Beginner’s Guide to Amish Rough-Cut Lumber
Amish Rough-Cut Lumber This post is all about Amish rough-cut lumber – what makes it different from big box lumber, how to find it, what to know when ordering, and some things to know when doing business with the Amish. Because of its rustic appearance and much more reasonable price tag, rough cut lumber has been the perfect choice for quite a few projects around the camping cabin cluster. Amish sawmills are definitely not the only option when purchasing rough- cut – there are other amazing lumber mills out there – but for this post we’ll be focusing on our experiences with the Amish. Information in this post can help you decide if Amish rough- cut lumber is the right choice for your project and how to get it if it is. What is rough cut lumber and how is it different from lumber from a big box store? Picture going into the woods, cutting down a live tree, and running it through a gas powered saw mill. One pass. No drying. No planing. It’s rough surface, with some pulliing and blade marks, can make it a rustic, very cool looking material choice. The boards you get from the big box stores are kiln dried, rated for strength and quality, planed, smooth finish and about three times the price. This can be a good choice when considering the ready-to-use ease, convenience, and finer finish. Personally, I love the way a rough-cut board and batten building looks, like it could have been built 200 years ago, but it isn’t my go-to for every project. Theres more to know when deciding if Amish rough-cut lumber is the best choice for what you’re working on. Amish rough-cut lumber price Price is a BIG plus when using rough-cut. This can vary from region to region and mill to mill, but rule of thumb for us has been Amish rough-cut being about one third of the price compared to what we would have spent in a big box lumber yard. Appearance Rough cut looks how it sounds. Pretty rough. Cut with a coarser saw and not planed, the surface is rough to the touch. The grain of the wood shows through well, but definitely not ideal for a fine finish look. It’s dimensions can also be a perk, especially for 2 by (two inches thick – more on that below). This can give a project a non-standard and unique feel (the bunks pictured below were made from rough-cut and took A LOT of sanding). For some projects I’ve combined pressure treated, KD lumber, and rough cut. This is to get a rustic effect, keep the price down somewhat, and to build a structure that will last a very long time. An example of this is the firewood shelter built in close proximity to the firepit (in the photo above). It’s not stained yet but gives us a perfect place to always have dry firewood ready! Dimensions Rough cut measurements are true. Meaning a 1 inch board is actually one inch thick, a 2 inch board is actually 2 inches thick, etc. A 1- inch board bought at a big box is actually ¾ inch thick. A 2- inch board is 1 and a half inches thick. The same goes for width. An 8 inch rough cut board is really 8 inches wide. An 8 inch board at a big box is 7 and a half inches wide. This is basic information for folks with wood buying experience but maybe not common knowledge across the board (see what I did there? 😊 ) 8 feet long means 8 feet long in both worlds, although you will see more variance with rough cut. Big box boards run just a little long (by an inch or so) giving a little leeway to square off ends if needed. Something else to keep in mind is that the dimensions of rough cut are close but not exact. You will want to measure to see if thickness and width are uniform. This can vary from one end of the board to the other by a considerable amount so it’s a good idea to double check. Moisture Content (and challenges it could cause) This is a big one. Rough cut lumber is cut from logs that have recently been living and growing. When boards and dimensional lumber are cut, the moisture content is usually extremely high. What does this mean? Rough cut lumber is A LOT heavier than kiln dried lumber. It also tends to warp and to crack more as it dries. If stacking before using, it’s a great idea to put spacing sticks between boards. This encourages air flow – which allows for drying and also cuts down on mold growth. Off the ground, stacked with spacers, and protected from rain and scorching sun is your best bet. We learned this one the hard way, when green and black mold began to grow in less than a week between boards we had stacked without spacing. The Amish are known to build with wet wood, with the trick being to assemble and secure with nails and joinery before wood has a chance to warp. Our two camping cabins were framed this way – a few boards cracked over time but nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a few extra nails and a tube of caulk. Not Graded A lot of rough cut lumber is up to the challenge of being build- worthy, but not all. Some lumber will be frail and will crack, depending on the tree and the portion of the log it was cut from. Buyer beware on this. Big box isn’t infallible but is graded, which indicates it’s suitable for building. Not Insect Resistant It’s amazing what a carpenter ant or a carpenter bee can do to a piece of rough cut. Especially prior to being stained or painted, rough cut can be a delicious snack for insects. Not thinking things