Heavy Timbers for Post and Beam

We Make Custom, Affordable, and Stunning Post and Beams

We custom cut Eastern White Pine beams to order*. We can cut up to 16″ in width, 26′ in length and can supply the beams green and rough sawn or with additional processing. While we are not officially graded, all of our lumber will meet #2 specifications and most of it will meet #1 specifications. Please contact us for more info.

*Eastern Hemlock, Douglas Fir #1 or better may be available.

For a more in-depth overview of our lumber grading specifications please refer to our “Lumber Grading Rules” PDF, attached below. Please be sure to consult this PDF prior to placing your order.

LUMBER GRADING RULES

Heavy Timber Beams

Pine and Hemlock Beams

Our Eastern White Pine and Eastern Hemlock beams are available in lengths between 8-26’. Logs are locally sourced from logs cut within 50 miles of our mill locations, and are available starting as green/rough sawn, or processed to include kiln drying or with skip-sanding or surface planing to nominal dimensions. We are a cut-to-order sawmill and will include a lead time and delivery options along with your quote to help plan for your project needs.

From time to time, a customer may need some material faster than we are able to cut and kiln dry it. We stock a limited amount of weathered grey material in our open-air yard which can be provided weathered grey, or may be planed smooth to deliver with a freshly surfaced face to nominal dimensions.

In addition, Pennsylvania Sawmill is also able to provide imported Douglas Fir beams.

Finally, we do not offer grading certification on our timber beam material. We recommended any structural applications be reviewed by an engineer prior to installation.

(Some longer and larger sizes may not be readily available in Hemlock as log inventory on this species is more limited than Pine or Douglas Fir)

What Species of Wood Do We Have?

EASTERN WHITE PINE

is one of the most commonly used timbers in the construction industry in the Northeast. The soft, lightweight wood is easily worked, displays remarkable durability and swells and shrinks with moisture content changes much less than other woods. Fresh cut, white pine is typically straw-colored but tends to darken with age. Dried pine accepts stain and other treatments well, resulting in a beautiful finish.

Average green weight: 36 lbs/ft3 (3.0 lbs/board foot)
Average dried weight: 25 lbs/ft3 (2.1 lbs/board foot)

Kiln Drying

“Green” (or fresh cut) lumber is high in moisture content, making it heavy to work with. You may want to consider kiln drying your wood prior to installation. Allowing the wood to dry in a controlled environment drives off the moisture and reduces the risk of shrinking and warping after it is installed. We strongly recommend kiln drying beams that are going to be used indoors within a couple of months of purchase. You may not need to kiln dry if you have time to let the beams air dry for several months prior to installation. The length of the kiln drying process varies depending on the thickness of the material being dried but typically takes several weeks, so please order well in advance.

Please note that wood is an organic material and is naturally prone to cracking as it dries (whether on its own or in the kiln). While our kiln process is monitored and adjusted to reduce the extent of the cracking, the final product will have varying degrees of cracks. Customer who find cracks visually undesirable should consider ordering extra pieces so as to select for the best appearance. Customers with a strict requirement of no cracks should look for alternative engineered products.

Planing

Rough sawn wood from the mill will still contain saw marks and have “fuzzy” texture. This texture can be difficult to finish and tends to catch dust. Unless the wood will be concealed or used in rough construction applications, we recommend doing further processing.

Planing takes approximately ¼” off each side of a timber, leaving behind a smooth surface that can be enhanced with stain and other finishes.

Skip Sanding

For those desiring a more rustic look, skip sanding sands off the “fuzziness” but leaves behind the circular saw marks. Staining of this material will enhance the remaining sawmarks resulting in a warm and rustic beam.

Hatchet Distressing

For our most rustic look, consider adding some hatchet distressing. This look is meant to evoke the marks left when shaping wood with the age-old adze.

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