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The project and where you plan to build
it will always govern the type of lumber you must choose. For most outdoor projects you will probably choose one of the common grades of
softwood lumber. Properly painted and with the right preservatives
applied they will last a long time. They are the cheapest grades of lumber and offer a reasonably wide choice of woods, among which you will
surely find one which will fit your needs and give you good service.
. . . softwoods
Those most frequently available in wide distribution are cedar, cypress, fir (Douglas fir is especially good), hemlock, larch, redwood,
spruce, and pine (white and yellow pine are both available in most
places).
Softwoods least likely to shrink, swell, warp, or otherwise prove unsatisfactory are white pine, cedar, cypress, redwood, and spruce. For
structures needing strength in their frames, use larch, yellow pine, or
Douglas fir. All woods, of course, should be properly seasoned or kiln
dried.
The kinds most easily worked with in sawing, planing, and general
shaping are cedar, spruce, white pine, and redwood. Those most decay
resistant are cedar, cypress, redwood, and white pine. If the lumber is
cut from the heart of the log where the cellular makeup is particularly
dense, cedar, cypress, and redwood will be especially rot-resistant. Contrary to popular belief, not all redwood, cedar, or cypress lumber is
resistant to decay; boards cut from just under the bark of these trees
will decay nearly as soon as some of the woods more usually thought to
be susceptible to rot.
. . . preserving wood
Modern science has stepped in, coming to the rescue of the home
craftsman as well as the professional builder. There are now a number
of wood preservatives which can be painted on lumber, or in which
the cut ends of posts and other lumber may be soaked for full absorption. Decay-killing elements which are present in these fluids kill or hold
at bay the bacteria and moisture organisms which may enter pores and
cause the wood to rot. Posts which might otherwise last only five or six
years now have their lives doubled and even tripled. Some preservatives
have added ingredients which will nearly always make them completely
resistant to water and moisture penetration. Since these preservative
materials and methods of application are taken up more thoroughly in
the following chapter, suffice it to say that they merit your consideration.
. . . grades of pine lumber
#1 and #2 Clear: (In some sections this may be listed as B and Better
or First and Second Quality.) These are the best grades of lumber
and therefore most expensive. They should not be used for anything
but the finest work outdoors and for the best kinds of indoor finished
work.
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