Southern pine industry banks on housing recovery

T"u couNTRY's RECENT economic I recession may be tading into history, but the nation's roughest downturn for construction markets is keeping many a lumber dealer struggling to record solid sales on a monthly basis. Resourceful yards are finding the means to stay ahead in a lagging building market that's showing some faint glimmers of recovery.

The Southern Forest Products Association delivers the tools and information lumber dealers need to sell more southern pine:

. span tables and design values o construction guides specification guidelines

. d-i-y outdoor project plans

For nearly 100 years, SFPA has conducted a wide range of promotional programs and weathered every market downturn.

The inherent features that made southern pine a preferred material of this country's founding fathers continue to make it a wise choice today. Southern pine is plentiful, durable and renewable, making it one of the most sensible, environmentally friendly building products available. Customers want what southern oine lumber has to offer: strength. treatibility, and beauty-not to mention outstanding value.

Some 66 billion bd. ft. of southern pine lumber was produced over the last five years. Nearly half of that volume goes to treated lumber markets for residential applications like decks, fences. gazebos and marine structures. Lumber used in structural applications-framing and trusses-calls for another third of total annual production. What remains is used for flooring, siding, specialty patterns, and industrial applications, including pallets and crates.

As residential buildins markets slowly recover, southern pine manufacturers are reacting, producing framing lumber in a wide range of grades and sizes and offering the latest preservative treatments, plus the most popular items in flooring, siding, ceiling and paneling patterns. With mill operations in close proximity to major markets, special-order items can be processed quickly.

All Grades, All Sizes

Versatile southern pine materials can be used for everything from building concrete forms to creating beautiful interior floors and ceilings. Lower grades may be the economic choice for certain applications where appearance is not a priority. But when a customer's home is involved, both the contractor and the homeowner may prefer higher-grade lumber for many USCS.

The proper grade counts when using southern pine in any application.

The Southern Forest Products Association offers a number of tools to help dealers, architects, specifiers, contractors and other professionals make sure they have the right grade for the job.

The place to start is the Southern Pine Use Guide, which includes grade descriptions, standard sizes, seasoning requirements, design values, and span tables. Other publications are available listing maximum spans for joists & rafters, plus size selection and allowable load tables for headers and beams. All titles are provided as free PDF downloads from the publications page of SouthernPine.com.

First Choice: Treated SP

It's no wonder that some 9OVo of all pressure-treated lumber produced in the U.S. is southern pine. The unique cellular structure of southern pine permits deep, uniform penetration of preservatives without incising, making it the preferred species for pressure treatment. This material remains popular for decks and gazebos, plus marine applications such as fishing piers, bridges and walkways. And, of course, it's perfect for framing homes and other structures in areas of the country where decay and termites can create problems.

Thanks to progress in wood preservation technology, new earth-friendly formulations are now widely available to address green building concerns. New code-approved preservatives include several micronized (or dispersed) copper formulations, which reduce impact on aquatic or terrestrial environments and are less corrosive to fasteners. For the end-user, paints and stains also look better when applied to these materials. Borates are finding popularity for wall plates and interior applications not exposed to continual moisture.

SFPA offers a number of technical guides about choosing and using pressure treated southern pine. Available as a free PDF download at SouthernPine.com, these helpful booklets include a pair of comprehensive specification guidesP r e s s ur e -Tr e at e d Southern Pine and Aquatic and Wetland Structures. The treated booklet features a table listing the commercial trade name under which each preservative is marketed and a corresponding product website for those wanting additional information.

Following an explanation of available southern pine grades and sizes, the aquatic guide provides detailed specifications for treated lumber used in saltwater and fresh water. Decking specifications, fastener recommendations, and special grades for marine service are also included.

These publications are proving to be especially helpful as regions of the country rebuild waterfront and other outdoor structures in the wake of 2012 hurricanes Isaac and Sandy.

Dealers wanting to inspire handy do-it-yourselfers with weekend projects can turn to SFPA's online collection of l0 outdoor project plans. Each plan listed on the D-I-Y Project Plans page of SouthernPine.com is now formatted to standard 8.5x11 sheets, making it quick and easy for dealers or their customers to download and print. Plans include lists of pressure treated southern pine materials and tools required plus detailed construction steps. Illustrations cover every phase of assembly. The collection features three deck plans, backyard storage units, a playhouse, a doghouse and a kiddy picnic table, among others. The projects appeal to all levels of skill, from very basic to more advanced. Year after year, these plans are among the most popular downloads from the site.

Decks & Porches

This year, nearly one million U.S. homeowners will build a deck or add on to the one they already have. The porch remains an icon of American architecture, as well. Both projects are ideal candidates for using more pressure treated southern pine lumber. SFPA offers a helpful construction guide that dealers can use with profes- sional deck builders and advanced doit-yourselfers. Southern Pine Decks and Porches highlights the beauty, durability, comfort and value that pressure-treated southern pine materials bring to outdoor structures. The I2-page, full-color booklet covers the deck and porch building process from start to finish, compiling the latest information for the proper specification and use of treated southern pine materials for code-accepted decks and porches. Product selection and construction steps for building both freestanding decks and decks attached to a house are illustrated, along with helpful tables listing joist and beam spans. Porch construction details are provided as well, with tips on fasteners, finishes and proper maintenance. Handy tips are included to enhance the building process. Impressive deck and porch projects are pictured throughout the booklet.

Dealers and professionals already familiar with treated lumber can use this booklet as a refresher course in building techniques, or to acquaint a customer with the versatility and value of using real wood products for their new deck or porch. A free PDF download is available at SouthernPine.com.

