Hey Everyone,
I have a client who has been trying to build his house with an eye toward green building practices. I’ll be finishing a 550 sq. ft. deck. The current specs are for ipe, but he would like to use wood that does not originate overseas. The house is in the Keene area of NH. My first thought was locust (“lasts one day longer than stone”), but it’s not something that I see mills work with much around here.
Any good leads in the northeast for dried locust?
Does anyone have experience with cypress?
How green is stuff like Trex?
Other suggestions?
Thanks for your imput,
Adam
Replies
Haven't used locust or cypress, but a more local option is white cedar. Another is white oak.
Supposedly trex is recycled plastic and wood chips. That would seem to be pretty green if you like the product.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Most all the cypress I've used is quick growth and even the heartwood goes after 10-15 years as decking. My white oak results here in the south have been mixed on exposed decking but really like it for porch decks.Heartwood aromatic cedar works well but it's tough to get boards that don't have risky knots. I'm already ducking but copper azole TYP has it's points at least some of which are favorable.
I've seen a lot of locust over in eastern NY, Duchess County area. I've never looked for the lumber but have seen a lot of fence posts over there.
Locust is splintery, not freindly to bare feet or socks.
talk to the guys at Highland Hardwoods near Exeter for other ideas.
http://www.highlandhardwoods.com/
I think IPE` is just about as green as you can get in a real wood. For one thing, it will outlast others two to one. That means a savings of human and other energy in the per year of life department.
For another thing, this is a wood that the SA natives used to burn in their slash and burn subsistence agriculture. Now it is grown in plantations and the wild stuff is saved instead of being burnt to waste and to pollute the skies.
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Hardwood decking in stock includes Mahogany, Ipe and Garapa in various dimensions.
http://www.highlandhardwoods.com/hardwood-products.html
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!