to identify a Softwood is to push your nail and check whether it gets penetrated. If yes, then its a softwood, and else its a hardwood! Generally speaking, those trees with cones and needles are softwoods and those without cones are Hardwoods. Engineered Wood is created based on certain requirements that cannot be achieved by natural processes. The lumber has to be treated chemically and by heat.
Contrary to their names meaning, not all softwoods are softer. There are trees under the softwood category that are much harder than those under hardwood! Softwoods like Cedar, Redwood, etc are well known for the ability to resist rotting and insect attacks. Therefore they are used in exterior wooden works.
Mahogany, Maple, Cherry, Oak, etc are some of the famous Hardwoods that are highly sought after for their beautiful grain patterns and endurance.
Density
The strength and weight of the lumber are directly proportional to the density of the lumber. Hence, denser the wood, better the construction and sustainability. The Hardwood trees are normally slow-growing compared to Softwood trees making them denser.
Other Important factors include the Texture of the wood, Colour, Grain structure, Availability, etc.
Now let’s look at some of the most common lumbers used in home construction
Studies show that there are almost 60 varieties of Oak in the US alone. And the most popular among them for construction purposes is White Oak and Red Oak. White oak is used for making barrels, boats, flooring, and furniture works due to its plugged pores that makes it liquid-proof. White Oak is highly durable and has a straight grain texture. They are quite easy to work with both hands and machines. They are expensive than Red Oak and are abundantly available.
Red Oak has a large porous texture making it vulnerable to liquid stains if not properly coated. Water content can turn Red Oak to black color. They are hard, strong and less expensive which makes them widely used among woodworkers.
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This hardwood lumber has a very tight porous texture by which, the surface can be polished to get a glass-like finish even without fillers. Also known by the names Sugar Maple or Rock Maple, they are famous for their density, strength, stiffness and uniform texture. Normally they are not resistant to insect attacks. They are widely used for basketball courts, balling alleys, residential purposes, etc. Hard maples are costlier than soft maple and their sapwoods have more demand than the heartwood.
Here are our Maple collections: https://exoticwoodzone.com/search?q=Hard+maple
This North American wood is known for its distinctive coffee color. Unlike other hardwoods, walnut has the tendency to lighten its color during aging. Even though they are subjected to insect attack, it has a high rot resistance. The regular straight grain ensures easy work ability with hands and machines, glues, and finishes well. Due to its shock resistance and stability, they are valued by woodworkers in the industry. American walnuts are popular and widely available but are costly due to its extreme quality.
Cherry woods are famous for cabinet making due to its charm and beauty. The heartwood is darker and changes to reddish-brown with time. Cherry gets its proper color from deep aging as part of the natural process. They are rot and insect resistant and has a fine texture with a natural luster. Cherry is one of the rare woods that are stable, strong, straight-grained, and can be used in a variety of cases. Cherry lumber can be used for all internal furniture works and their pricing are moderate compared to other premium hardwoods.
