REDWOOD
Redwood Forests Certified
for Sustainable Harvests
Four of every five acres of commercial redwood forest are now independently certified as well managed and harvested on a sustainable basis. The major redwood lumber mills and landowners have completed independent third-party certification of their redwood forestlands. As a result, over 1 million acres, approximately 80 percent of the available redwood commercial forest are certified under one of the two most widely recognized certification programs: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI SM ) program.
There are 1.74 million acres (1) of Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests on California’s north coast. About 26 percent, or 450,000 acres of these forests are preserved in national, state and municipal parks, national monuments and other administratively withdrawn lands (2) where harvesting is prohibited.
Of the remaining 1.29 million acres where harvesting can take place, approximately 1.03 million acres (3) (80 percent) are currently being well managed according to independent third-party certification programs.
Forest certification provides consumers with assurance that the redwood products they purchase have been harvested in an environmentally sound manner. The basic tenants of certification programs include:
sustainable forestry
prompt reforestation
protection of water quality
enhancement of wildlife habitat
minimizing the visual impact of harvesting
protection of unique sites
improvements in wood utilization
These voluntary third-party certification programs are in addition to the mandatory requirements of California’s Forest Practices Act, recognized as the most thorough timber harvesting regulation in North America. Section 913 of the Forest Practices Act requires that any company owning commercial forests greater than 50,000 acres prepare a Sustained Yield Plan. These plans must project an equal balance of growth and harvest over a 100 year period while ensuring sustainability of all forest resources, including wildlife, watershed and soil.
References:
1 U.S. Forest Service Inventory and Analysis, Pacific Northwest Forest Range and Experiment Station, Portland Oregon reporting 1,244,000 acres with a plurality of redwood trees and another 496,000 acres with redwood present. (See also Fox III, Lawrence, “A Classification, Map and Volume Estimate for the Coast Redwood of California,” 1988, revised Oct. 1989, Humboldt State University, Arcata, Calif., with California Department of Forestry; reporting a plurality of redwoods on 1,663,000 acres and occurring on another 287,000 acres.)
2 Solinsky, Frank and Dean, Consulting Foresters, Trinidad, “Acreage and Volume of Coast Redwood Timber in Public Ownership In California”, Sept., 1990. (More recently withdrawn acreage added.)
3 Forest Stewardship Council, www.fscoax.org. American Forest & Paper Association’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI SM) Program, www.afandpa.org/forestry/sfi or www.aboutsfi.org.
June 30, 2009 No Comments
Installing Wood Siding
Installing Wood Siding
Summary: Wood siding has been used on houses for hundreds of years. Engineered wood siding is an improvement on traditional siding as it allows us to make the most of our natural resources. If you want the best exterior wood siding, look for wood that contains natural preservatives and has vertical grain. Western cedar is a great wood siding species.
DEAR PHOEBE: You know what they say don’t you? Imitation is the highest form of flattery. It seems like all of the non-wood siding products for years have copied the lap wood siding look. Aluminum, fiber cement and vinyl siding have had imitation lap sidings for years. This tells you that not only is the wood siding a timeless material, the lap siding look is perhaps the most popular. My wife and I love the real lap wood siding on our own home.
Lap wood siding is still available but you have to be sure you buy the right one. I prefer wood products that include preservatives injected by Mother Nature. Cedar and redwood are two such sidings. Both of these wood species have a considerable amount of natural preservatives. You may find other soft or hardwood siding materials, but only buy them if you can be sure they have been treated against wood rot.
Be sure to discuss wood grain orientation with the siding salesperson. The best wood siding has vertical grain. Less expensive wood sidings will sport flat grain. You can easily tell a vertical grain wood siding if you look at a freshly cut end. If you see ten, twenty or even 50 of the dark tree rings on the cut edge, the siding is indeed vertical grain. Flat grain wood siding may only have one, two or three dark tree rings visible on the end of a piece of siding. The vertical grain wood siding is more stable and the grain will not raise on the flat surface that you see once it is installed.
