Mill Outlet Lumber

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Super Tacoma Fire Logs

Posted by on November 20, 2012

Fire Log Powers ACTIVATE!

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Never underestimate the power of the Lowly Tacoma Fire Log. Not only do they possess 8000 Btu’s per pound worth of heating energy, but add a little rainwater and they break concrete blocks like Bruce Lee. Seriously, Mike left these two Tacoma Fire Logs inside this Concrete block on Saturday and this is what we found this morning, our portable lumberyard heater, destroyed. This shows the great deal of compression that goes into making the logs as well as the low amount of heat wasting moisture they do not contain. These started out as neat little 3″ x 3″ nuggets and now they are over 4 times that size.

Tacoma Fire Logs at Mill Outlet Lumber,,  1/2 the price of Home Depot or Costco, comparable products or even less per ton,  or nearly 1/2 price again.

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The Dog House

Posted by on November 13, 2012

Everyone loves their pup, unless they are a cat person, that is why, Sunday, I declared, I think I’ll build Rusti a house. After all, it was raining outside and the image of poor little Rusti sitting on the deck, in the rain, with no roof over her head is enough to motivate most anyone to action. So I devised a plan, with the various lumber leftovers of summer yard and garden projects and built her a house, a palace, and a yard ornament. The point being, you can do a lot, with a little, given some motivation, limited resources and most important, inspiration.

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Rusti !

Rusti !

 

This is what is so great about a Lumberyard like Mill Outlet. it is full of the resources, the pieces and parts of so many ideas, projects, dreams, Pieces, that that need to be arranged, cut,  fastened and sometimes cut again into the shape that inspires you. You can then step back, take some pride, and maybe even boast a bit about that thing you built with your own hands and the image in your mind. Be it a deck or a fence, a doghouse or a birdhouse, or the pride of finally enclosing the last wall of the barn for half what you expected to spend because of the great deal you got at Mill Outlet Lumber.

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Board and Batten Siding

Posted by on November 10, 2012

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I probably get 1 call per week from people looking for Board and Batten siding for their barn or shed. They always seem to want wide boards and long boards, but they don’t seem to mind much about the grade. The problem is that wide boards command a premium price because they come from bigger trees which in turn tend to produce more knot free, clear high value wood and the same person who is looking for shed siding or barn siding does not want to spend a lot to get their job done… End result, is thar not many of these phone calls go anywhere.

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Last week I was speaking to a customer in the yard and he was really looking for a solution to this dilemma, when I asked him, “do you Really need full length, wide boards?”,His response surprised me, No, he said as we simultaneously said “and you can bevel cut the butt joints to keep most of the rain out. So I am sharing the word. Do you Really need full length wide Barn and Shed Siding? 1×12 Tight Knot cedar with a 1×2 batten will cost in the neighborhood of . Even low grade 1×12, that will probably be split or have missing knots will be e.

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If you use our 1×6-8′ #1 fence board as a backing board and our 1×4-8′ #1 as a Batten with 1/2″ overlap, it will cost  by comparison. If you step down and use the same boards in a #3 grade the cost drops to. All of this for a very attractive, no hole, board and batten siding. A further benefit is that these boards are 5/8″ thick so that the total thickness does not become too great and we also carry a wide variety of other sizes and lengths that will work well as trim, corners and to optimize lengths. The good news is that shorter length, fence boards will reduce the cost further. If you are asking yourself if the joints in the boards will be a problem, remember that no matter what siding you use, you should use a moisture barrier such as felt at the very minimum. Also keep in mind that all wood siding has joints that must be handled correctly through clever and sensible installation and application.

So,, by getting a little outside the box we can put siding on those old barns, rustic charm on your home and spruce up backyard sheds, without breaking the bank.

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Split Rail Fence

Posted by on November 9, 2012

When Railsplitter Abraham Lincoln set out to build or mend some fence he had to start by beating his way through a pile of Chestnut logs or two. Nowadays we have it easy some say, kids not willing to work hard for anything, everything available at the filck of a switch.

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Honest Days Work

I am happy to say that we don’t have to split rail today, having done it myself a time or two, it is so much easier and convenient to make a trip to Mill Outlet for your Split Rail Supplies. Not only are your rails and posts split and ready to go, but they are mortised and tenoned so that they fit right together without giant spikes or precipitous balancing acts.

