End-Matched Flooring and Siding

End-mctched llooring is c conservotion move beccuse it useg short piecee like lhie lrom which knots have been cut out, Pieces cre lrorn l8 inches to 8 leet iu length, hcving tongue-cnd-groove on both sides cnd bolh ends. End-mctched flooring loys smoothly cnd snugly.

Coming closely on the heels of the \\rest Coast lumlter industry's annorlncement of availability of some trvo billion feet a vear of inexpensive, econonry and utility grades of lumber for lol'-cost housil.rg, is the rvord that sonre \\rest Coast prodncers are again nranufacturins less cxpensive, end-matcl-red flooring and siding.

This is an additional major effort of lrrmbermen of the West Coast area to produce lolrer cost itents suitable for use in the average man's home, inclustry spokesmen sai<l. Ii,nd-matched flooring and sicling in the softu'oods has not been manufactured since the start of the n.ar. lrut found a ready market in those years.

In addition to tl-re saving in thc cost of the flooring-, builders say they can save up to thirtv per cent irr labor costs by using end-matched flooring. In a fir.e-room house recluiring 1500 feet of flooring, one builder reports an average saving of $30 in labor per house. Because this popular item has tongue-and-groove pattern on both sides and ltoth ends. it lays snuglv ar.rd easily. Only one sau' cut is needed to each course at the end of the course. There is no rvaste for even the shortest piece cut from the end of one course can be used to start the next course.

()ne of the re:rsons u'h-v end-m:rtched flooring carr lte of- fered to the trade at a lou'er cost is that it contes from shorter pieces, from 18 inches to 8 feet in lcngth. It is cut from recovered pieces vr.hich accumulate <lnring tl.re manufacture of regular flooring.

Manufacture of end-matched flooring actually is anothcr step ill closer utilization and conservatiolr, for it turns rvhat u,as once near .lvaste rarl' material into finished consumer goods. Because it is a conservation measure mills are able to l)ass on the saving in ratv material c<tst to thc customer.

Retailers n'ill find end-matched flooring easy to handlc for it comes ir-r short bunclles from four tcl eight feet irr length, and can easily be strlred in orre bin. It comes in either Douglas fir or \\rest Coast Hemlock in three and i'our inch widths of starrclard thicknesses. It is bundled according to grain, grade and species in B&Btr, both flat and vertical grain.

Since each piece of this flooring locks on all four edges and fits snugly into adjoining pieces at ltotl.r ends and edges, it makes an unusually solid floor.

A determined eftort is being made by Douglas fir lumber producers to convert every usable bit of the log into itenrs suitable for use in the construction and horne building industries. Conservation of \\rest Coast forest resources, b-v trsing more rnarginal logs, develops a l,vicler variety of po. tential products, spokesmen for the region poir.rt out.

Millmen are interesting wholesalers and retailers in this conservation t.novement. They believe a merchandisine job is needed by all segments of the industry to sell these nerv items where they can lte properlv used. Historicalll., because lumber has generally been plentiful it has been cheap, and u,e have used too good gracles. these lumlier leaders clainr.

Fan Jvlail