We use only SOLID WOOD for our spindles and railing. Benefits over glue-laminated, finger-jointed wood offered by other companies include:
• Solid wood has a single piece grain structure for a better feel and
look.
• Solid wood components contain more heartwood (highest quality
part of the log), whereas laminated pieces often have more sapwood (lower
quality wood).
• Our products start as one solid piece and stay that way.
Laminated products run the risk of DE-laminating.
• Solid wood can be
stained and will look very attractive. Because of the inconsistent grain
structure of laminated stock, staining often creates an eyesore.
• Solid
wood simply holds up better to decades of weather than laminated
pieces.
So what do you want on your most valuable asset?
Douglas Fir
Douglas Fir is our best selling wood species. And rightfully so. It is extremely strong, heavy, machines well, is exceptionally beautiful, and holds up very well to years of weather in all climates. Add that to the fact that it is one of the more cost efficient woods available and you have a sure winner for your porch!
Douglas Fir Appearance Characteristics and grades
For versatility and beauty, few woods in the world match the magnificence of
Douglas Fir. Its light rosy color is set off by its remarkably straight and
handsome grain pattern. It will "redden" over time when exposed to light. Its
tough fiber it difficult to work with hand tools. However, it responds admirably
to sharp power tools and machines to an exceptionally smooth, glossy surface. It
paints easily and can hold all types of stains and finishes.
Moisture
content levels are carefully controlled in the highest grades to ensure these
premium products will meet the strict dimensional stability requirements of
finish carpenters, furniture manufacturers and cabinet makers. When dry, it
retains its shape and size and won't check or show a raised grain. Additionally,
Douglas Fir has an excellent performance record when used in exposed
applications for exterior trim without ground contact.
Many designers
and consumers agree the aesthetic appeal of clear, light, straight,
vertical-grain Douglas Fir is unsurpassed among the world's softwood species.
The select grades are less abundant and considerably more expensive than lesser
grades.
Designers appreciate the rich visual quality of Douglas Fir
texture and grain as well as its beautiful response to fine craftsmanship and
finishing. A favorite wood for custom cabinets, furniture and millwork, it works
easily and resists wear. When sawn to expose vertical grain, Douglas Fir is
particularly handsome. When acclimated prior to installation, Douglas Fir
retains its shape and size without shrinking, swelling, cupping, warping, bowing
or twisting. The uniform grain and tough fiber holds stain well and keeps
fasteners firmly in place.
Douglas Fir Structural Characteristics and Attributes
When architects and engineers look for the best in structural lumber, their
first choice repeatedly is Douglas Fir. It is dimensionally stable and
universally recognized for its superior strength-to-weight ratio. Its high
specific gravity provides excellent nail and plate-holding ability. The species
also enjoys a documented superior performance against strong forces resulting
from natural phenomena such as winds, storms and earthquakes. It is truly the
ideal structural and general purpose wood for framing lumber in residential,
light commercial, multistory and industrial construction.
These physical
working properties, as well as to the moderate durability of its heartwood and
its excellent dimensional stability, provide the reasons many builders use
Douglas Fir as the standard against which all other framing lumber is judged. It
is also tight knotted and close-grained, adding the bonus of beauty to its
structural capabilities.
Port Orford Cedar
Why does Western Spindle use Port Orford Cedar when virtually all other
companies are using Western Red Cedar? Because it's BETTER! When compared to
Western Red Cedar, Port Orford Cedar enjoys the same exceptional exterior wood
qualities such as rot and insect resistance. But the parallels end there. Port
Orford Cedar is harder, heavier, stonger, tighter grained, and machines to a
finer finish. That means Port Orford Cedar on your porch will not only look
better, but will widthstand abuse like Western Red Cedar could never. Your porch
will simply be in better shape decades down the road when using Port Orford
Cedar.
Characteristics and
Properties
Port Orford Cedar varies from nearly white to pale
yellowish white. The wood has a fine texture; the grain is straight and even.
The wood has a characteristic pungent, ginger like odor and a somewhat bitter,
spicy taste. It is much harder than Western Red Cedar, and machines to a much
finer finish.
Port Orford Cedar is moderately light in weight for its
weight; however, it is stiff, strong, hard, and fairly shock-resistant. It
shrinks only slightly during drying, dries quickly after wetting, and has little
tendency to warp. It is easily worked with tools. Port Orford Cedar is highly
resistant to decay. It polishes well and holds paint longer than most other
woods. Unprotected wood weathers to a light gray with a silvery sheen. It does
not develop weather checks.
Principal Uses
The small amount
of Port Orford Cedar not currently exported is used primarily in archery, for
arrow shafts. It was previously the principal wood used for storage-battery
separators. It was also used for Venetian blind slats; sashes, doors, and
interior-finish millwork items; mothproof linings for boxes and closets; boats;
matches; general construction; and water tanks, bridges, dock planking, railroad
ties, and mine timbers. The Japanese substitute imported Port Orford Cedar wood
for their native hinoki, or white cedar (Chamaecyparis obtusa), which was
favored for centuries by Japanese builders and woodcrafters. They value the wood
highly for their woodenware, novelty, and toy industries, and for construction
and repair of houses, shrines, and temples.
Common Names
The tree’s most
common name, Port Orford Cedar, was first applied to lumber shipped from Port
Orford, Oregon, to San Francisco in 1894. The names Port Orford white cedar,
Oregon cedar, and white cedar are used less frequently. The name Lawson cypress
is widely associated with ornamental use of the tree.
Redwood
Redwood Characteristics and Attributes
Redwood has qualities not found in other woods--even woods treated with chemicals. Redwood performance characteristics include resistance to shrinking, warping and checking in addition to durability. This means redwood projects age beautifully. Decks, fences and shelters made with redwood simply look better ten, fifteen and twenty years after construction.
Dimensional Stability
According
to reports from the Forest Products Laboratory of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, redwood has less volumetric and tangential shrinkage than other
common domestic softwoods. In exterior use, this means redwood stays flat and
straight with minimal wapring, cupping or checking.
Resistance to Decay and Insects
Redwood heartwood has grown-in resistance to decay and insects that is present throughout the lumber, not just on the surface. The wood exposed through sawing, boring or nailing is as decay-resistant as the surface.
Finish Retention
Redwood has an
open-celled structure and contains little or no pitch or resins. This enables
redwood to absorb and retain all types of finishes extremely well.
Other woods
In order to keep the
cost of production down, we stock only Douglas
Fir, Port
Orford Cedar, and Redwood.
If you have another species of wood you would like to use we would be more than
happy to accommodate. We have had great success with custom turning of various
woods provided by the customer, or special ordered from our distributors.
We are constantly looking for new products as markets, supplies, and
demands change. Stay tuned for other wood species offerings.
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