Before you even think of nailing up your first piece of siding, there is a critical step you must follow. The wood siding needs to be primed on both sides and all edges before it is installed. Furthermore, each time you cut a piece of siding and are sure it is the correct length, those exposed cut ends must be painted before the siding is nailed to the wall. These critical painting steps help ensure the finish coat of paint will never peel or blister. I feel the best finish paint to use is one that is a blend of acrylic and urethane resins.
If the back and edges of the wood siding are not painted and water soaks into the wood, paint failure is an almost certainty. The water in the wood wants to get back into the atmosphere and it works its way to the front surface of the siding. Once there, warmth, wind and direct sunlight cause the water in the siding to form a vapor which can actually create a real blister in the finish paint. If you paint the back and edges of the siding, water can’t get into the wood in the first place.
The sides of the house must also be covered with a water barrier such as traditional asphalt-saturated felt paper or some of the modern synthetic fiber woven water and air barriers. You must use metal flashings and special drip caps moldings above horizontal trim boards, windows, doors and any other dissimilar material other than the siding. The flashings and drip caps help direct water away from the siding and prevent water from getting behind the siding or any trim boards used with the siding.
Be sure the first piece of wood siding or the lowest wood trim board laps over your foundation at least one inch. Water is your worst enemy and you want to ensure that water gets away from the siding and foundation of your home as quickly as possible. Follow all building codes with respect to the height above grade where the siding must start. Not all codes are the same, but I would not have the wood siding any closer to the soil than six inches. The greater the distance between the soil and the first piece of wood the better. If you can adjust your foundation height so there is a ten or twelve-inch space between wood and soil, do so.
The nails you use for wood siding are very important. The best nails are specific siding nails which have very blunt points and are made from stainless steel. These nails also have stacked rings on the shank of the nail for extra gripping power. Siding nails often have smaller heads as well so they are not that obvious if you install them flush with the surface of the wood siding. On painted siding, I always countersink the nail and fill the resulting hole with exterior spackling compound.
To make sure the wood siding does not fall off the wall over time, be sure the nails used are long enough. The nail must pass through the siding, then pass through any sheathing such as plywood, foam board or oriented strand board and finally into a wood wall stud. The nail needs to penetrate the wood stud at least one and one-quarter inch. Do the math and you will discover it is best to use a nail that is 2.5 inches long.
April 15, 2009 No Comments
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
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Breaking News! USGBC Will Change its Wood Certification Requirements Click HERE for details. |
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Survey Says: Dealers Are Slowly Getting Greener, but Skepticism Persists
In March 2009, PROSALES magazine conducted an online survey of LBM dealers, distributors, and manufacturers regarding the state of the green construction movement in their communities as well as whether they had taken action to green their own operations. The Survey indicates dealers are getting more active in green issues, even though a significant number say there’s little demand to do so. A small majority of dealers responding to the nationwide, online poll said they’re getting asked more often these days about green, but 41% still categorize interest in their area as nonexistent or barely there. To check out how dealer responses from our area compared to the rest of the nation, click HERE.
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The Many Shades of Green
With all the buzz on all things green, most of us now understand the basic concept. But do any of us know exactly what “green building” means, and do we have answers for the questions our customers are asking? Click HERE for full article. What the Experts Say –
Dovetail Partners is a nonprofit organization that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors by collaborating to develop unique concepts, systems, models and programs. Jim L. Bowyer, Professor Emeritus, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota; President, Bowyer & Associates, Inc. – a wood science and bioenergy consulting firm; and Director, Responsible Materials Program, Dovetail Partners, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, explains what’s all this means to our industry and our region.
The following articles were authored by Dr. James Bowyer.
Biomass Energy – An Emerging Opportunity for the Forest and Agricultural Sectors
A marked shift toward greater use of renewable energy is underway. A key element of renewable energy development is biomass, which today provides about one-half of renewable energy generation nationwide. To balance societal needs for renewable, less polluting energy sources with desires for healthy and diverse forests, one approach taken in Minnesota was the development of “Biomass Harvesting Guidelines.” Click HERE for full article.
