Southern Sweden timber often comes from Northern Europe, as our "Southern Sweden timber" is considered extremely good. Most of it is exported to Africa and China. Meanwhile, we import cheaper and lower-quality timber from the south. So if you get hold of "Southern Sweden timber," you should be satisfied.
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The difference is that in the past, construction was adapted to the material, whereas now measurements are made in mm and it is expected that all wood meets these requirements.
My wooden floors from 39 were of course "shimmed" where necessary, they didn't assume that the floor joists were perfectly flat. And now, some years later, you can observe that most of it is a bit crooked.
My wooden floors from 39 were of course "shimmed" where necessary, they didn't assume that the floor joists were perfectly flat. And now, some years later, you can observe that most of it is a bit crooked.
Renovator
· Stockholm
· 20 212 posts
As I said, in 1987 my dad renovated my childhood villa and it was a hell of a difference.-MH- said:
You, already in 1987 people complained about how bad modern timber is and how much better it used to be. So there wasn't any damn difference. Unless your dad bought more expensive timber than standard, but you can probably do that today too.
Renovator
· Stockholm
· 20 212 posts
It was probably even better even earlier, but they use even more fast-growing timber today than 30 years ago.
Renovator
· Stockholm
· 20 212 posts
The banana theory and the nail theory. 30 years ago, the timber didn't look like bananas when you brought them into the warmth, and you couldn't easily drive a nail into them and leave a mark. Then my dear father was a bit slow to renovate, so some of these studs are still exposed, and you can see in the growth rings that they are tighter than in the timber sold today.
It's not about things being better in the past or that trees would grow faster today, just as you sometimes read that all timber from Norrland is better. The fact is, one of the best timber qualities can be found further down in central Sweden.
When it comes to whether the planks should be dimensionally stable or not, it has to do with the positioning of the annual rings against the surface. To achieve dimensionally stable timber, it should be sawn so that as many vertical annual rings as possible are in the board.
This is achieved, among other things, by quarter or star-sawing the timber, as opposed to today's method of almost entirely through-sawing it in band or circular saws, which provide high yields and fast processing in the sawmill.
Today, it's rare for sawmills to quarter-saw, and you will mostly find this with sawmills that specialize in producing timber for industries that need it for furniture, boat building, etc.
Previously, finding good timber was also about the users, i.e., the carpenter or the person purchasing the timber, being skilled at choosing their timber and looking for boards with as many vertical annual rings as possible.
A board with many vertical annual rings will still change volume depending on moisture, but it is dimensionally stable and won't warp. This applies regardless of whether the annual rings are tight or sparse. If the timber is through-sawn, many planks will have many horizontal annual rings and may also feel soft on the surface.
When it comes to whether the planks should be dimensionally stable or not, it has to do with the positioning of the annual rings against the surface. To achieve dimensionally stable timber, it should be sawn so that as many vertical annual rings as possible are in the board.
This is achieved, among other things, by quarter or star-sawing the timber, as opposed to today's method of almost entirely through-sawing it in band or circular saws, which provide high yields and fast processing in the sawmill.
Today, it's rare for sawmills to quarter-saw, and you will mostly find this with sawmills that specialize in producing timber for industries that need it for furniture, boat building, etc.
Previously, finding good timber was also about the users, i.e., the carpenter or the person purchasing the timber, being skilled at choosing their timber and looking for boards with as many vertical annual rings as possible.
A board with many vertical annual rings will still change volume depending on moisture, but it is dimensionally stable and won't warp. This applies regardless of whether the annual rings are tight or sparse. If the timber is through-sawn, many planks will have many horizontal annual rings and may also feel soft on the surface.
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When I insulated and installed new wooden paneling on an old asbestos house in 1983, the seller at the lumberyard spoke highly of his panel boards.
It was spruce from Dorotea, he said.
And the quality was superb! no cracks, flat and fine, a joy to install.
So I still believe that timber from Norrbotten/Västerbotten is better than storm-damaged timber from Småland.
It was spruce from Dorotea, he said.
And the quality was superb! no cracks, flat and fine, a joy to install.
So I still believe that timber from Norrbotten/Västerbotten is better than storm-damaged timber from Småland.
I guess I should assume that your comment was meant as a reply to my claim that some of the best timber qualities come from central Sweden, though not all. Central Sweden is roughly around the level of Dalarna/Hälsingland or at least it was when I was in school..... but that was a long time agoKnockOnWood said:
For me, Småland is in southern Sweden and doesn't have the natural conditions to produce good timber like lands further north.
Also, I don't understand why storm-damaged timber should be included in the discussion, as it obviously hasn't been treated optimally.
Feel free to read up a bit on the importance of the position of the growth rings in a board to create high-quality timber both for shape stability and also to get a board that resists rot better. This was known by window carpenters 100 years ago, which no one cares about today. Frames and sashes made of wood with vertical growth rings last longer without surface protection.
The width of the growth rings depends on how fast the tree grows, which depends, among other things, on the climate and where the tree grows. Pine from Småland growing on poor soil is fine timber.
Spruce growing on fertile soil has large growth rings, which doesn't matter much for construction timber. Studs in dense wood insulate worse, for example.
Whether it twists or not is mostly a genetic question.
There is nothing as myth-laden as this issue with timber and quality. Every homeowner is an expert.
Spruce growing on fertile soil has large growth rings, which doesn't matter much for construction timber. Studs in dense wood insulate worse, for example.
Whether it twists or not is mostly a genetic question.
There is nothing as myth-laden as this issue with timber and quality. Every homeowner is an expert.