Woodworkers Explore Alternative Supplies of Lumber
Woodworking worldwide has been on the upswing recently and market analysts see no potential for a slowdown. Sales of woodworking tools and machines are expected to grow steadily over the next decade, contributing to a nearly $8 billion market by 2035. Observers say that technological developments have made woodworking attractive to hobbyists and have made custom woodworking a more appealing entrepreneurial opportunity. CNC routers that can be used by just about anyone…table saws that have a built-in safety mechanism to prevent the loss of fingers…joinery tools that ensure that your table top won’t fall apart in a few years…these and more developments have brought woodworking to a greater audience.
Of course, as more people make things out of wood, the demand for materials increases. Some types of hardwoods remain fairly plentiful, such as red and white oak, maple, poplar and ash, but others have become somewhat scarce and potentially pricey. In recognition of the endangered nature of many exotic species, international treaties have been implemented and signed, significantly limiting access to certain types of specialty woods.
Because of the limited availability of some types of hardwoods, suppliers and woodworkers have started to explore alternative sources for precious lumber:
- Sinker hardwoods—There’s a common misconception that wood will always float on water. That’s only true of less dense trees. If a tree is so dense that it weighs more than the water it displaces, it will sink. Furthermore, some logs will absorb water over time and become so heavy that they sink. If they sink in a deep lake, they’ll typically be in a dark, low oxygen environment, where they won’t be susceptible to fungus and bugs, so they’ll remain well-preserved. In addition, over time, the wood will take in certain minerals and change in color.
There’s a burgeoning market in “sinker hardwoods,” with much of it coming from the Great Lakes area, with logs pulled from the big lakes and the bottom of some deep rivers.
- Reclaimed lumber—A hundred or two hundred years ago, when hardwoods were plentiful, homes, barns and other structures were often constructed of oak, maple, ash or other hardwoods. It’s also not unusual to find fairly high quality hardwoods on the floors of attics in 100+-year-old homes. As many of these structures are taken down, the lumber has become prized by woodworkers.
- Packing crates—When packing crates need to be durable, they are more often built from hardwoods. In the United States, that’s likely to be oak, maple, poplar or birch. But it you’ve had something shipped from Africa or Southeast Asia, you may be surprised to discover that the wood used in the packing crate is padauk or bubinga. Even pallets from places such as India may be constructed of a local hardwood that is prized here.
