Drexel Building Supply talks lumber.

When you remodel or build, what’s behind the wall is really important. But often it is rarely discussed in the building process or if it is, it is all based on price.  “Find me some cheap lumber to build this!”  How horribly wrong that is!

The framing lumber used to construct your walls is an industry unto itself. Lumber gDrexel Lumber Yardrades vary, and wood can vary greatly even within the grade.  You have to find a true lumber guru (like the team at Drexel) to find good wood.  It’s a bit like wine.  Not all red wine is created equal.  You can get it really cheap or really good, sometimes both, but not usually.  This applies to lumber.

Why do you need good wood?

The straighter the lumber, the easier it is for the carpenters to work with. Wood with no knots or cracks is also easier to use and offers more strength for your structure.  Wasted time and wasted product are expensive things on jobsites.

TheDrexel Lumber Yard Bartelt team takes “good wood” a step further with TimberStrand® Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL), an innovative and versatile building product that is straight, free of knots, and resists twisting, shrinking, and bowing after installation.  Learn more here.  Bartelt uses TimberStrand® LSL on long and tall walls and also behind walls with ample cabinetry and fine millwork to ensure they are straight, plumb, and true.

How does it get to your home?Drexel Lumbe Yard

Good wood comes across on railroad cars, normally from Canada or even here in Wisconsin. The lumber grows slower, due to a shorter growing season, which means it will be stronger with less knots and warping. It is stored at Drexel under cover until it is needed for a project. Then a team of pulling experts deciphers the plans and pulls the material in a way that is easy for the builders to use. Sorting through hundreds or thousands of boards for the best product can be costly, so Drexel does this for contractors at our yard.

We use a moffett or boom truck to move the material (not “dump”) to the project site, so it stays organized until it is used at its final destination: your home.

About the Author:

Joel Fleischman has a self diagnosed case of Adult Attention Deficit Disorder and has used that to fuel his life and made this negative trait into a positive lifestyle. He is also the president and solution provider for Drexel Building Supply. You can follow him on twitter @JoelmFleischman or e-mail him at [email protected]. Joel does have an English degree from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, but you would never know based on his blogs. Also, he went to Panama City on Spring break three consecutive years in the early 1990s.  Learn more at http://www.drexelteam.com/.