Have you ever heard the saying, “if you share you’ll get more?”.  Chances are you have.  It might even be one of the sayings you grew up with as a kid.  For us, when it comes to matching a customer’s need for hardwood lumber with the products we produce, we think the concept of sharing would be great.  Sharing wider individual hardwood boards amongst various types of customers that require narrower widths would be ideal. …

For decades craftsmen have considered using North American white ash as a substitute for Appalachian red oak.  But why? In general ash (Fraxinus Americana) and red oak (Quercus rubra) are excellent hardwoods to use for many products.  Moulding manufacturers, cabinet makers, and even door and window manufacturers could use either to produce their products. Red oak is a more traditional fiber to use for products such as those listed above, however, ash has become a…

If you are not still buying hardwood lumber in random widths and random lengths, chances are you purchase your lumber either width sorted or in exact ripped-to-width bundles.  But why would a manufacturer prefer sorted strips or hardwood rips? Many times manufacturers that purchase hardwoods in sorted strips will do so to rip a specific hardwood blank. They already have the equipment and the expertise available in their production process and they feel they can…

It seems that every day one of my customers asks me, “Can I see the hardwood lumber tally for that bundle?” Of course, in an attempt to provide the best possible customer experience, the answer to the question is undoubtedly yes.  However are they always necessary? Don’t get me wrong, hardwood lumber tallies are important.  They provide detailed information on the boards that make up a bundle of lumber.  They provide important insights into the…