Mother's Day Surprise!

Holidays are great times for retailers, especially for ecomerce retailers, but sometimes even we are surprised by the response we get.  Mother's Day is Sunday, May 13th and it is looking like the hot gift this year is the TrioLife 3 Level Pyramid Planter from Shoreline Cedar!  Order your's today to insure delivery before May, 13th!

Back to blogging

Wow what a busy first quarter this year!  Shoreline Cedar has been hopping, adding new products like the multilevel planter (see picture) and expanded sales nationwide, including New York and Florida!  Our business sales are also increasing, especially to resturants, golf courses, and parks.

All of us here at Shoreline Cedar wish
all of you a very Merry Christmas
and a Happy & Safe New Year!

All of us here at Shoreline Cedar wish you a very

Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Holiday!

Seven Part Series on the properties of Different Lumber Used for Outdoor Furniture

Part Three of Seven: Redwood for Picnic Tables, Other Outdoor furniture and Garden Products

Redwood is a naturally beautiful soft wood with a straight grain, and a deep Red Brown color.  Although easy to dent, and having a high knot density, Redwood remains a highly cherished lumber.  This may be due to its limited availability, its ease being worked with hand tools, its lack of reaction with iron fasteners, or its resistance to insects and deterioration.

Redwood has low shrinkage, and warping, and it is very easy to nail, but the nails, and screws pull out easily.  It is considered a long lasting and durable wood that ages beautifully, but it does require care to work with as it splinters and bruises easily.

It is used for light construction, decks, and furniture (using nuts and bolts, not screws and nails). Most people find the Redwood aroma to be pleasant, however, as with Western Red Cedar, the aroma may cause respiratory problems in some people.

The Redwood tree’s official name is Sequoia or Sequoiadendron giganteum for the giant Redwood, and it is a sub species of the Cypress family. In fact the Giant Redwood is the world’s tallest tree with an average height of 50-85 meters tall with a 6-8 meter diameter.  Record trees can be as tall as 94.8 meters and 17 meters in diameter and can be as much as 3,500 years old.

Shoreline Cedar - Part Three of Seven

Seven Part Series on the properties of Different Lumber Used for Outdoor Furniture

Part Two of Seven: Western Hemlock (Hem-FIR) for Picnic Tables, Other Outdoor furniture and Garden Products

Western Hemlock also called Pacific Hemlock (the name I’m most familiar with), or sometimes “West Coast Hemlock”, scientific name: Tsuga heterophylla grows along the pacific coast East to the Western Cascades and from as far South as central California, North to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.

Western Hemlock generally grows 150 to 180 feet tall and has a diameter of 24” to 48”, although the old growth can be significantly larger, the largest diameter recorded was 108” and the tallest Western Hemlock was 259 feet

The lumber options are available primarily in structural grade (it is great for construction framing), but appearance and other grades are available. Western Hemlock is Slightly Below the Douglas Fir-Larch species combination as far as strength goes, and is stronger than the Spruce-Pine-Fir and the Douglas Fir species combinations and Pine. Western Hemlock is useful for a multitude of general-purpose applications, including Picnic Tables and other outdoor furniture applications, especially when treated, and is capable of meeting reasonable distance spans for construction.

Western Hemlock can be treated for use when it will be in contact with the ground or for above ground use.  There are both oil based and water based preservatives that can be used.  The water based preservatives are preferred, both for environmental reasons, and potentially for health reasons. These leave a clean, dry, odorless surface ready to be painted or stained.

Western Hemlock is an inexpensive wood preferred for use in construction, primarily for framing, but it is also used for furniture. it is fairly easy to work using both hand or machine tools, it does not have an over abundance of resin pockets, its resistance to splitting.

Shoreline Cedar - Part Two of Seven
 

Seven Part Series on the Properties of Different Lumbers used for Ourdoor Furniture

Part One of Seven: Pine for Picnic Tables & Other Outdoor Furniture and Garden Products

Western Yellow Pine or as it is called in Canada, British Columbian Soft Pine, is one of the most common timbers to be used in the construction industry in the United States. Second only to Hem-Fir (Western Hemlock - Number two in the series).  It grows primarily in the Western United States and Western Canada.

Western Yellow Pine can be treated for use when it will be in contact with the ground or for above ground use.  There are both oil based and water based preservatives that can be used.  The water based preservatives are preferred, both for environmental reasons, and potentially for health reasons. These leave a clean, dry, odorless surface ready to be painted or stained.

Western Yellow Pine is a soft wood that is very easy to work with, is inexpensive, and has a large number of uses including fencing, paneling, framing, and furniture. Pine is easy to work using both hand or machine tools and Craftsmen appreciate its lack of resin pockets, its resistance to splitting, and its even cell structure.

When treated it is used for picnic tables, benches, fences, arbors, planters, sheds, play structures, decking, deck railings, and other outdoor products and furniture.  Untreated, Western Yellow Pine is suitable only for indoor use, but it makes great tables, night stands, and dressers and when left in log form, it provides a beautiful rustic log furniture look.

Shoreline Cedar - Part one of Seven