Sticking up for CypfeSS

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Gore Springs, Ms.

Cypress lumber is oft times the most maligned lumber in the industry-primarily because most folks don't know where to look for it or don't know what to do with it when they find it.

Quoting directly from one Texas timber frame manufacturer, "Cypress is not a particularly strong wood." We have reclaimed houses, barns, docks, warehouses, and cotton gins that were built from cypress lumber that have stood for hundreds of years-and in commercial cases have withstood tremendous workloads. We would then resaw or remill this wood and be astounded at the quality of the product. This is not something I have seen in any other common lumber.

Another quote is, "prone to ring shake separation." I would certainly hope so. If not, the cypress shake would be on its backside. Ring separation has not been a factor in any cypress lumber that we have handled.

The most common criticism I have heard is, "it's so expensive." To squelch that complaint, nail a yellow pine 2x 4 and cypress 2x 4board to the side of a building, come back l0 years later, get your cypress board, and try to retrieve what is left of the nails where the pine board was.

"Expense is always relative to quality"-a quote I will attribute to my ex-wife. Obviously, if you are building a low budget home, cypress would not be the lumber of choice. If you are supplying those who are interested in an investment as well as the aesthetic beauty of the product, cypress is the lumber of choice.

"Cypress is just not available in quantity"-s4pe Texan. I certainly will not suggest that it is as common as the pine that is being eaten by the pine beetle, but I have not had an order that I couldn't fill.

That brings up another subject: wood decay and insect resistance. There are very few types of lumber that even come close to cypress lumber in these departments.

Last but not least, lumber treatment. As far as I know, lumber treatment has been around for decades. There are cypress lumber buildings that have stood in this country for as lons as there has been a U.S.A.