3 Important Points to Consider When Buying Rough Sawn Lumber for Home Improvement Projects

Rough-sawn lumber is a popular choice for home improvement projects. Put simply, rough-sawn lumber is timber cut to size with an excellent cordless circular saw and has yet to receive further treatment. The sides and edges of the wood are rough and unfinished. Consequently, rough-sawn lumber suits internal frame use and beams beneath flooring or in attics.

However, there are a few things to remember when shopping for rough-sawn lumber to ensure you get high-quality wood for your home improvement project. Whether this is your first time using rough-sawn lumber or you just need some valuable pointers, choosing the suitable lumber for your project can seem overwhelming. So, let us discover 3 essential points to consider when buying rough-sawn lumber.

Find a Reputable Wood Dealer

It might seem intuitive, but one of the first steps of a home improvement project involving wood is to track down the best place to purchase timber in your area. Still, trying to figure out where to begin? Nowadays, along with word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family who have carried out similar woodwork projects, you can look online for such sites as https://alderferlumber.com/. Just read plenty of reviews of a few different lumberyards in your area to ensure you will get quality products and excellent service.

Moreover, knowing the origins of your Rough Sawn Lumber is vital. When shopping around, ask questions to determine where your wood has come from. You might even want to enquire about how it was treated previously. For example, there is always a possibility that the wood you are buying might have been subjected to conditions that could cause it to decay faster. Many wood suppliers also offer reclaimed wood options, ensuring your home improvement project is as sustainable as possible.

Know Your Measurements

When shopping for rough-sawn lumber, preparation is everything. Always bring a tape measure and a calculator to the lumberyard so that you can measure any boards that catch your eye and determine the cost. Wood dealers typically sell rough lumber by board feet, not by the length of the wood. The formula for calculating a board foot is as follows: width in inches x length in inches x thickness in inches / 144. Correspondingly, measuring your wood correctly can prevent costly mistakes throughout your project.

Accordingly, it is also fundamental that you anticipate a loss of about 1/4 inch on the thickness of your lumber, as this amount is usually removed once the wood is prepared for construction. Rough lumber thicknesses are measured in 1/4 inch increments, and the thinnest rough-cut boards, labeled 4/4, and called four quarter, are 1 inch thick. Pre-empting a slight loss of thickness ensures that the wood for your project is wide enough. Furthermore, buying slightly longer boards than you need can help you to avoid cracks. An extra foot or two per board should be adequate.

Pay Attention to Imperfections

Warps are deviations in the wood that are a typical result of the drying process. Cupped boards are concave when viewed from the end, bowed panels are curved inwards when placed on their side, and crooked panels curve inwards when placed face down. That being said, all of these bends can be fixed easily during the milling and shortening processes. Nonetheless, when the two ends do not lie on the same pain, twisted boards should be avoided as this type of board can be challenging to work with.

Aside from warps, choosing boards with similar colors is essential. Any color variation can have a detrimental impact on the finish of your project and can ruin the aesthetics of your woodwork. Instead, look closely at each board under good lighting and compare colors to identify differences. Quite often, the wood will have been sorted into broader ranged categories, so feel free to be thorough when checking the colors of each board. You should also ask an employee at the lumberyard for a second opinion.

Ultimately, although it can be tempting to purchase the first type of rough-sawn lumber you can get your hands on, by taking your time, you can find rough-sawn lumber that pulls your entire home improvement project together so that you can enjoy the results of your hard work for many more years to come. Above all, always choose environmentally sustainable and high-quality lumber to ensure that your woodwork stands the test of time without damaging the planet. Are you investing in wood for a new floor? If so, look at this guide to minimize water damage to wooden floors.