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It’s that Firelog time of the year

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It has been a great summer right on the heels of one of the best spring stretches of weather in recent memory. We should get another few weeks of this treat but winter IS on its way. Time to start thinking about rain, clouds, sleet and snow. Cold winter high pressure systems, weeks of blue skies and freezing temperatures. It’s that firelog time of the year. Mill Out Lumber is the place to get yours. Full Tons of 696 bricks are and convenient  boxes of 8 are including a couple of wax soaked fire lighters.

Tacoma firelogs contain no waxes or binders and are held together entirely by high pressure. At 3 pounds each they are just under 52 # per cubic foot which is denser than Madrone or  Red Oak. They are made in Tacoma so you will not be helping to pay for trucking from far away places like Idaho, Spokane or Montana.

The Tacoma Firelogs are a combination of Hemlock, Douglas fir, Sitka Spruce, Alder and Cedar with the heaviest proportion to the first 2 types of wood, pound for pound they will be comparable to any pressed sawdust log with the exception that some logs have wax or binding agents to hold them together which may add to the BTU’s available but also to contamination in the flue and burning device. I don’t think there is much difference between softwoods and hardwoods when you look at them pound for pound, hardwoods do burn hotter and longer but that is more a function of their density than any other characteristics.

Some comparisons of wood weight per cubic foot, seasoned.

Alder                     26#

Doug Fir               33#

Cedar                    23#

Madrone             45#

Maple                   39#

Red Oak               45#

Apple                    41#

The softwoods average about 28.25#, while the hardwoods are more like 42.5# so it makes sense that you will get 50% more energy out of hardwood raw log, but when you compress softwoods to densities exceeding that of hardwood it also makes sense that you will get more heat per cubic inch from a compressed log.

Once they are ground to fine dust and compressed to the same density all wood contains approximately 8600 btu heating units per pound and actually it is the pitchy softwoods like pine and Douglas fir that push the top end of the scale up to 9100 btus per # because of the higher energy density in their pitch

So with all that said sawdust is pretty much sawdust and the more Important detail is what does it cost per pound and how convenient is it to store and use. Tacoma Firelogs are the answer!

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Best Value in Cedar Fence Boards

1×5-6′ #2 & better Western Red Cedar Fence Boards

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First some background on the fence boards we carry. We sell and stock 95% or more of our cedar fencing from Reichert shake and fence in Toledo Washington. They are regarded as the finest dedicated cedar fence mill in the Northwest due to the quality and consistency of the boards they cut. Color is uniform as well as sizing and grading, a #1 board purchased today will be just like one from a year ago or a year from now, and that is the case for all of the other sizes and grades we carry in stock.

Most if not all of the boards we carry are full width which is a little different to some people. So our 6″ boards measure 6″s, 5″ measure 5″‘s and so on for 4″ and 3″ widths. All of the Riechert boards are consistently 5/8″ thick unlike other fencing that says it is 5/8″ but measure as little as 1/2″.

This being stated, we have a really good deal for fence builders right now. Our 1×5-6′ #2 and better is only  because of an overabundance at the mill. These boards should be more like because of their excellent quality and consistency. In this size there are only 2 grades, #2 and better, which include #2, #1 and clear boards, or #3 which are the boards that were not good enough but are actually better than what you will find elsewhere as a “best ” fence board.

 

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Douglas Fir Flooring

Douglas Fir Flooring is not the first thing most people associate with Mill Outlet Lumber. Because of our commitment to bring in high quality vertical grain “E grade Douglas Fir” Lumber we have a deep well of material to run patterns from. We could have moldings and other sorts of profiles made but to date we are keeping it simple with flooring and maybe some paneling.

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Most people are looking for 1×4 Fir Flooring so that is what we keep on hand at most times, but since we have a ready supply of every size from 1×4 to 1×12 we also can have a variety of wide plank flooring made custom for you. Plan on 2 weeks lead time to be sure but some orders have gone from start to finish in a matter of days. Keep in mind that this product is priced reasonably and the way we can do that is there is absolutely no prior grading, you get the good and some bad. When the bad is cut out you still save substantially. Just this week we processed an order for 1800 lineal feet of 1×8 at less than $1.40 per square foot and when it is said and done I don’t think there will be more than 5% waste. Most people who look at this material and its defect state that they actually want to leave the occasional knots in for a little visual interest.

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Personally I can not think of a better material for interior trim, paneling or flooring than Douglas fir, It is durable, uniform in appearance and the perfect combination of contemporary elegance and rustic character. It goes well with Cedar and Fir rustic timbers as well as metallic surfaces and modern glass and tile. Don’t pay a fortune for Douglas Fir if you don’t have to. Check first with Mill Outlet Lumber.

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Dry Fir Timbers

There is always something new at Mill Outlet, The latest is dry appearance grade resawn rough Douglas fir timbers. Just showed up Friday and every customer who has bought some has been more than pleased. From 4×4 to 10×10 this is the current tally as of 12/28/13. If you think you might need some don’t wait

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Mystified

Looking California, feeling Minnesota

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Mill Outlet 12/19/13 7:40 am or so

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Before and After

We have been waiting patiently for Google Earth to update our location so that we can compare the before and after of last spring’s expansion.

Here it is!

Before

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After!

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Doesn’t look like much, but progress is fun, can’t wait for the next update

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Brrrrrrr,rr,rr,rr Its Cold

Cold Morning

Its cold down here

It started on Monday, cold, but lots of sun and no wind, a good day for hanging Christmas lights and yard work. Then came Tuesday, colder and steady wind all day long, the wind chill here had to be less than 10 degrees. The wind let up on Wednesday but the air and ground were colder yet, sealing the surface of our Alaska asphalt. Then each successive day it has grown colder yet.

Alaska Asphalt

Alaska Asphalt

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Tacoma Fire Logs

Tacoma Fire Logs

It has been cold all week and will continue a few more days, but it has also been sunny and great weather for building fences. That fact has been proven by the “Brisk” business we have done all week selling fence boards and supplies.Maybe this is why?

The cold has not been the worst part, it is actually the wind, 24 mile per hour wind, which we have seen this week, can make 30 degrees feel like zero. So a well built and designed fence can actually raise the apparent temperature by as much as 30 degrees. Wouldn’t 60 degrees feel good right now? It doesn’t actually work that way, but it sure feels better to get out of the wind.

A well designed fence deserves a well designed gate and while there are too many styles to list, this is by far my favorite.

What to do?

What to do?

So come and buy some Tacoma Firelogs and burn them for heat, or build a fence to block the arctic Blast, or spend 20 minutes posting on the internet, In any case it is another great day to come to Mill Outlet Lumber. 4811 S Tyler st, Tacoma, 253 514 0658

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Split Rail Fence

For Split Rail, for you, your neighbors and families

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The Dog House

Mill Outlet has the pieces and parts, you supply the ideas and inspiration.

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Mill Outlet Lumber Rescue

At Mill outlet we have all sorts of pressure treated and cedar lumber. We strive to have the highest quality and best values in our line of fencing and in the case of pressure treated lumber. We also are always on the lookout for special situations and deals we can pass on to you. And finally very little if anything goes to waste because as I am most fond of saying every board has a home. Just like the pet rescue we have all sizes and personalities of material. Clear vertical grain cedar and fir, high quality fence boards and trim, shop grade plywood siding that makes backyard sheds affordable and all sorts of sizes, shapes and grades of rough sawn and surfaced garden cedar is a home for every piece of lumbe

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