3 Major “Don’ts” for Buying Raw Materials in the Wood Industry

#1: Green Lumber is a Red Flag

Green lumber is almost always the cheapest raw material you can buy in the wood industry, from dimensional lumber to slabs. This is because processes like drying and surfacing add value as they save the buyer time and energy.

Unless you have your own kiln it is not a good idea to work with green lumber. Particularly if the end product is meant to go inside a consumer’s home. Green lumber is lumber that has not been dried, and on that note, even air-dried lumber is often not recommended when considering products for consumers’ home.

Bugs love lumber and unless it has been treated or kiln-dried in an FDA-approved kiln like an iDRY those little critters can end up burrowing out and infesting a home. There are other considerations with drying as well like mold to consider.

Even beyond potential unwelcome passengers in the raw materials, green lumber isn’t suited for being worked with in a furniture building capacity. Temperature changes in the home can cause the wood to warp and crack which turns a slab that could have lasted generations into a piece that will need to be replaced in only a matter of years. If you want to make something that will provide value to your customers or family, you should consider the cost and time that it is expected to last, and also factor your time and work into the cost to make it.

At the end of the day, drying wood is both an art and a science. You want to avoid case-hardened wood, which is wood that has a dry outer shell but a damp or wet core. You also should keep an eye out for uneven drying, this can present in either wood with UV-damaged patches from the sun, or wood that has wet patches and is only partially dried.

Even when considering kiln-dried lumber, not all kilns are created equally. Certain drying methods like flash-drying usually from kilns that use the same technology as a microwave can cause moisture pockets to end up trapped in the wood making it a poor product to work with. 

Also, heavily weighted and strapped wood methods can be dangerous and frustrating to work with as they tend to trap the tension in the wood making it hazardous to cut. This kind of wood can spring apart and turn into bananas when you start working with them.

#2: Don’t Forget that Wood Moves!

Each step in the process of turning a tree into a table introduces the possibility of wood movement and this is something that needs to be accounted for not only when sourcing your materials, but also when working with them.

The way that a slab will look the first day it is milled and even the first day it goes into the kiln are going to be different, and drastically different from the end product. The wood moves as it’s milled and it moves as it dries. Some kilns actually have a high rate of wastage because of this phenomenon. It can be mitigated with the right kiln of course, but there is always the possibility of movement through these processes.

Even further, once the wood is kiln-dried, it still is going to move as you go through your finishing processes, including flattening, waiting in the shop, and before, during, and after being varnished. 

Pith wood, which is the center heart of the tree is the part that moves the most. With this in mind know that the wider the slab is the more it will tend to twist, cup, and bow. Narrower boards will have less movement but to achieve the beauty of a live-edge table from a full slab, you will need to prepare for this. 

When working with live edge slabs even the most beautiful piece will often have imperfections that will require some attention. Especially if the end goal is a stunning piece of furniture that will last generations. Cracks and holes are par for the course when working with live-edge slabs and epoxy, bowties and other woodworking techniques will often be required to ensure they are reinforced adequately.

Be wary of slabs advertised as “ready-to-use” unless they have been flattened, sanded, and finished and the price reflects these aspects. As mentioned above, green lumber is almost always going to be cheaper, but that is because it will not be ready to use.

#3: Pass On Thin or Joined Slabs

As we mentioned in point #2, wood moves. Some movement is to be expected and is part of the natural process, however, wood that is too thin will be more prone to warping, and it will also be harder to work with. You can always thin or sand down a thicker slab, but you can’t add thickness to one that is too thin. 

Since wood moves throughout the entire process, it is a much better idea to get a slab that is bigger than you expect to need. The worst thing is when you have your piece all ready to go and then you realize it isn’t flat or you need to do some more sanding only to then be left with a piece that is entirely too thin and hard to work with or maintain.

Along those lines, try and avoid buying slabs that are already joined unless you know that the worker who did the joining process is experienced and skilled. It is often a better idea to buy two slabs from the same tree and do the joining process yourself so you can ensure it is done correctly. This is called mirroring slabs.

Trust your Gut and Ask for a Second Opinion

Ultimately a lot will depend on what you are sourcing wood for and who you are sourcing it from. Wood companies that also make furniture will be a great resource if you also plan on making something that will live inside an end consumer home as they will likely be interested in the same quality processes you are and if they trust their products to stake their reputation on, it’s a good sign. Also, don’t be afraid to ask who you’re buying wood from about what they think and if you are on the right track for the project you are doing. As the people who worked with the tree, they can often give some insight. 

On the other hand, independent mills and sawyers are also incredible resources, but you need to realize they might not know the ins and outs of exactly what you want to do with the raw material and so they can only provide you with the right thing if you’re comfortable explaining and specifying to them what you need on their terms. 

At the end of the day, keep these three things in mind; don’t buy green unless you have a kiln, expect the wood to move throughout the process, and buy raw materials that give you wiggle room and are larger than what you expect to need, and you’ll have a great foundation for buying raw materials in the wood industry.