Redwood hangs tqugh against adversaries

forms whitewood in durability, dimensional stability and finish retention.

Q 3 no* will the redwood industry survive the Endanger€d Species Act, environmental laws limiting logging and California's anti-business stete government?

A3 t'm an optimistnot a blind optimistbut an optimist. Eventually the public will learn to recognize the difference between radical environmentalism and rational environmentalism. The industry will survive. The question is how many of us will stillbe here when the pendulum swings the other way? Will we still have our businesses, our jobs, our homes? It's scant comfort, but these are not problems the redwood industry oreven the wood industry faces alone. Theseproblems affect any resource-oriented business, comrnunity, school, service or business dependent on a resourceoriented business. We have to communicate. We have to develop allies. When we hear someone spouting unfounded rhetoric, we need to call them on it. We need to counter the hysterical, doomsday nonsense with facts.

Q: Wf,"t do I tell customers who think buying redwood endangers the environment?

I NCREASINGLY redwood retailers and wholesalers are I experiencing real concem about availability, price, product performance and misinformation in the media. Many tell us they feel unprepared to handle demands and questions from customers. Here Califomia Redwood Association executive vice president and general manager Christopher Grover responds to their concerns.

Q: no", young growth redwood have the same durability as old growth redwood?

A ! According to the USDA Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wi., old growth redwood heartwood is classified as resistant or very decay resistant. It shares this classification with two other softwood speciesold growth bald cypress and old growth cedar. The greatest proportion of young growth redwood is classified as moderately decay resistant because extractives providing decay resistance are produced over time and thus found in higher concentrations in old growth timber.

Still, young growth redwood is more durable than most other softwood species and is suitable for decking, fencing and siding when proper construction techniques are used. Young growth redwood outper-

A: t, i, irportant to make the following points very clear: The public owns more than 350,0fi) acres of prime land in Redwood National Park, federal monuments, state parks, state forests, county and city parks and reserves. Coastal redwood is the most protected commercial softwood species. Redwood that is sold comes from private land.

The redwood industry replants trees promptly as they harvest. It's the law in Califomia, but more than that, it's their land and good business. The industry raises more than 13 million seedlings annually and more than 5 million are redwood.

Redwood is the fastest growing commercial softwood in the nation, the most renewable building material available to us.

Q: Why doesn't the CRA take a more active role in lobbying against environmentalists' harvest restrictions and tell the public what we're doing for good forest management?

A3 We include a positive environmental message with our product promotion whenever it is appropriate and we publish and distribute information on redwood forests, redwood parks, and the practices of the redwood industry. Our activities in this area have increased as the crisis has ballooned. As defined by our bylaws, CRA's primary activities are focused onproducts rather than forest. CRA's member mills belong to other industry organizations whose primary responsibilities include lobbying and public relations.

Q 3 Coun the CRA develop stories in the media to help wholesalers and retailers explain redwood shortages and higher prices to their customers?

A ! eg"in, this subject is really outside of CRA's charter. It is an area where the newly formed Califomia Forest Products Commission will help. All wood products are thteatened. The public needs to be aware that every restriction has hidden costs.

Q: Wfr", do I say to customers who complain that all heart redwood fences have termite damage in five years?

A: ffr" n"artwood of Califomia redwood is one of only a few domestic woods with any significant resistance to termites. Other resistant woods include: the very resinous heartwood of old growth southem yellow pine and the heartwood of eastern red cedar. These rarer woods along with redwood heartwood are termite resistant relative to other woods, they are not termite proof.

Studies conducted at the USDA Forest Service Southem Forest Experiment Station in Gulfport, Ms., indicate that redwood extractives act against termites as stomach poisons. This means like any wood redwood may be attacked by termites. If the termite population is not very large, or ifthere is another less hostile source of food, the attack is likely to be repelled and the termites will move on.

Q: C"r, information on correct finishes and nails be made available to a customer with a label or handout when he purchases redwood?

A 3 It's vital to get the right finishing and nailing information to customers. It would be great if we could put all that information on a single label attached to the lumber. We've considered this approach, but there are two problems: labels are too small for all the information and attaching a label discolors the wood.

Instead, CRA and its member mills provide handouts that include information on nails, finishes, grades and other particulars for a given product.

Q: Wfty isn't redwood available with a pre-stain or waterproof finish?

A: fftira parties provide this service. Typically lumber is routed through a pre-stainer en route to the job site. There are also pre-stainers who stock pre-primed redwood trim and sidings.

Q: ^L"" finger-jointed redwood products retiable? A finger-jointed lumber products have a long and proven track record for many uses, such as glulams, studs, interior finish and exterior siding. Finger-jointed lumber is economical and makes excellent use of the timber resource. Certified Kiln Dried redwood holds a glue bond extremely well and it is an excellent substrate for paint. Both ofthese characteristics contribute to redwood's high performance as a finger-jointed product.

A !

Still, it's just as important to be aware of fingerjointed lumber's characteristics, as it is to be aware of the characteristics of a particular grade. For example, if I were to use a glulam column outdoors, I would paint it, or at least design the project to have end caps that would keep moisture from getting into the end grainof the lumberwhichcould leadto checking. With finger-jointed siding, I'd use a quality oil-based or alkyd-resin based primer and an acrylic latex paint as a topcoat. Such a finish would provide a more uniform appearance and would minimize moisture-related problems.

Q: * there a way to show customers the difference between B grade and Clear grade redwood? They tend to judge by color.

A3 ny definition. Clear grade allows only two 3/4" knots in occasional pieces (not more than lO% of a shipment). B grade is a downfall grade from Clear grade. Typically, it wilt have characteristics or defects not permitted in Clear. For example, B grade permits up to five sound, tight knots in pieces 14 feet or longer. There is no restriction on the amount of sapwood (the cream-colored wood) in either grade mentioned above. If a customer wants a comparable grade without sapwood, they need to order either Clear All Heart grade or B Heart.

Story at a Glance

Answers to troublesome questions about redwood availability, environmental impact and performance. intormation to reassure customers and build confidence in redwood.

Q: Win tfre CRA be stepping up d-i-y promotions such as deck plans in home magazine features?

A: oo. annual CRAlHome MechanixDeck Design Contest results in deck stories all summer long in this d-iy oriented magazine. V/e will be working with dozens of other shelter and how-to magazines over the year.

Q: Wft", can be done to increase the number of long lengths available?

A:

Certain lengths will always be more popular than others and lumber mills produce both long and short lengths. This creates opportunities to add value to the product. The company that sorts lumber to length can sell standard lengths at a premium.

Short lengths of redwood are ideal for dozens of backyard applications including planters, benches or built-in deck counters. Retailers offering project ideas, plans and a price incentive will see their shorts disappear. Likewise with longer non-standard lengths.