Dealers can use another SFPA websiteSouthernPineDecks.comas a ready reference to answer questions about outdoor construction. The site includes much of the information contained in the new construction guide.

Raised Floors Excel

Educating professionals and consumers about the merits of building a home on a raised wood floor foundation rather than a concrete slab has been a long-term focus of SFPA promotions. Over the last dozen years, the campaign has included demonstration homes, training seminars, and research. Focus groups conducted by SFPA have confirmed that homeowners appreciate the enhanced curb appeal and other benefits of a raised floor home.

Obviously, a raised wood floor foundation makes sense in flood-prone areas, due to its inherent elevation advantage. A raised floor system may also be the cost-effective approach in areas with poor soils. This type of foundation is easier and less expensive to level than a concrete slab if any shifting or subsidence does occur.

Developers are finding that a raised wood floor foundation is also the cost- effective solution for sloping lots that would otherwise require expensive fill. Remodeling projects and underfloor repairs are simplified with a raised floor foundation.

Lumber dealers are winners, too, as raised floor systems can add up to a third more lumber to the typical framing package for a new home.

SFPA provides the resources dealers need to maximize a customer's satisfaction with a raised wood floor foundation. The basic facts and features are outlined in a sixchapter video series accessed from the home page of RaisedFloorliving.com. Helpful construction guides and promotional brochures can also be downloaded from the publications page at SouthernPine.com.

If a customer is looking for an experienced raised floor builder, chances are good they can find one nearby, within listings of the online building pro locator.

Best for Remodels

While new homebuilding activity attempts to rebound, repair and remodeling projects are keeping dealers' customers busy. And southern pine products are ideally suited for projects all around the home.

Homeowners have discovered that a wood floor adds comfort and value, not to mention being a healthier, allergy-free alternative to carpeting. No matter the d6cor, southern pine flooring, available in a range of widths, grades and finishes, can enhance the look of any indoor space.

Wall paneling and ceilings add a dramatic flair to all rooms of the home while contributing to energy efficiency, another opportunity for a dealer to boost southern pine sales. Using the long lengths available, a customer can reduce splicing. Eye-catching clear or semi-transparent finishes draw attention to southern pine's distinctive grain. And best of all, wood is a natural insulator, contributing to the energy efficiency of the home.

When it comes to proper installation and maintenance tips, SFPA offers comprehensive guides for using both interior flooring and exterior porch flooring. Copies of Southern Pine Flooring and Southern Pine Patterns are available as free PDF downloads from SouthernPine.com.

A two-part video program covers installation of both materials from start to finish in a case study format. With a visit to SFPA's online video gallery inside the media center of SouthernPine.com, dealers and their customers can view both instructional programs on the site, too, right at their desktop.

Services for Dealers

Until construction markets experience a more robust recovery, lumber dealers can invest in their future success by visiting SouthernPine.com to see what's available to help themselves and their customers learn more about versatile, durable southern pine. Copies of SFPA's technical and reference publications can also be downloaded at no charge from the site.

Today, SouthernPine.com is a dealer's top resource for answers to customers' questions, training salespeople, and locating product suppliers. Sourcing hard-to-find items can be just a few mouse clicks away.

Complete information about SFPA, its programs, and services to the industry are presented online at SFPA.org. Here, dealers can access SFPA's family of websites, review the latest updates on industry issues, and explore details of SFPA marketing efforts. The site now has numerous links to existing services offered at SouthernPine.com, including product locator and media center.

SFPA continues to expand its social media reach, too. Dealers can follow SFPA on Twitter (@Southern_Pine), receiving news updates and immediate access to information. There's also an RSS feed on SouthernPine.com, delivering the latest content posted to the site to interested subscribers. And dealers are reminded to visit SFPA's YouTube channel-southernpinelumber-review more product features and updates.

Goming Soon: New SP Design Values

Effective June 1, 2012, new design values became effective for visually graded Southern Pine and Mixed Southern Pine 2" to 4" wide and 2" to 4" thick (2x2s through 4x4s) in No.2 Dense and lower grades (No.2, No.3, Stud, Construction, Standard and Utility) only.

Since then, the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau completed the full in-grade design value matrix of other visual grades and sizes of dimension lumber. SPIB worked with the USDA Forest Products Laboratory to verify all data to develop proposed design values, for final consideration by the American Lumber Standard Committee board of review, scheduled to take place at their next meeting Jan. 30. SFPA continues to monitor the process and keep all stakeholders informed of the latest developments. SFPA and key customer groups support an orderly transition to new design values and have recommended a six-month transition period following certification of new design values for all grades and sizes of visually graded dimension lumber.

As a service to the industry, SFPA has provided SPIB's proposed design values on SouthernPine.com, under the dedicated section New Design Values. Also from this landing page, dealers can review a collection of news releases with comprehensive background information and the latest updates, plus answers to the most frequently asked questions explaining the process and impacts of the SPIB proposal. Current design values will also remain on this site until the new design values become effective.

"As a service to our customers, SFPA is providing this information to all levels of the southern pine lumber manufacturing and supply chain," said Cathy Kaake, SFPA's vice president of technical marketing. "These proposed design values from SPIB will help the dialogue progress to a better understanding of the process, the data and the impacts on our industry."

Southern pine's strength and stiffness remain comparable to other softwood species used in residential and commercial construction. Southern pine users have many available product options including visually graded dimension lumber and an increasing supply of mechanically graded lumber. From framing a house to building a deck, southern pine continues to be a dependable product with superior treatability against decay and termites.

The last major change for visually graded dimension lumber occurred in 1991 when design values for southern pine and other North American species were published based on in-grade testing of full-size samples of commercially produced lumber.