Green Building Programs, Are They Really Green?
This article examines and explains the many different green building programs. The author, Jim L. Bowyer, is Professor Emeritus, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota; President, Bowyer & Associates, Inc. – a wood science and bioenergy consulting firm; and Director, Responsible Materials Program, Dovetail Partners, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click HERE for full article.
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The NLBMDA Outlook
1. IS THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG? - Op/Ed by Valerir R. Hansen, LBMI Trustee
Today our industry is experiencing the most significant housing downturn in at least a generation. We’re also at the threshold of a new era in American home building, one that will spin off new construction methods, new materials, and require a new attention to process – or a return of old-fashioned craftsmanship. It’s time for lumber dealers, truss manufacturers, and the ALSC to take the leadership in establishing an eco-standard for dimensional lumber. CLICK HERE FOR REST OF ARTICLE
2. LBMI Formal Request to the ALSC
The Lumber and Building Materials Institute (LBMI), the research and education foundation of the NLBMDA, and the LBMI Green Building Council, respectfully request the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) to adopt a new eco-forest management standard, accredit agencies to certify the standard, and establish a corresponding eco-label (grade stamp). CLICK HERE FOR REST OF ARTICLE
- Green Links
Click HERE for links to other sustainble building web sites and certification links.
- FSC-Certified Suppliers
Click HERE to view a list of companies that have notified NLA that they have received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody certification.
Green Education
“Certified Green Dealer™” Program
The NLA is pleased to announce a new program available to NLA members! The new “Certified Green Dealer™” program is designed to train, test, and certify the nation’s lumber and building material dealers on green building techniques and green products. Check out the ad below, or click HERE for more information.
April 6, 2009 No Comments
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF WOOD
Environmental Benefits
Green by Design: Renewable, Durable, Sustainable WoodThe ATHENA™ Sustainable Materials Institute’s ultimate goal is to encourage the selection of material mixes that will minimize the environmental impact of a building over its life-cycle. The ATHENA computer model was used to compare alternative wood, steel and concrete structural designs for a three-story office building. The ATHENA findings are the result of a five-year research program involving architects, environmentalists, economists, engineers, and representatives from the steel, concrete and wood industries. ATHENA™’s life-cycle research found that wood building products have the lowest environmental impact when compared to other major building materials, based on raw materials and energy use, emissions to air, water and land. What are the facts?
These facts and others based on the ATHENA life-cycle findings can be found in a new primer put out by the Canadian Wood Council & the Forest Products Association of Canada have put out a primer, “Green by Design”. “Green By Design: Renewable, Durable, Sustainable Wood.” Canadian Wood Council & Forest Products Association of Canada. (CWC & FPAC)A primer on the environmental comparisons of wood and other materials in home and building construction. This brochure explains why asking for Canadian wood products is the best environmental choice. It shows how taking a life cycle approach to building design will result in wood being the winner over competing products such as steel and concrete. Addressing Negative Perceptions and CampaignsAccording to the Wood Promotion Network, the last five years have witnessed mounting efforts by competing industries and environmental groups to reduce the market for wood. Their recent studies show that between 1997 and 2000 lumber alone lost 2.5% of the residential market for floors, walls and roofs. Significant environmental campaigns have been aimed at putting pressure on major corporate buyers of wood products. As a result, the public has been led to believe that forest are diminishing, that industry practices are not sustainable, and that the world needs to use less rather than more wood. The Wood Promotion Network is N. America’s largest ever coalition of wood product and allied industry companies and related associations, representing more than two-thirds of N. American wood production. These companies have joined together to educate builders, DIYers and homeowners throughout North America on the benefits of wood building materials and the abundance of today’s North American forests. Thus, the WPN goals are to secure and expand wood markets in N. America and to increase confidence about forest abundance and sustainability. While the goals may seem ambitious, the hard facts show that wood is the best environmental choice, hence it is not surprising that their campaigns to date have resulted in major achievements in terms of improving building and consumer perceptions of wood. What are some of the messages that the Wood Promotion Network gets across:
