Slight dip for western lurnber rnills

f UMBER production in nearly I-leverv western state declined modestlyiast year due to a slowing in the U.S. housing market, according to final 2000 state totals published by Western Wood Products Association.

The association released final industry figures for last year following its annual survey of nearly 300 mills in l3 western states.

Oregon again finished as the top lumber producing state in the country. Production in Oregon totaled 5.93 billion bd. ft., down 2.lVo from 1999. Estimated wholesale value of Oregon's lumber production was $2 billion.

Washington retained its position as the second-largest lumber producing state with 4.38 billion bd. ft., up 3.8%, worth an estimated $1.48 bil- volume was the second highest annual production volume since 1992. lion. California held its third position at3.l7 billion bd. ft. with an estimated value of $ 1.36 billion.

Oregon, Washington and California accounted for more than 78Vo of the region's lumber output last year. Washington and South Dakota were the only states to realize production gains from the previous year.

Production and estimated wholesale value for other western states were:

Idaho, 1.9 billion bd. ft., $704 million;

Montana, 1.2 billion bd. ft., $398 million:

. South Dakota, 170 million bd. ft., $57 million; Wyoming, 168 million bd. ft., $55 million;

. New Mexico, 86 million bd. ft., $29 milliou Colorado, 82 million bd. ft., $27 million;

. Arizona, 63 million bd. ft., $21 million, and Utah, 5l million bd. ft., $17 million.

There was no lumber production in Nevada in 2000. Alaska's lumber production totaled 85 million bd. ft. and was not factored into the western total.

Overall western lumber production in 2000 totaled 17.18 billion bd. ft., down 27o from 1999. Though lower, the volume was the second highest annual production volume since 1992. Estimated wholesale value of western lumber was $6.15 billion, compared to $7.37 billion in 1999 and $6.1 I billion in 1998.

After reaching a record 54.3 billion bd. ft. in 1999, U.S. consumption dipped slightly in 2000 to 53.9 billion bd. ft. A 4.47o decline in the number of new homes accounted for much of the decrease in lumber consumption. Housing starts totaled 1.57 million units in 2000, down from 1.64 million in 1999. Single-family housing, the largest market for lumber, declined 5.5Vo to 1.23 million units. Each new single-family home uses an average of 14,115 bd. ft. of softwood lumber.

During the first six months of this year, western lumber production fell '7.1Vo to 8.5 billion bd. ft., in part due to rising imports from Canada after the expiration of the Softwood Lumber Agreement, according to WWPA.

Although reinstatement of a tariff provided a shot in the arm to U.S. mills, the lumber industry may be in for tougher times, at least until the spring building season.

"We think we're in for a tough first quarter," said Willamette Industries' Steve Killgore. "The prognosticators foresee a weakening in the first half of next year, but expect the building industry to show resiliency, with housing starts at about 1.55 million."

ETENCES have been part of comI' munal living for centuries. creating barriers, defining boundaries, and adding ornamental decoration to the landscape. The materials used to build those f'ences have evolved over the years, fiom the earth, stone, and metal f'ences popularized hundreds of years ago, to continental Europe's "living" fences created from plants. For residential fences in America. wood replaced most alternative materials by the mid-1800s. Nowadays, it's still preferred, most likely because it's easy to cut and shape, is durable, and possesses a warmth and beauty found in no other alternative building material.

The most popular wood for fence construction is western red cedar. a straight-grained, medium- to fine-textured species that is used extensively fbr outdoor home accents, garden furniture, fences and decks. Cedar is popular because it's beautiful and extremely durable, a property that is the result of a natural preservative in the wood called "tannin." Tannin makes cedar extremely resistant to the elements and helps protect against insects and decay.

Western red cedar grows exclusively along the West Coast of North America, making up over 20Vo of the coastal forests in British Columbia. Throughout the rest of its growing range. western red cedar constitutes about 107o of the total srowth. much less dominant than Douglas fir and western hemlock.

Redwood is another popular fence species that is unique to the Northern California coast and surrounding regions. It's harvested in commercial forests from San Francisco to Southern Oregon in a strip along the Pacific Ocean. Although it is useful for f-ence building, a scarcity of supply is driving prices upward.

While western red cedar and redwood continue to be the preferred species for fences, several alternative wood products have been developed over the past few years. By processing more readily available woods, manufacturers have been able to produce more durable fencing materials that can be supplied on a sustained yield basis. One of the more popular of these products is RightWood, produced by Tubafor Mills, Morton, Wa. RightWood is a rough sawn #2 or better pre-finished western whitewood fence product that is remarkably resistant to mold and very durable. It is uniform in color from board to board and environmentally friendly. Unlike many CCA treated products, RightWood is pre-finished with a non-toxic formulation that inhibits mold and fungus growth. Further, the lumber source is harvested from certified sustained yield forests. Such new products are ideal for homeowners who want a fence that looks as beautiful as cedar, is factory pre-finished, environmentally friendly and cost effective.

Today, no matter what wood species is selected, products can be ordered in full width (where the actual size is the true net dimension) or in nominal width (where the actual size is typically l /2" smaller). Fence height is generally determined by design, building code and architectural trends. For example, some localities permit 6' high fences in the back and only 4' in the front. In California, full 8" or 12" fence boards are most often used. while 4" wide fence boards are used extensively elsewhere.

Fence performance is most determined by the building material and the method of installation. Function and durability are enhanced when good materials are selected and the installation is done well. It is common practice lo use a two- or threerail system, which is most often determined by the size and species of the fence boards. Additionally, stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized fasteners should be used to fasten boards tosether.

Manufacturers have been able to provide more durable fencing materials that can be supplied on a sustained yield basis.

Like any other exterior wood product, fences should be periodically maintained by treating all surfaces with a water-repellant solution. This will slow the rate at which moisture is absorbed. Most good paints and stains also contain a UV inhibitor that prevents the wood from turning gray. A regular maintenance program of cleaning and refinishing will protect the fence and keep it looking great.

While fences have been part of our lives for centuries, never have there been so many options for design and style. Wood continues to be the preferred fence-building material, although new developments in supply and manufacturing now provide the warmth and beauty of real wood, with a reasonable price tag, in a way that is friendly to the environment.

A GLUT of capacity has depressed .CI,OSB prices and motivated producers to find new, value-added applications for their products. The latest rage: radiant barrier sheathing.

Radiant barrier panels are plywood or OSB panels with a reflective aluminum foil face that is bonded to one side. Typically used for roof sheathing in hot climates, radiant barrier panels are installed with the foil facing the attic to reflect up to 977o of the sun's radiant heat away from the home. Attic temperatures are lowered by as much as 30'F, driving down air conditioning bills. The majority of radiant barrier sheathing is used for new construction, although some goes into reroofing and repair.

Foil-faced OSB and plywood has been around for years. but is just now becoming an inventory staple.

Sales of the product

are anticipated to grow 3035% over the next two to three years,