Gypress expands options for lumber dealers

IaTYPRESS siding has long been a \-rfixture on the beach houses that dot the Atlantic shoreline, especially in the coastal communities of North and South Carolina. But in recent years, industry veterans say the wood has begun to dramatically expand its niche, notjust geographically, but as a decorative interior material. too.

"We're getting lots of inquiries about cypress from non-traditional markets," says John Rogalski, Roy O. Martin Lumber Co., Alexandria, La., one of the country's largest cypress suppliers. "There's really a lot of new interest from places like Southern California and Colorado."

Tom Reke, specialty product manager for Coastal Lumber Co., Weldon, N.C., concurs. "A lot of our cypress is going into the mountain resorts of Colorado," he says. "When people see it, they want it."

Those who know cypress have little difficulty reconciling the wood's appeal with both the surf and snow crowds. Performance and durability in even the most demandins climates have long been among cypress's main claims to fame. Yet together, these two characteristics represent only a small part of the wood's heightened profile among builders, architects, remodelers and homeowners.

"Show cypress as a finished

product. That's really all there is to it."

"Cypress is in a category by itself," explains Reke. "It certainly has more character than competing woods like cedar and pine. It shows just like a fine hardwood, but is much less expensive."

At Home,Inside and Out

Cypress is becoming valued for its versatility, too. John Haggerty, Williams Lumber Co., Rocky Mount, N.C., points out that almost 807a of the cypress he sells used to be employed as siding. That number has now dropped to less than 50%,mainly because cypress is finding new welcome inside the home.

"Cypress is one of the best woods in the world for interior applications," says Lyman Shipley, Coastal Lumber Co. "It's rich-looking, it's very workable and it takes a stain beautifully."

Trends in interior design also are working in cypress's favor, according to Reke.

"Two years ago, everyone wanted darker woods," he says. "Now we see a lot of light-colored cypress paneling. A lot of people think cypress is rustic, but the truth is, there's nothing rustic about it. It's very modern, very bright and very airy."

Cypress has also become a viable alternative to western red cedar. That