Build with Wood and Help Protect the EnvironmentOver 80% of Canadians believe that sustaining the environment is a major priority. Many of us do our part, by recycling newspapers, refusing or reusing shopping bags, and composting waste. But we may not realize that we make a much bigger impact on the environment through our choice of building materials. Due to sustainable forestry practices, the volume of wood in Canada’s productive forests increased by 35% between 1976 to 1991. Last year alone, over 700 million seedlings were planted. That’s about 25 trees planted for each Canadian. But how do we replace the thousands of tons of ore that went into steel beams or aluminum siding, or the millions of litres of petroleum that went into making plastic components? The answer is – we can’t. Those resources are finite. Once we consume them, they are gone forever. A study by the Canadian Research Alliance examined the relative environmental impacts of various building materials. The results clearly demonstrate not only that wood is a renewable resource, but also that the manufacture of wood products is cleaner, less wasteful, and consumes less energy than the alternatives. Life-cycle analysis shows that a steel wall requires 3 to 6 times more energy to extract, manufacture and construct than a wood wall. The steel wall also uses 25 times more water in its manufacture, and releases 3 to 6 times more carbon dioxide emissions. The manufacture of concrete produces 2 to 3 times more carbon dioxide than wood, and results in 5 times more solid waste. The production of aluminum generates 8 times more polluting emissions in the air and 300 times more in the water, than the manufacture of wood. The manufacture of aluminum siding requires 5 times more energy than wood. Construction is a $25 billion a year industry in Canada. That’s the equivalent of almost $900 for each Canadian, much of it spent on building materials. Source: http://www.cwc.ca/environment/green_facts/ Selecting Environmentally Friendly Flooring
Thinking of replacing that worn flooring in the front hallway? By shopping around, you can get information about the price, style, and maintenance of commonly-used flooring products. It is much harder to learn about the hidden impact of these products on the environment. To make an informed choice, consumers also want to know about the composition and manufacture of various flooring materials. Synthetic sheet flooring, such as cushion flooring, is made from non-renewable petroleum resources. Because it is non-biodegradable, scraps cannot be recycled. The manufacturing process is energy-intensive, depleting the supply of fossil fuels. Ceramic tiles are made by firing clay, a plentiful resource. However, the kilns used to fire the clay consume large quantities of energy. Ceramic tiles are not recyclable. Linoleum is made with renewable ingredients (linseed oil, cork, wood dust and dyes) that have been heat-cured and sealed, but it is not recyclable. Various chemicals are used for manufacturing, although less than are required for synthetic floor materials. So what can you select that is environmentally friendly as well as being durable, easy-to-care-for, beautiful and affordable? The answer is wood. Oak and maple hardwood flooring – solid plank, pre-finished wood flooring systems, parquet tiles and veneer – comes from wood, a renewable resource. Part of the energy used in the manufacturing process comes from wood waste materials. Veneer flooring is comprised of a surface of high quality hardwood laminated to a plywood or particle board backing, and packaged as tiles. Wood fibre waste from low grade wood is used in the backing, and high-grade wood is used in the surface veneer. When you’re shopping around, ask your retailer or contractor for more information from the flooring manufacturer. That way you can select a product that is attractive to the environment AND to your home. Source: http://www.cwc.ca/environment/green_facts/ Build that New Fence with Wood and Help Protect the EnvironmentWhen you shop for materials to build your new fence or deck, you probably think about things like appearance, ease of installation, and cost. But what about the cost to the environment of the building materials that we buy? Over 80% of Canadians believe that sustaining the environment is a major priority. Many of us do our part by recycling newspapers, adding extra insulation in our homes, and walking to the video store at the corner instead of driving. But we also make a major impact on the environment when we choose building materials, often without realizing it. Wood is a popular and attractive choice for many outdoor landscaping projects. Due to sustainable forestry practices, the volume of wood in Canada’s productive