Green lumber is untreated and has a high moisture content, making it prone to warping, rotting, and insect infestation. It can be used for specific projects, but must be dried in clamps. Some prefer working with green lumber to avoid toxic chemicals. “Green” can also refer to environmentally friendly materials.
Green lumber is lumber that hasn’t been dried or treated, making it as close to the original tree as possible. Typically, the lumber is dried and treated before it reaches the market so that it is ready for use. However, green lumber can be obtained and some individuals actively seek it out for specific projects and needs. When sold, this type of lumber is usually clearly identified so people know that the lumber has not been kiln dried.
The most important thing to know about green lumber is that it has a very high moisture content. Wood is full of natural capillaries that the tree needs to transport water and nutrients, and when it’s freshly cut it’s full of water. When it dries, the wood shrinks significantly and can even warp. The use of green wood in construction can cause problems as it loses its moisture, deforming the underlying structure and causing structural instability.
Additionally, this type of lumber has not been treated with substances designed to promote water and insect resistance. Green lumber is more prone to rotting and can be particularly attractive to insect and fungal life. It also tends to be difficult to paint or stain and can ooze sap and other liquids, causing discoloration.
One of the most common reasons to buy green wood is the desire to shape the boards for specific projects. It is very flexible, so it can be bent into place for projects such as ship building and custom homes, and then dried in a kiln or drying shed. As the wood dries, it will stretch, but will also hold its bent shape, as long as it is dried in clamps. To create bentwoods with treated lumber, people would have to steam or soak the lumber, bend it, and then re-dry it, a time-consuming process.
Some people also like working with green lumber because they prefer to work with their own wood as much as possible. In these cases, the lumber will either be kiln-dried or aged and then treated, if desired. For construction companies concerned about the spill of toxic chemicals used to treat wood, caring for your green wood can ensure their facilities are free of those chemicals, which may be a selling point for some consumers.
Construction companies sometimes use the term “green” to refer to sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. In these cases, green timber could refer to timber harvested from areas that are managed with the health and long-term survival of the forest in mind. If a company sells green lumber, it is important for a buyer to make sure they understand whether the term refers to lumber that comes from sustainable forests or that hasn’t been seasoned or treated.
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