GREEN PLANNING

Learn more about

Selecting Your Timber

Timber Selection Factors

Your choice of materials will depend on a number of factors:

Budget
Aesthetic Qualities
Strength
Interior or Exterior Exposure
Sustainable Building Ideals

Species
Our location on the West coast gives us great access to some of the finest materials available. We favor Douglas Fir for interior use and Western Red Cedar for exterior structures however other species are available including: Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Port Orford Cedar and others.

Green Timber
A seasoned timber has dried, allowing it to give up its free water and most of its bound water. Green timbers have not been dried and have higher moisture content. This moisture will leave the timbers over time; some of this will occur before your structure is raised and some of it will happen afterward. As a result, the timber may check, shrink and possibly twist. Some people appreciate these natural aspects of an organic building material while others seek to minimize them. Obtaining naturally seasoned timbers (air dried) is possible however few suppliers harvest and mill timbers and hold an inventory.

Green timber is always the most economical choice but it may not be the most sustainable choice depending on the source.

Kiln Dried
Green timbers can be dried artificially using very large specialty kilns. The standard kilns used to dry dimensional lumber are not effective for large timbers. A radio frequency vacuum kiln uses microwave technology to dry large timbers in a matter of days. Super vacuum kilns can also be used to dry timbers over a period of a week or more. In both cases the timber can emerge with a moisture content lower than 18% resulting in a very stable timber that will shrink, check and twist very little.

Kiln dried timber is more expensive than green timber but dimensionally stable. From a sustainable building standpoint, kiln dried timber may be no better than green timber depending on the timber source.

Recycled or Reclaimed
Recycled or reclaimed timber has been used at least once already. These timbers are often reclaimed from buildings that are deconstructed instead of being demolished. Many of these structures are old warehouses and industrial buildings. Recycled timbers are usually very dry and very stable. What you see is what you get with recycled timbers, they won't check or shrink after installation. Because of their previous use, recycled timbers often have "character marks" including bolt holes and marks from nails or other hardware. Many people appreciate the aged patina of recycled timbers and consider the character marks as interesting as the history behind these fine materials.

Reclaimed timbers are the most expensive option but they are also among the most sustainable choices as you are reusing 100% of the material and have prevented it going to into the waste stream.

Salvaged Timbers
Salvaged timbers are slightly different than recycled. A salvaged timber has not been used before. Dead standing trees, from an over-burn or bug-kill, can be harvested sensitively and processed to produce relatively dry timbers. In some species, such as redwood, specialist salvagers locate trees that were felled many decades ago but never hauled and milled. In some cases large trees were cut but fell into areas that were simply too difficult to retrieve using the technology of the time.

Salvaged timbers vary in cost and moisture content but can be a good choice for someone interested in striking a balance between cost and sustainable building practices.

FSC
The Forest Stewardship Council promotes the responsible management of the world's forests through the development of standards, a certification system and trademark recognition. FSC wood is tracked from the woodlot to the project using a COC or chain of custody record. FSC certification is most directly focused on dimensional lumber, that is the 2x4's, 2x6's etc., that make up the vast majority of wood used in construction framing projects. Most timberframe projects use a lot less dimensional lumber than conventional construction. By using FSC certified dimensional lumber you can further increase the sustainable building quotient of your project.