News & Articles
Wolmanized wood: How to order treated wood that lasts
Wolmanized wood is not a species or a grade. It is a brand of pressure-treated wood, the trademarked name for lumber, timbers, poles, and piling treated under the Wolman® name, and for most of the last century it was treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA). The name became so common that people still use it…
Read MoreWhat’s really driving your lumber costs isn’t demand
If you are buying wood right now, something does not add up. Order files are soft. Sawmills are running well below capacity. Nobody is describing a building boom. And yet the number on your quote keeps creeping up. The instinct is to assume demand is back and the market is heating up. It is not.…
Read MoreWhat is XPile? The FRP marine piling built to last 50 years
What is XPile™? XPile™ is a fiber reinforced polymer marine piling that replaces steel, concrete, and treated timber in docks, piers, marinas, and bulkheads. It does not rot, rust, or corrode, and it is immune to marine borers. Built for the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast, XPile™ carries a 50-year design life and is sold…
Read MoreOrdering timber trusses: 7 things most suppliers will not tell you
Ordering timber trusses requires confirming seven details that most suppliers leave out of their quotes: whether engineering is included, which species can handle your span, what actually drives the cost, how steel connections are priced, what crane access you need, how much design work is required to start, and whether you can inspect before shipping.…
Read MorePressure treated pilings marine construction: 5 proven ways to cut total project cost
Pressure treated pilings marine construction projects along the Gulf Coast face some of the harshest service conditions in the wood construction industry. Saltwater marine borers, storm surge, UV exposure, and constant wetting cycles all work against the piling. The right specification protects the structure and your margin. The wrong one builds in a replacement cycle…
Read MorePressure-treated lumber for decks: UC3B, UC4A, fasteners, and 8 inspection requirements
Pressure-treated lumber for decks isn’t a single specification. Deck boards, joists, beams, stair stringers, posts, and railing components each face different exposure conditions, and the AWPA Use Category system assigns different treatment levels of pressure-treated Southern Pine accordingly. For most residential projects, the key distinction is UC3B (Above Ground, Exposed) versus UC4A (Ground Contact, General…
Read MoreTimber trusses vs rafters: Which roof framing system is right for your project?
Timber trusses vs rafters comes down to one question: do you want the ceiling to be seen? Rafters and prefab trusses can support a roof, but only heavy timber trusses serve as both the load-bearing structure and the visible, finished ceiling in a single component.1 This guide compares all three systems, plus steel, so you…
Read MoreGun Barrel Pilings® aesthetics: 7 practical reasons the structure IS the design
Gun Barrel Pilings® are the only uniform-diameter, no-taper wood pilings available today. Every piling holds the same diameter from top to bottom and runs perfectly straight for up to 52 feet. That consistency turns the structural element into the finished look. There is no need to wrap, clad, or hide it. This guide covers 7…
Read MoreCoastal building codes are changing: 5 proven piling solutions for 2026
Coastal building codes across the Gulf Coast are getting stricter in 2026. Foundation requirements are increasing. Elevation standards are going up, and wind resistance thresholds are tightening at the same time. Every piling holding your structure needs to perform under tougher conditions than ever before. Gun Barrel Pilings® meet every one of these new demands.…
Read MoreBuilding a dock on the Gulf Coast: 7 things to discuss before construction starts
If you own waterfront property along the Gulf Coast and you are thinking about building a dock, there is a good chance you have already looked at some photos, talked to a neighbor who built one, and started wondering what it actually costs. That is a fine place to start. But the conversations that matter…
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