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Spike !!

At Mill Outlet, we stock 1000’s of feet of rail and 100’s of posts in two sizes and varieties. Pony Rail, is smaller and more affordable,, But it also has more of the character that most people are looking for in landscape projects and wetlands delineation projects. Pony Rail, comes in two rail and three rail configurations and we stock both 8′ and 10′ rails for scale and convenience. As far as posts go we keep line posts, end posts and 90 degree corner posts on hand all of the time.

Standard Split Rail is somewhat larger than Pony Rail and tends to be “blockier” with fewer knots and interesting grain. It gives a more uniform look when installed when that is what you are looking for. We stock Standard Split Rail in the same sizes and options as with Pony Rail.

What is most important for you to know is that you can count on Mill Outlet Lumber for Split Rail when you need it and that  we will work like “Railsplitters” to earn your respect no matter what lumber product you need today.

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Open Stock

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Raised Beds

Posted by on November 8, 2012

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Now is the time to be thinking about Gardening, for next Spring. At Mill Outlet it is time as well,, because we are onto a great new source for 2×10 and 2×12 Western Red Cedar,,, for very reasonable prices. Build your raised beds now, get some soil in them, and nutrients if needed, then let them condition a little over the winter, and I promise you will not be sorry. When everyone else is looking forward to Christmas you will be 3 steps ahead of them pining for Spring. Grow more of your own delicious food and enjoy the satisfaction of watching it grow. If you don’t do it now, it will soon be too late.

 

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Tacoma Fire Logs

Posted by on November 3, 2012

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It may not occur to one at first but in addition to supplying high quality Cedar lumber and Fence supplies, Pressure Treated lumber and Shop Grade plywood. Mill Outlet Lumber is the go to source for clean burning, long lasting Tacoma Fire Logs. We stock and sell these by the box of 8 and by the one ton pallet.

Boxes of 8 sell for and come with a fire starter plug, and 1 ton pallets sell for and do not come with a fire starter, sorry.

Tacoma Fire Logs are not made with wax binders but are compressed under extreme pressure that binds them together. They are of course made in Tacoma and support the local economy. They will burn for 1-2 hours in an open fire pit or up to 6 hours in a well controlled woodstove. Each log is approximately 3 pounds and contains 24,000 btu’s of energy

Help us support the local economy and make use of lumber mill byproduct while saving money, purchasing Tacoma Fire Logs at Mill Outlet Lumber

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Where is Mill Outlet Lumber ?

Posted by on November 2, 2012

In Tacoma, South Tacoma to be exact, From  I-5 take the 56th st exit west 12 blocks or so, turn right on Tyler at the light go 8 blocks and we are on the right. From Highway 16 take the Orchard st,/ 19th st exit and head East on 19th to Tyler, turn right and go about 28 blocks and we are on the right, click Here for a map and directions. Another way to look at it is we are centrally located for our customers in Tacoma, University Place, Fircrest, Lakewood and Spanaway, never more than 15 minutes away. Because of our nononsense access to freeways we are also convenient for you from all over western Washington.

  • Puyallup   14.5 Miles- 22 minutes
  • Gig Harbor 10.7 Miles–19 minutes
  • Federal Way 16.1 Miles–23 minutes
  • Sumner 17.4 Miles–23 minutes
  • Kent 21.4 Miles–26 minutes
  • Auburn 17.1 Miles–21 minutes
  • Port Orchard 24.8 Miles–30 minutes
  • Des Moines 20.8 Miles–27 minutes
  • Covington 26.1 Miles–31 minutes
  • Renton 29 Miles–36 minutes
  • Burien 29.4 MIles-36 minutes
  • Bellevue 37 Miles-43 minutes
  • Olympia 28 Miles-34 minutes
  • West Seattle 34.5 Miles–45 minutes
  • Mercer Island 41.6 Miles–50 minutes
  • Redmond 46.1 Miles–54 minutes
  • Kirkland 43.9 Miles–51 minutes
  • North Seattle 42.9 MIles–51 minutes
  • Lynnwood  50.8 Miles–60 minutes
  • Issaquah 45.3 Miles–53 minutes
  • Woodinville 49.9 Miles–57 minutes
  • North Bend 44.8 Miles–52 minutes
  • Cle Elum 100 Miles–1 hour 45 minutes

The list could go on and on but the point is that we are only minutes away unless you live in Cle Elum which happens to be where one customer made 2 trips in one day with a 2 axle car trailer to buy fence materials from us because of our fair prices and excellent quality.

