After literally hundreds of years of building a reputation as a purveyor of high-quality solid hardwoods, several years ago J. Gibson McIlvain ventured into the world of hardwood plywood. A popular manufactured lumber product, plywood can greatly vary in quality. After hearing … [Read more...]

In our first two posts (see Parts 1 & 2), we took a survey of several top-selling tropical hardwood decking species — first Ipe and Cumaru and then Red Balau, Jatoba, and Tigerwood. We’ll be looking at three more options in this post: Massaranduba, Garapa, and Cambara. While … [Read more...]

While Ipe is certainly our top-selling tropical hardwood decking species — followed undeniably by Cumaru — those two species (see Part 1) are certainly not your only options. Chances are, like most of our customers, you will choose one of those premium species. However, we … [Read more...]

Tropical hardwood decking lumber is, hands-down, our best-selling collection of products around here. And among the various species, Ipe is definitely the most popular. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only option — or even the ideal one for your particular decking project. … [Read more...]

In this final article of our series (see Part 1, 2 & 3), we’ll be making a few more comments about the importance of lowering lumber’s moisture content in order to promote ideal stabilization. Then we’ll attempt to explain why this issue is one that everyone from overseas … [Read more...]

As we’ve attempted to demonstrate in our first two articles (see Part 1 & 2), not all kiln dried lumber has the same moisture content. The numbers can vary significantly based on where the wood originates from and what the typical moisture content standards happen to be for … [Read more...]

In our first article in this series, we explained the different standards for moisture content of kiln dried wood in North America vs. Europe. North American kiln dried lumber is considered acceptable when it’s dried to a moisture content level of 6-8%. The standard European … [Read more...]

If you plan on using lumber for construction, you probably understand the importance of making sure the lumber is properly dried before starting your project. Lumber that isn’t dried correctly can lead to a whole host of problems, such as the appearance of large gaps between … [Read more...]

Perhaps even more foreboding than lumber pricing and grading in general, are those key issues as they relate to plywood. While it’s completely possible to save money on high-quality solid lumber by carefully choosing unpopular sizes, there’s really no shortcut when it comes to … [Read more...]

Even though we gladly carry and sell several other tropical hardwood decking species, Ipe is by far our #1 choice. With a lifespan topping 4 decades, this Brazilian species will outlast your mortgage — and then some — providing the backdrop of family barbecues and more! Whether … [Read more...]

A long-time supplier of premium hardwood and softwood lumber, J. Gibson McIlvain is a still relatively new player in the hardwood plywood market. Our previous hesitancy to enter the market was the fact that the only plywood we could find failed to meet our high standards of … [Read more...]

Whether you are a home owner building your dream deck or a contractor collecting materials to build someone’s dream home, ultimately, the question always comes down to “what is this going to cost me?” A customer wants to know immediately, up front, how much an order will cost at … [Read more...]

J. Gibson McIlvain takes pride in providing its customers with high-quality hardwood lumber from both domestic and international sources. To understand the degree of service and quality you can anticipate from McIlvain, you must first understand that we are not your typical … [Read more...]