forests increased by 35% over the last 20 years. Last year alone, about 700 million seedlings were planted. That’s over 20 trees planted for each Canadian. But what about that chain-link fence, those concrete patios stones or that vinyl lounge chair? How do we replace the thousands of tons of ore that went into the manufacture of steel, or the millions of litres of petroleum that went into making plastic components? The answer is – we can’t. Those resources are finite. Once we consume them, they are gone forever. And the manufacturing process has added to the world’s pollution problems. A study by the Canadian Research Alliance examined the relative environmental impacts of various building materials. The results clearly demonstrate that the manufacture of wood products is cleaner, less wasteful, and consumes less energy than the alternatives. Life-cycle analysis shows that a steel wall requires 3 to 6 times more energy to extract, manufacture and construct than a wood wall. The steel wall also uses 25 times more water in its manufacture, and releases 3 to 6 times more carbon dioxide emissions. The manufacture of concrete produces 2 to 3 times more carbon dioxide than wood, and results in 5 times more solid waste. The production of aluminum generates 8 times more polluting emissions in the air and 300 times more in the water, than the manufacture of lumber. The manufacture of aluminum siding requires 5 times more energy than lumber. So when you go to buy the materials for that new fence or deck, consider the alternatives – and make an informed choice. Source: http://www.cwc.ca/environment/green_facts/ |
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| 2008 © Copyright Canadian Lumbermen’s Association. Content Management Powered by CuteNews. |
April 5, 2009 No Comments
Canadian Forest Lands
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| 2008 © Copyright Canadian Lumbermen’s Association. Content Management Powered by CuteNews. |
April 4, 2009 No Comments
REDWOOD GRADES
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Construction Heart/Deck Heart Uses Decks, posts, retaining walls, fences, garden structures, stairs or other outdoor uses in contact with the ground. |
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Merchantable Heart Uses Fences, retaining walls, garden structures or other outdoor uses in contact with the ground. |
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 Heartwood and Sapwood |
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Construction Common/Deck Common Uses Decking, fence boards and other above-ground garden uses that do not require heartwood’s insect and decay resistance. |
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Uses Fence boards, rails and other above-ground outdoor and garden uses. Also subflooring and temporary construction. |
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All Heartwood |
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Clear All Heart Uses Siding, paneling, trim, cabinetry, molding, fascia, soffits, millwork. Also fine decks, hot tubs, garden structures, industrial storage and processing tanks.
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Heart B Uses Siding, paneling, trim, fascia, molding and other architectural uses. Quality decking, garden shelters and other outdoor uses in contact with the ground. |
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Clear
Uses Siding, paneling, trim, cabinetry,
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B Grade Uses Siding, paneling, trim, fascia, molding and other architectural uses; quality decking, garden shelters and other above-ground outdoor applications. |
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CALIFORNIA REDWOOD ASSOCIATION · 1 888-CALREDWOOD · info@calredwood.org
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© 2005, California Redwood Association. All rights reserved.
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April 3, 2009 No Comments
NEW: CEDAR PANELS
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April 2, 2009 No Comments
Cedar Grades And Uses
TIMBER PRODUCTS | GRADES
| Clear Grades Clear cedar has a limited number of natural characteristics and is specified when appearance of the highest quality is desired. Clear grades of timbers are normally supplied green (unseasoned). When required, seasoning is achieved by air-drying. Knotty Grades |
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Surface Textures
Saw Textured The saw textured surface, obtained during the milling process which uses either circular or band saws, is present on all four sides.
Rougher Headed The lumber receives its texture from a milling process which uses roughened planer knives. The rough texture is clearly visible on all four sides.
Surfaced Four Sides (S4S) The smooth surface on all four sides presents a uniformly sized product with a high quality appearance. Sizes from 2×4 (51mm x 102mm) up to 6×6 in. (152mm x 152mm) are generally available. Larger sizes are produced on special orders.
