Redwood Lumber Profile
The Redwood is an evergreen tree native to the US coastal ranges of southern Oregon down to central California. The Redwood flourishes in this region due to the foggy high moisture air. The most talked about Redwoods are the Giant species which can reach heights of over 300 feet with trunks ranging 10 to 35 feet in diameter. However, the wood of these massive trees is used in very limited quanties. The production of Redwood lumber is limited to the west coast of California, but is distributed to markets nationwide.
The majority of the lumber comes from second-growth and third-growth trees. The limited lumber from old-growth trees is expensive and subject to availability. There are over 30 different grades of Redwood lumber sold. The architectural grades are the best. They are graded in the following order: Clear All Heart, Clear, Heart Clear, Heart B and B Grade. The grading criterion is based on excellence of appearance and durability. Appearance deals with knot clearness while durability deals with the wood's color. The highest appearance rating is Clear All (free of any knots). The most durable is the light cherry red to dark mahogany red heartwood. It contains extractives that render it resistant to decay and insects. The cream color outer sapwood growth contains no extractives and is the least durable. We use the achitectural "B Heart" grade, a quality heartwood grade containing limited knots and other characteristics not permitted in the best Clear All Heart and Heart Clear. We really like this grades rich color and even grain with an occasional small wave or knot. It has just enough imperfections to make it interesting.
Redwood, with its complete package of natural resistance and other desirable qualities, can weather more gracefully than most woods. It has a high resistance to shrinking, a high resistance to warping, a high resistance to checking and little if any resin. Simply put, over the years it will stay flat, straight, and not split while obtaining that appealing rustic look by slowly losing its red color and turning a soft driftwood gray. But if you desire you can take advantage of its ability to accept paint. According to tests conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture no other domestic wood accepts and retains finishes better than Redwood. Regardless of what you decide, Redwood meets all the necessary criteria to age naturally or to be painted.
Overall Opinion:
Heartwood redwood, regardless of the cost, is one of the best if not the best wood to make great looking and long lasting Adirondack chairs. It has the whole package, plus it is such a pleasure to work with.
Other Wood Profiles:
 "California Redwood")
