Why Choose Hemlock Lumber?

The Stuff You Care About

 (Summarized, because I know you won't read anything beyond this)

• It's cheap

• It's water and insect-resistant (however; not impervious)

• It holds a hell of a lot of weight

• It dries insanely quickly

• It doesn't twist

Durability

• Hemlock is naturally water and weather-resistant; making it perfect for outdoor use

• Hemlock is naturally insect and pest-resistant

• Hemlock has natural resins that make it burn much slower than hardwoods

Performance and Strength

• Much cheaper than hardwoods and most softwoods

• Hemlock has an incredible strength-to-weight ratio

• Hemlock twists, bows, and cups much less than almost all softwoods

• It is a very durable and dense softwood

• Hemlock performs incredibly well under load - meaning it resists sagging

Workability

• Very easy to plane, sand, and saw

• Holds nails easily and secures nails firmly as it dries

• Accepts stains and finishes incredibly well

• Easier to work with than hardwoods

Appearance

• Inherently rustic in appearance - making it perfect for farmhouses, barns, timber-frame, etc.

• Unique grain patterns

• Knots hold firmly and don't fall out after the drying process

Environment

• Hemlock is sustainable

• Readily available and regenerates quickly

• Cost-effective

"Nerd Stuff"

• 26 - 28 lbs/ft3 = its fairly light

• Janka hardness: 500 (for comparison, pine is 380)

• High MOE = it resists bowing

• Straight-grain wood = uniform boards/appearance

• Natural tannins = resistant to water, insects, and fungus

• Well-defined latewood bands = it 'squeezes' nails as it dries

• Parallel grain compression: 4,000psi = it can hold immense weight