In addition to being located conveniently for our Western Washington customers, we also ship cedar products nationwide on a regular basis. Post caps to Houston and Chicago, Clear cedar 1×8 to Minneapolis and Fence boards to New York, are just a few of our recent shipments.

So come in or call or email or text, just don’t forget about Mill Outlet Lumber when you need Cedar fencing, decking, Pressure Treated Lumber, shop plywood or Cedar and Fir Clears.

Thank You,

Doug Smith

253 514 0658

Norris@lowpricedcedar.com

4811 S Tyler St. Tacoma 98409

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Clear Utility Lumber

Posted by on October 30, 2012

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At Mill Outlet we are always on the lookout for great value. Utility clears in Douglas Fir, Western  Red Cedar and Alaska Yellow Cedar are perhaps some of the best examples of this to be found. While perfection can be very costly you can achieve it for as little as 1/2 price with a little imagination, work and our utility clear offering. Much of this wood is the perfect vertical grain lumber people are looking for, for trim and special projects, but because the knots have not been cut out or a minor defect here and there we can offer it for much less than you would be forced to pay elsewhere. Our current offering includes 1×2, 1×3, 1×4 and 1×6 in rough clear, and 1×4, 1×6, 1×8, 1×10. 5/4×4 in Dry vertical grain Clear. We also have some 4×4, 6×6 and lots of 2×2 in 32″, 36″, 48″, 8′, 10′, and 12′ lengths. If you are looking for paneling we have 1/2×4 tongue and groove in a couple of different profiles, with 1000’s of feet available most of the time. Douglas Fir too, 1×6 kiln dried E grade if you will, perfect vertical grain between occasional knots or pitch pockets, this wood will cost up to 6 times as much if you get it from someone who has taken time to cut between the defects. These are the types of value Mill outlet brings to you if you are paying attention and you are willing to roll up you sleeves and put your mind to work.Image

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Decoding Shingles and Shakes

Posted by on October 24, 2012

Wood roofing and siding are probably the most confusing things we sell. It is hard to decipher where all the terminology and practical uses have originated exactly, but here is my attempt at explaining what is important.

Wood Shingles, Western Red Cedar, as far as we are concerned, are primarily  used for siding on buildings. When used for roofing it is generally recommended that you never use anything but the highest grade, #1. Shingles are saw cut on both faces and come in bundles that cover 25 square feet at recommended exposure.

Shingle Grades

#1 shingles are 100% edge grain, 100% clear, 100% heartwood, these are cut from the best wood available and anything found not meeting expectations is downgraded before bundling some mills are known to cut second growth #1 which you should be wary of, they will loosely meet the grade but have wide unstable grain pattern.

#2 Shingles are cut from lower grade blocks or accumulated from shingles that that missed #1 grade. #2 grade allows some sapwood and flat grain, but must be a minimum of 10″, 11″ or 16″ clear measured from the butt for 16″, 18″ or 24″ shingles.

#3 grade is what you might expect, cut from even lower quality blocks and the rejects from #1 and #2 grade. 3’s are allowed unlimited sapwood and flatgrain but knots are restricted to above 6″ for 16″ and 18″ and above 10″ for 24″. It really does not make sense to use #3 for roof applications at any time, but for sidewall and interior use when you are looking for a Rustic or shabby chic look they are perfect providing you take into account weather exposure and flashing details.

Another lower grade available for rustic sidewall use is #3&4 undercourse. The intended use for these is to install behind certain “sidewall” shingles that are dry, sanded or textured packaged in boxes that cover either 50 or 100 square feet at 14″ exposure for a 16″ shingle.

In addition to grade, a measure of quality, shingles also come in a selection of sizes.

16″ fivex are 16″ long and 5 butts equal 2″ total thickness

18″ Perfections are 18″ long and 5 butts equal 2 1/4″ total thickness

24″ Royals are 24″ long and 4 butts equal 2″ total thickness

All shingles and shakes for that matter are also available to some degree in a variety of treatment and certifications. Class A, B and C fire ratings and CCA treated against rot and insect damage. There are also a variety of pre or post installation treatments that can be applied to further protect or rejuvenate your roof or siding.

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