S4S

 

S4S stands for "surfaced on 4 sides", meaning that the material is finished on all four sides. Dimensional lumber is commonly S4S. S4S finished lumber and dimensional lumber are labeled according to nominal size, or the size of the rough board before it was planed smooth. (For example, 1 x 6 is actually 3/4 x 5 1/2).

 

We stock S4S material in Alder, Knotty Alder, Cherry, Hickory, Hard Maple, Poplar, Red Oak, Walnut, White Oak and WindsorONE Primed Pine. Lengths are available from 6 feet thru 12 feet. 14 foot boards and 16 foot boards are subject to availability. Custom orders are available in any stock lumber and cut to your specific dimensions.

 

Our Stock S4S Wood Species

 

Alder

A relative of birch, alder is almost white when freshly cut but quickly changes on exposure to air, becoming light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge. Heartwood is formed only in trees of advanced age and there is no visible boundary between sap and heartwood. It is a “soft” hardwood that machines, glues and takes screws and nails well.

Knotty Alder

Also a relative of birch, knotty alder has more character than alder with numerous visible knots that creates a rustic aesthetic. The knots may pose certain problems for cutting and creating a smooth surface and may be more difficult to cut than other woods. Knots can unexpectedly fall out of a board and create a hole. It is a “soft” hardwood that machines, glues and takes screws and nails well.

Cherry

Black cherry is one of our most intriguing and exciting species. The heartwood, when first cut, varies from a very light pink to a dark red brown color. The wood darkens substantially with exposure to light. Cherry is rated as one of the best woods for planing, shaping, turning, and boring. If the cutting tools are not sharp, or the feed speed is slowed, there is a tendency for the wood to burn.

Hickory 

Wood characteristics vary greatly in hickory. The sapwood on hickory is a white wood and the heartwood may range from a pale brown to reddish-brown. Hickory is an excellent wood for boring, and it is rated better than average to intermediate in planing, turning, and shaping.

Hard Maple

Hard or sugar maple is one of our hardest, smoothest, most beautiful and valuable species. Its hardness and ability to take a high polish and smooth finish and the white color of the sapwood has resulted in many specialty uses. Hard maple is rated about intermediate for planing and turning, and as one of the best woods for shaping and boring.

Poplar 

Yellow-poplar grows throughout most of the eastern United States. The trees are abundant, making the wood inexpensive. The contrast of white sapwood and yellowish green heartwood color makes clear uniform finishing of the wood difficult and why this is primarily used as a paint grade product. The wood is rated as intermediate in planing, shaping, turning, and boring. Being intermediate in density, the wood can have a tendency to fuzz or tear.

Red Oak

“Red oak” is a term used in the lumber trade that refers to a category of lumber. This lumber category may contain as many as 17 different species of trees. Northern red oak is the most preferred species. Red oak wood color can vary from a wheat, which is currently preferred, to a blood red color. Red oak is rated as the best wood to plane and the second best in boring. It also receives very high scores for shaping and turning.

Walnut

American Black Walnut is probably the most famous and unique species of all our hardwoods. The heartwood is typically a beautiful chocolate brown color, which is not duplicated by any other species. The color can vary from more of a red color to a very dark chocolate brown. The color can also vary in uniformity throughout the board. When first cut from the log, walnut lumber will have a mint green color which changes to a chocolate color as the surface of the board dries. Walnut is rated as intermediate in planing, but it is a good wood for shaping and the best of any commercial hardwood species for turning and boring.

White Oak

White oak is truly the all American wood. Dense, strong and durable. “White Oak” is a term used to refer to a category that may contain as many as eight different eastern species of the tree. White oak wood color can vary from a very light straw color, which is currently preferred, to a brown color. The wood can also be mottled with gray. White oak is rated as one of the very best woods for planning, shaping, turning and boring. It is a hardwood but tends to cut clean without tearing or fuzzying.

WindsorONE Primed Pine

Boards are made of real wood, finger jointed and coated with three coats of acrylic latex primer. All boards are protected with a 30-year warranty against rot, insects & mold. WindsorONE+ Protected Boards can be used for both interior and exterior use.