One of the joys of Thanksgiving is wishing our friends, customers, vendors and colleagues a happy Holiday Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
We will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 28 & 29th so that our employees can enjoy the holiday with their families. We’ll be back to serve you on Monday, December 2nd.
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
When a tree is harvested, about half of its weight is water. Soon after, it then begins dry and shrink about twice as fast along the growth rings than across them.
After it is milled, smaller lumber pieces will dry faster than wood manufactured into larger timbers, beams or heavier boards. As the outer layers of the bigger pieces dry and shrink, the center of the timbers will stay moist longer. All these changes cause the lumber to move, check and crack. The larger the timber or beam, the larger the cracks, as well.
This is NOT a bad thing!
Checking normally begin on the exterior surface of a timber and are not a structural concern. In fact, because it releases the tension that has built up, it actually makes the wood stronger.
All wood species will check differently. Denser exotic woods check more readily than softer woods, such as Douglas Fir and Cedar, however, checks in harder woods are generally smaller.
Ways to help minimize checking:
Please note all wood timbers and beams will continue to move; take on moisture and shrink, especially those installed in exterior applications. Checking on large timbers and beams, in many cases, does not occur until well after it is installed. On a loose rule of thumb, softwood timbers (such as Cedar and Doug Fir) dry about 1” per year. This means it can take 6 years for a 12×12” beam to reach equilibrium to its surroundings, and there will be movement and change throughout the whole process.
Our team of Wood Building Material Specialists are happy to discuss options on timbers and beams with you that are grown in the Pacific Northwest including Western Red Cedar, Alaska Yellow Cedar and Douglas Fir.
We ship nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
Because we are located in the heart of Cedar Country, the only place in the world Western Red Cedar and Alaskan Yellow Cedar are natively grown, we are able to offer superior quality Cedar building materials with exceptional pricing. Whatever you are looking for, if we don’t stock it, we can find a mill to custom make it for you.
We are currently working with a home builder in Half Moon Bay, CA on an exquisite custom home and are getting ready to ship out this custom milled, clear vertical grain Western Red Cedar rail cap along with more clear cedar T&G cladding for the project.
Starting with the architect’s specs, we had a line drawing created with the exact measurements for the customer to review before starting production.
Once the clear, vertical grain Western Red Cedar rail cap was milled, a filler piece of wood was attached to the bottom to help protect the “legs” during pre-stain and shipment.
Next, the rail cap was pre-stained with Penofin Ultra Premium Red Label in “Cedar”. This will help protect the custom milled Cedar rail cap during shipment, on the job site, as well as during installation.
A second field coat is recommended prior to installation on all four sides.
Stay tuned for more amazing photos of this project! And before your next project, be sure to visit us! We ship nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
Canadian Ice Lager Pine T&G ~ Craftsmanship by Atlas Woodworks
Our FineLine Pre-Finished Pine T&G is end matched with a square edge “penny gap” profile and is available in seven unique semi-transparent or solid colors
Our Traditional Pre-finished Pine T&G is end matched with a v-groove profile and is available in six unique semi-transparent or solid colors
Please contact us for brochures or samples, and before your next project, be sure to visit us! We provide high quality specialty building materials to homeowners and contractors nationwide.
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
Designed by local architect, Brooks Middleton, whom we have had the pleasure to work with on several local projects, called for clear, vertical grain Yellow Cedar (also known as Alaska Cypress and Pacific Coast Cypress) for accent walls inside the home, as well as for some of the exterior cladding. Since what he was looking for was not an “off the shelf” product, we worked with our mill to manufacture the custom spec’d 6″ clear vertical grain (also referred to as VG) Yellow Cedar for the exterior siding, as well as the 8″ clear VG Yellow Cedar for the interior of the home.
Clear, vertical grain is highest grade of Cedar, and as you might guess, the most expensive. The wood is sawn specifically so that all the growth rings are parallel to each other on the face of the board. All pieces milled will have a smooth face of decay-resistant heartwood and will be free from most growth characteristics that affect appearance. Please note, that even in all the clear grades, including VG, some knots may be present, as well as other less-than-perfect characteristics. Every tree, as well as every piece of lumber, will have natural individual characteristics, including variance in color.
When installing any natural wood product, regardless of grade, the trick is to install the best pieces in the areas with the highest visibility and always allow for some waste, especially in lower grades of clear and knotty Cedar products.
And before your next project, be sure to visit us! We specialize in working with customers with unique needs!
We ship nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
Step Inside, Get Inspired, Meet the Builders and TAKE THE TOUR!
10 custom homes built by Skagit/Island Counties Builders Association (SICBA) Member Builders are featured on this year’s Home Tour. These homes are scattered throughout Skagit & Island Counties.
We supplied the wood building materials for this stunning outdoor living space. See it on the tour! Built by John Piazza Jr Construction
Each ticket to tour the homes is just $10 and is good for all 3 days. Kids 15 and under are free. So make a weekend of it and tour all 10 homes! Use the code TOURSPONSOR during checkout and get a $1 discount on each ticket as our guest when you purchase on them online at www.SICBAHomeTour.com
And before your next project, be sure to visit us! We provide specialty lumber to homeowners and contractors through out the Pacific Northwest, as well as nationwide!
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
360.757.6343
Whether it is new construction or updating the look of a commercial or residential building, using natural wood siding to add a more modern look and feel is gaining popularity. With so many options in Western Red Cedar, Alaskan Yellow Cedar and other domestic hard and softwoods, the possibilities are endless to create a more natural, welcoming appearance for any building with wood cladding.
A true example of crafted modernism, this rustic home located in eastern Washington is cladded with a mix of our knotty Western Red Cedar and metal, along with concrete and steel elements to create an appealing façade that blends in with the natural surroundings, as well as help to protect the home against wild fires. See more of photos of this project by visiting the builder’s website, Impel Construction.
architecture by Designs Northwest Architects, photo courtesy of Colin Sands
When paired with a medium or dark color, natural wood siding instantly modernizes an existing building. In these photos, our friends at La Conner Dental replaced portions of the existing siding on their commercial building with our 1×4” clear Western Red Cedar tongue and groove paneling to create an upscale, yet charming exterior.
Totally on trend, and only getting hotter, is creating entrances to both homes and businesses, that are inviting with depth and dimension. Used to accentuate this the front porch and entry, our clear, vertical grain engineered veneer Western Red Cedar T&G extends a warm welcome to the homeowners and guests alike.
craftsmanship by Dihedral Builders
Adding natural wood timbers and beams, as well as natural wood paneling to the underside of porches and overhangs provides guests with shelter against the weather. In this photo, our Douglas Fir timbers and natural Western Red Cedar T&G create visual interest to this new home’s covered entry.
built by Brown and Sons, Inc
By mixing warm, organic-looking clear, mixed grain, Western Red Cedar with cool metal, the entrance to the Craft Stove building in Mount Vernon, WA draws customers into their new showroom.
craftsmanship by Chad Fisher Construction
Used to draw the outdoors in, as well as keep the momentum of a seamless design, real Western Red Cedar is used on the interior walls and ceiling, as well as exterior of this custom home in Malibu, CA. The clear, vertical grain Cedar T&G used on the exterior of the home was pre-treated for fire resistance. Learn more about the process for this by clicking HERE
We are so pleased to see this trend that includes natural wood and earthier elements and would be happy to discuss adding our natural wood products to your next project! We ship nationwide!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
