Reclaimed Dimensional Lumber: Antique Wood Milled To Size

Dimensional lumber is defined as wood that has been milled to standard or specific sizes. This seemingly straightforward definition is, however, complicated by the fact that the names we give common dimensional lumber pieces don't match their actual dimensions.
 

Nominal - vs - Actual:

Most dimensional lumber has been planed smooth and has a nominal (named) size that specifically correlates to an actual, physical size with smaller dimensions. These dimensions are measured in inches in the United States and are stated as a set of numbers: thickness and width. The length of a board is considered separately, and is always an actual measurement.

No. Dimensional lumber is typically sold S4S (surfaced four sides). Still, you can purchase rough-sawn/cut lumber (referred to as full dimension lumber). This lumber is sawn to size and then left without any planing; it retains its coarser, textured surface and is closer in size to the nominal dimensions. A variance (as much as 1/4″ over or under in any dimension) may still occur due to acceptable tolerances at the saw and further drying and shrinking after leaving the mill.

To ensure that you receive milled lumber with the correct surface and dimensions, confirm planing details and actual final measurements with your sawyer or wood supplier when you place your order.

What species are available as dimensional lumber?

The most common species of dimensional lumber sold today by traditional lumberyards are softwoods such as pine, fir, and spruce. Any species, however, can be milled and sold in this way. Lumberyards also carry domestic hardwoods, such as oak, maple, poplar, hickory, cherry, and walnut. Exotic species are less common, and rarer still are mills like ours that work with antique and salvaged wood.
 

Why choose reclaimed dimensional lumber?

There are several reasons to choose reclaimed dimensional lumber instead of conventional lumber.

QUALITY
• Aesthetic Value: Old-growth wood possesses beautiful colors, a deeper tone, and tighter grain than wood cut from new-growth timber.
• Character: Salvaged lumber can possess nail holes, knots, checking, mineral stains, and saw marks.
• Greater Strength: Antique wood is stronger and denser than its modern counterparts due to the slow growth and tighter grain of old-growth trees.
• Wider Widths / Longer Lengths: The source beams for reclaimed dimensional lumber were originally cut from trees typically larger and more mature than those of today.
• Compatibility: When matching older wood, reclaimed dimensional lumber will be more comparable in ring density and color as the original lumber harvested at a time closer to your material.
• Rarity: Reclaimed wood is a rare material that should be ordered from a reputable mill. Some species are now functionally extinct or available only as salvaged timber.

CONNECTION
• With Your Mill: Have a real conversation with the people who have milled your wood and can share their expertise and offer guidance on your installation, hardware, and finishing questions.
• With History: Learn about deconstructed buildings and the people who built and spent time working in them. These buildings are tangible links to past cultures, economies, and events.
• With A Healthier Environment: Choosing reclaimed wood results in environmental benefits such as lesser demand for virgin lumber, cleaner air, and a smaller ecological footprint.

Reclaimed Chestnut

Reclaimed Maple

Reclaimed Oak

Reclaimed Heart Pine

Does Longleaf Lumber provide dimensional lumber?

Longleaf mills and sells reclaimed dimensional lumber in a variety of sizes and species. The measurements of our lumber can match those of any other lumberyard. However, we often mill to specific widths that are slightly different from conventional lumber to maximize the yield for this rare material. All lumber is dried in our kilns and can be ordered as rough-sawn lumber or surfaced, on any number of sides.
 

Our primary distinction is the species we mill: reclaimed and salvaged wood. Oak, hickory, Heart Pine, chestnut, maple, and fir are standard species for us. Smaller lots of more unusual reclaimed wood species, like walnut and cherry, are often available in the inventory mix. In addition to our usual reclaimed wood species, we are now milling and maintaining inventory for select non-reclaimed wood as well.

What kinds of projects utilize dimensional lumber?

Contemporary uses are most likely behind-the-scenes building construction elements such as studs, joists, and rafters. Plywood and other sheet goods are not considered dimensional lumber.
 

Non-Structural Heart Pine Box Beams

Conventional lumber used in a structural capacity is typically graded to allow designers and builders to predictably and safely build structures. Reclaimed wood is rarely graded for structural use, even in cases where the material is of a size and species adequate for safe construction. For this reason, the dimensional lumber stock provided by reclaimed wood lumber mills is most often used as decorative elements or as cover for other structural elements that comply with building code.
 
Although the bulk of dimensional lumber is unseen and used for structural framing in residential and commercial construction, it is also frequently used for woodworking projects where the lumber will be on display, such as cabinetry, furniture, tops, treads, and trim work.

Oak Desk

Heart Pine Millwork

Maple Counter Top

Hickory Treads

In the 1700s, most wood milling in the United States happened at small mills that handled production for local areas. Lumber was often simply rough-sawn and later finished on site according to the needs of each project.
 
The demand for lumber for bridge, ship, and railroad construction grew with the Industrial Revolution in the early to mid-1800s.

The shift to balloon framing for residential and commercial structures further added to demand. This building method required smaller, more numerous, and consistent pieces of lumber. Running parallel to demand was the mass production and distribution of lumber, made possible by mechanized sawmills and the growing railroad system. As timber resources in the northeastern United States were exhausted, large-scale logging operations moved to the Great Lakes region and later to the Pacific Northwest. Distances grew between the mill and the construction site.
 
Freight for most lumber orders was paid by the customer, who naturally gravitated towards lumber that was already dry and planed, two factors that directly reduced weight and thus their freight charges. Lumber sticks that were uniform in size could also be more efficiently packaged for transport, further reducing costs.
 

1884 Egan Planer

The shift in planing location, to the lumber mills and away from the job site, was normalized by the late 1800s when separate planing mills were firmly a part of the milling process. In later years, larger mills incorporated planing as part of their vertical manufacturing structure.
 
Lumber retailers required uniform dimensions so purchasers could compare costs. Architects and builders required the same so they could design and build the booming number of projects in a predictable, safe, and cost-effective way. In response, standardized dimensions for lumber evolved, although they were defined regionally and varied by species for many years. It was not until 1924 that national standards were established. These standards underwent several iterations over the next four decades until the final and current version was solidified in 1969.