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| No. 2 and Better Clear | |
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This grade should be specified when the finest quality rough lumber is desired. The lumber is sound and well manufactured. Its natural characteristics do not detract from the woods fine appearance. Grading Rule Paragraph Export R List 401 |
| D and Better Clear | |
| This grade consists of D Clear, C Clear, and B Clear.
The C and Better Clear grade offers good appearance in high quality, well manufactured lumber. Suitable for high quality landscape structures and as exposed posts and beams in heavy timber construction. WRCEA members produce this grade without cut-outs. In most cases, this grade is sold with a specified allowance of D grade. D Clear grade permits larger and more numerous natural characteristics which are widely accepted in the construction of outdoor structures. Some pieces of D Clear may require trimming to yield clear lengths for the intended use. Available surfaced or rough textured. |
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| Appearance Knotty | |
| A non structural product manufactured to meet the appearance requirements of quality projects. This material has highly restricted wane allowances to give well defined corners. Contains no holes or other characteristics. Represents good value for appearance end uses. Available rough sawn or rougher headed in nominal 2″ (51mm) and thicker sizes.
Note: Upon request, Appearance Knotty timbers are available with structural grading. Be certain to specify Appearance Knotty structural lumber when strength characteristics are required. Grading Rule Paragraph |
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| No. 2 and Better Structural | |
| Material of this grade is evaluated for structural strength characteristics. The classification includes pieces meeting the grades of Select Structural, No. 1 Structural, and No. 2 Structural. Lumber of this grade is intended for engineered applications where strength is more important than appearance. Available surfaced or rough textured.
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April 1, 2009 No Comments
Group buys up Forest Land
Group buys forest to log, shield it from development
By Tim Reiterman
June 15, 2007
With 100% financing from the Bank of America, a nonprofit conservation group has purchased 50,000 acres of redwood forest along the Mendocino County coast north of Fort Bragg for $65 million and plans to use it for commercial timber harvesting while shielding the land from development.
“We know that this property without protection would have been subdivided into smaller parcels,” Art Harwood, a sawmill operator and president of the Redwood Forest Foundation, told reporters Thursday in the redwood grove outside the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. “Every year in the U.S., millions of acres of forest are bought and sold, and the pressure is particularly high in Northern California.”
Bank and foundation officials said the deal is the first of its kind that relies entirely on private financing.
However, much of the debt is to be paid through the sale of a conservation easement to another nonprofit group that plans to seek state funding.
Harwood said the land, acquired from Hawthorne Timber Co., was heavily logged in the 1980s and ’90s and now consists primarily of second-growth redwood and Douglas fir. “There are a few old-growth trees scattered out there, but we will not be cutting them,” he said.
Foundation officials said they plan to do very little logging at first, and never on more than 3% of the property a year to ensure a long-term supply of jobs and timber. The Redwood Forest Foundation, which is dedicated to restoring working forests, plans to use logging revenue to help pay off the 20-year loan.
The foundation, based in the southern Mendocino County town of Gualala, intends to sell the conservation easement to the Conservation Fund, which plans to use state money approved by voters last year in Proposition 84, the clean water, parks and coastal bond measure.
“We haven’t negotiated the cost of the easement and the terms,” said Chris Kelly, who manages California operations for the fund. “But our intention is to have an agreement allowing no subdivision, development or conversion to non-forest uses, and possibly there will be a cap on harvesting.”
The land is north of Fort Bragg and about 50 miles north of two other parcels purchased recently by the Conservation Fund.
March 28, 2009 No Comments
cedar prices remain stabile
03/26/2009 - Despite the failing economy over the past year cedar prices have remained somewhat stabile and will even begin to rise in the coming months as demand starts to rise again. Cedar siding, both in western red cedar and incense cedar, is a very popular way to side a custom home or to reside an existing home in a makeover. What makes cedar such a great product is its long-term sustainability in respect to insects and weather. Wood siding is by far the most popular choice in mountain communities where a “green” look is desired. As the summer months approach look for cedar prices to start to rise again.
March 26, 2009 No Comments
