Lumber is used to create many things, such as decking, fencing, patio covers, and garden boxes. So, how is lumber transformed from the trees you see in the forest to the beautiful structures you enjoy in your yard? Read on for an overview of the journey of wood, from forest to the lumberyard to your home.
Harvesting
You have probably seen lumberjacks on television cutting down trees. These days, industrial equipment is also used to maximize the efficiency of tree harvesting. More often than not, there is a combination of the two during the process.
- Marking: Marking the trees helps in the accuracy and safety of felling.
- Felling: Felling is done with a chainsaw and is similar to the standard lumber jack image.
- Delimbing: This is also done with a chainsaw in order to cut the limbs from the trunk of the tree.
- Skidding: The trees are pulled into an open area.
- Buckling: The tree is cut into smaller sections called logs
- Loading: Finally, the logs are loaded, where they are properly secured and brought to the lumberyard.
Lumberyard to Home
At the lumberyard, the logs are cut to size—there are many types of cuts, depending on the type of wood and size of log. After the wood is cut, it is either air-dried or kiln-dried. Finally, the lumber is graded on its quality. Your lumber expert will know the type of wood and grade of wood that you need for your particular project.
At J & W Lumber, we make sure you are getting the best lumber the forest has to offer. If you want to enjoy the benefits of quality lumber construction around your home, then visit our website today.
Wow, I had no idea how felling trees worked, especially the delimbing part where the tree trunk has all the limbs removed. My house has a few old trees around it and they need removal. Thanks for letting me know what the whole process looks like and how professionals go about harvesting trees!
You are absolutely welcome!
I liked that you said that one thing to consider when you are in need of lumber is to purchase it from a lumberyard so that you make sure that you don’t get injured in the process of harvesting lumber yourself. I have been thinking about gathering lumber for myself but I have been worried that I wouldn’t be able to do this successfully since I don’t have the proper equipment. I will be sure to go to a lumberyard for my wood in order to keep me safe and to avoid buying expensive equipment.