What is whitewood

[FrankAtl]

So Cecil...did that clear things up???

[Cecil]

So Cecil...did that clear things up???

Pretty much.  The industry has been using standard names for wood for decades.  HD and Lowes don't like standards.  Confusion is better for sales.  Therefore they created their own category and called it whitewood.  Now they can hide their lack of quality behind obscurity.

Did I understand it correctly?

[jihhwood]

Cecil, I learned a long time go that you almost always get what you pay for.  When it come to woodworking, I gave up on most "bargain" wood a LONG time ago.  Instead, I've promised myself to buy good wood that's been properly kiln-dried and that is sold by a reputable, preferably local hardwood dealer.  A friend once told me "you'll never regret the money you spend on quality tools and quality materials."  By contrast, you'l long regret the consequences of buying inexpensive tools and materials.  Just my two cents.

[MountainWood]

All common conifers are similar in knot appearance and distribution.

[ianab]

Pretty much.  The industry has been using standard names for wood for decades.  HD and Lowes don't like standards.  Confusion is better for sales.  Therefore they created their own category and called it whitewood.  Now they can hide their lack of quality behind obscurity.

Did I understand it correctly?

Well to be fair the wood industry in general has been using common / local and made up names for decades.


If they label it as "Cottonwood", and the next shipment comes in as Spruce, it gets horribly confusing. And "Cheap Mystery Wood" probably isn't a good marketing name, even if it's accurate.

[EricU]

I don't know that there is really anything wrong with calling it 'whitewood.' It's a grab bag of vaguely white wood for utility purposes.

[jgmahoney1976]

I call it firewood.

[packerguy®]

I call it firewood.

I see a number of people calling it just this.

There are two issues with it and most borg softwood lumber, that people overlook.

First if all, the moisture content is double to triple of what traditional hardwood lumber is. As that moisture releases, the wood will move. Second, ever look at the end of the board, a lot of times its pith wood from the center of a log or the first or second cut from the cant so the part just under the sapwood. 

I buy a bunch of #2 or even #3 pine from menards. Sometimes its already warped to heck at the store, but every now and again you get lucky. When you get it down to 10% or so, its pretty safe. 

I guess its something you learn over the years. Understanding wood and how it works is something that many overlook.

[JGrout]

I see a number of people calling it just this.

There are two issues with it and most borg softwood lumber, that people overlook.

First if all, the moisture content is double to triple of what traditional hardwood lumber is. As that moisture releases, the wood will move. Second, ever look at the end of the board, a lot of times its pith wood from the center of a log or the first or second cut from the cant so the part just under the sapwood. 

I buy a bunch of #2 or even #3 pine from menards. Sometimes its already warped to heck at the store, but every now and again you get lucky. When you get it down to 10% or so, its pretty safe. 

I guess its something you learn over the years. Understanding wood and how it works is something that many overlook.

Careful PG someone might actually learn something 

[Steve N]

Shhhhhhhhhhhh if you're not careful they will figure out SPF, then the jig will truly be up