Central Valley Wood Products

Great Time to buy Lumber

Ted — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:01:29 +0000

Contact: Robert (Butch) Bernhardt, Jr., Information Services Director

503-306-3488

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Prepared March 24, 2009

LUMBER MARKETS EXPECTED TO REACH HISTORIC LOW
BEFORE STARTING SLOW RECOVERY IN 2010

PORTLAND, Ore. – Demand for lumber in the U.S. in 2009 will slide to the lowest level in modern history, then move toward a slow recovery starting next year, according to a new forecast issued by Western Wood Products Association.

The poor economy and a housing market that has plummeted to historic lows are the chief reasons for the remarkable decline in lumber demand. WWPA predicts U.S. lumber demand will slide this year to just 28.9 billion board feet, down almost 30 percent from 2008 totals.

Since reaching an all-time high of 64.3 billion board feet in 2005, U.S. demand for lumber has dropped by more than 55 percent – the steepest decline in the history of the industry.

Home construction traditionally accounts for more than 45 percent of the lumber used each year. The Association estimates just 432,000 houses will be started in 2009, down more than half from 2008 totals and one-fifth of what was built in 2005.

The volume of lumber used in new home construction is expected total 5.3 billion board feet this year, compared to the 27.6 billion board feet consumed in home building in 2005.

In 2010, housing is forecast to improve modestly to 553,000 starts, bringing lumber consumption to nearly 30 billion board feet. WWPA does not expect housing starts to exceed
1 million units until 2012.

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LUMBER DEMAND AT HISTORIC LOWS IN 2009

Page 2-2-2-2

The unprecedented decline in demand has taken its toll on lumber producers. Western lumber production is forecast to decrease nearly 26 percent to 9.7 billion board feet. That volume is the lowest since the 1930s and represents a little more than half the volume Western mills produced five years earlier.

Mills in the U.S. South will see production declines as well, falling to 10.9 billion board feet in 2009. In all, U.S. lumber production will total 21.8 billion board feet this year, down 25 percent from 2008. As markets start turning up in 2010, U.S. production will rise to 22.4 billion board feet.

Poor markets have been even tougher on Canada and other foreign lumber suppliers. Lumber imports from Canada are predicted to total 7.6 billion board feet in 2009, a decrease of 34.7 percent from the previous year. Since 2005, Canadian lumber imports have declined by nearly two-thirds, or some 14 billion board feet.

Other imports, including lumber from Europe and Latin America, should decline by double-digit percentages for the fourth straight year and lose more market share to domestic producers.

Western Wood Products Association represents lumber manufacturers in the 12 Western states. Based in Portland, WWPA compiles lumber industry statistics and provides business information services to mills. The Association also delivers quality standards, technical and product support services to the industry.

Central Valley Wood Products

Ted — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:14:28 +0000

Distributor of Lumber Products

Manufacture to custom wood products

Lumber Grading Marks

Ted — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:38:58 +0000

Understanding WWPA Grade Stamps

Western Wood Products Association is one of the largest associations of lumber manufacturers in the United States, representing sawmills in the 12 western states and Alaska. The Association’s Quality Services Division supervises lumber grading by maintaining a highly competent staff of lumber inspectors who regularly check the quality of mill production, including visual grade requirements of glued products and machine stress-rated lumber.

The Association’s Grading Rules for Western Lumber establishes standards of size and levels of quality in conformance with the American Softwood Lumber Standard PS 20. The Association is certified as a rules writing and inspection agency by the Board of Review, American Lumber Standard Committee. The Association is approved to provide mill supervisory services under its rules and the rules of the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau, the Redwood Inspection Service, the National Lumber Grades Authority for Canadian Lumber and the NGR portion of the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau Rules. In addition, WWPA is approved to supervise finger-jointed and machine stress-rated lumber.

Interpreting Grade Marks

WWPA uses a set of marks to identify lumber graded under its supervision. The grade marks are stamped on the lumber and appear near the ends of the product:

Most grade stamps, except those for rough lumber or heavy timbers, contain 5 basic elements:

WWPA certification mark certifies Association Quality standards and is a registered trademark.

Mill identification Firm name, brand, or assigned mill number. WWPA can be contacted to identify an individual mill whenever necessary.

How to buy and How we Price Lumber

Ted — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:50:45 +0000

How Lumber Is Sold and Priced

Hardwood lumber is sold a little differently than softwood. Some species are not only available and sold kiln dried but also air dried. Yes, hardwood lumber is sold primarily by the board foot 12″ x 12″ x 1″ {144 cubic inches}. Some lumber is sold by the pound such as Snakewood, Pink Ivory, Amboyna Burl, Afzelia Burl and numerous other burls. Certain retailer’s sell hardwood lumber priced by the lineal foot, some retailer’s even price it by the lineal inch and some on the internet sell it by units of 1/10th. of a board foot. If you want 2 board foot, you order 20 units, 1 1/2 board foot, you order 15 units, so on and so forth.

With softwood lumber when you pay for 4/4, you actually get 3/4″ thick dressed out and with 8/4 you get 1 1/2″ dressed out. This is not necessarily true with hardwood. I have received 4/4 thick lumber {2S} that ranged from exactly 3/4″ thick all the way up to 1 1/16″ thick and 8/4 thick lumber {2S} that ranged from 1 3/4″ thick up to 2 1/16″ thick. For example you can buy one board foot of Rosewood from one retailer for $20 and it will be 3/4″ thick, then you go to another retailer and find the same species of Rosewood runs $25.00 per board foot but find out the thickness is a full 1″.

Some retailers sell the more used hardwoods such as Oak, Walnut, Cherry, Mahogany, Cocobolo Rosewood and Purpleheart, 1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″ and 1/2″ thick, in lengths up to 6 foot and surfaced {planed} all 4 sides {S4}.

Because of the many different species of hardwood that are available, time and space does not allow me to actually go into the different dimensions that one may purchase. They vary so widely and are always changing with each particular species.

You can purchase burls weighing from a few pounds to over 1200 pounds in some species and slabs from 18″ through 30″ wide x 48″ through 72″ long x 1 1/2″ through 4″ thick to make tables out of. When ordering hardwood lumber be sure to specify widths and lengths, otherwise it will come in random widths and lengths. The extra charge for specifying widths and lengths varies greatly from one retailer to another. It can run from 5% all the way up to 25% per board foot.

Softwood lumber in the majority of lumber yards and home centers is usually sold by the piece. The price per piece is figured by using a board foot price. I have also seen softwood lumber sold by the lineal foot. Softwood lumber is always kiln dried. 1″ softwood lumber comes in widths of 2″, 4″, 6″, 8″, 10″, 12″ with lengths up to 16′ { 2′ increments}. 2″ and thicker comes in widths of 2″, 4″, 6″, 8″ 10″ and 12″ with lengths sometimes of up to 24′ depending on the species. Softwood 4/4 is 3/4″ thick and 8/4 is 1 1/2″ thick. 1″ x 4″ is actually 3/4″ x 3 1/2″, 1″ x 6″ is 3/4″ x 5 1/2″, 2″ x 4″ is 1 1/2″ x 3 1/2″.

Ted — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:09:15 +0000

Central Valley Wood Products is based in Fresno CA. We specialize in custom wood products to your specifications. We also supply difficult to find wood for you projects