Quote of the Month

	I like to walk about among the beautiful things that adorn the world.
	-George Santayana

Bedwell Lake, Strathcona Park, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

NEW ARRIVALS!

EcoPoxy® Systems

The natural choice for your epoxy needs. Non-Toxic, safe and odourless. Beginning with its ingredients, EcoPoxy® draws its strength and resource from the plants of the earth through its component of nuts and beans, it is a revolutionary resin.

You can find more information on EcoPoxy® on our website.

New Stock

PLUS:

• 16ft Long 4/4" Ash
• 4/4" Cherry shorts 3 to 5ft
• 4/4" Red Oak Planks
• 4/4" Rift/Qtr White oak

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Forest Facts

Rapidly Renewable Materials

As one of the most commonly referenced LEED categories; this covers raw materials that can be “renewed” within a 10-year period.  Bamboo and cork are the most common products meetings this standard but some sheet goods and engineered floors from plantation woods may meet this criterion.

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Latest News:

Solomon Island Photos

We had the privilege of having some photos sent to us from the Solomon Islands of some locals harvesting a Narra tree. These guys sure are good at what they do, as the photos prove!

Danny's Summer Camping Trip

Tahsish River (Kyuquot Sound)

Danny’s philosophy must be ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’.

The Tahsish River in Kyuquot Sound is one of those wild places I've always dreamed of visiting. This  place is truly wild and untouched. Life goes on here as it has for thousands of years. 

Cougar print found in the mud

The Tahsish River estuary was the site of a historic first nations village; used only during the salmon season. We spent a week exploring Kyuquot Sound, Tahsish & Kwois Rvers by canoe; in my opinion, the best way of seeing the area. The canoe allowed us to get ridiculously close to all kinds of wildlife. In fact, you name it and we saw it; even the most elusive of creatures, the cougar!

Pacific Western Yew

Western Red Cedar

Having encountered one of the most seldom seen beasts of the continent face to face is an experience that will remain with me for life. The park includes some amazing old growth forest, river and valleys, and lakes. Of course, we were blessed with the usual wet coast weather - rain, fog and a bit of sun! Despite the rain we were kept busy picking berries and other wild edibles, all while keeping a close eye on our backs!  There was a bit of adjustment needed after coming back from this adventure... in realizing things aren't as simple as they were on this trip.

Smoked Oak Plank Flooring - European White Oak

• Heat-treated and ammonia dipped which creates a natural dark colour throughout the board (think caramelizing an onion).
• Unlike stain, colour is preserved as you scratch or refinish the floor.
• Natural highlights in the wood are better preserved in the finished floor.  Dark stained oak will have a more uniform, monochromatic look by comparison.
• Engineered 100% hardwood core construction.  More stable then solid wood in wide plank application.
• Can be nailed or glued down - Radiant heat warranty.
•  Available in 8” 10” 12” widths 2’-10’ long.
• 5mm veneer
• Special price on ¾” x  8” x 2-10’ $10.95 Sq.Ft.

The Yellow Cedar

A Communal Resident

It’s a given that my mission, when on holidays, is to take tree and/or wood-related pictures for our newsletter…and what an opportunity Strathcona Park gave us. This past September, found us on our annual tenting holiday; just before the park closed its gates for the winter. We came prepared, both mentally and physically, for full-day hikes of 5-6 hours; weather permitting. And thus we made a 6-hour round trip trek to Bedwell Lake; bringing us into the sub-alpine; home to the yellow cedar tree.

Although comfortable at lower elevations especially in the mid or north coastal regions, the yellow cedar is most common at higher elevations.
As we walk along, I’m constantly asking what tree is this or that. Of course, I never remember and why should I? I have my handy-dandy walking reference………..better than an IPAD or smart phone; don’t have to worry Wi-Fi hot-spots!

So what to watch for………….
Resource books say the cones are your first clue. Look for small, round cones, with fleshy scales; foliage is rough and prickly. Words such a dropping, sorrowful and shaggy are often used to describe this graceful, slow-growing species. Yellow cedar often has a candelabra-like appearance, because the top leader dies, as do the side branches that take over. The bark is another give away. Mature bark is gray and stringy while the bark of Western red cedar trees has a reddish hue. Belonging to the cypress family, yellow cedar is not a true cedar. Called yellow cedar in Canada; in the US it is usually called Alaska cedar; both are misleading common names. Chamaecyparis is derived from the Greek word for the ground cypress, an Old World shrub; nootkatensis refers to Nootka Sound on the west side of Vancouver Island where it was first identified by botanists.

Yellow Cedars on hike to Bedwell Lake, Strathcona Park – September 2011

Aboriginal people along the coast used yellow-cedar extensively. They used the wood for paddles, masks, dishes, and bows and wove the bark to make clothing and blankets. Today, it is valued commercially because of its straight grain, yellow colour, and resistance to decay. It is used extensively for boat building and it offers a ‘green’ option as a durable, termite-resistant, natural alternative to pressure-treated lumber.

Bear Transformation Box – Crafted by Winston Alvarez.  This piece is a story of a man and his journey in becoming connected with his ‘bear’ spirit

Yellow cedar's attractive white-yellow colour, fine texture and workability make it an excellent choice for furniture, residential construction and restoration projects. Dense, tough and close-grained, it withstands impact well and does not splinter - ideal for benches, outdoor furniture and playground structures. Yellow cedar is harder and heavier than Western red cedar. Structural grades find use in bridges and specialty construction projects.

It is not uncommon to see 50-60 annual rings per inch. Its fine, even texture makes it a top choice for carvings and turnings. Its light buttery color is ideal for fine furniture. The wood finishes beautifully and turns a characteristic bright yellow when wet. Used outside in its natural state, yellow cedar turns an attractive silver grey color. Architects love the versatile look.

There’s no denying that distinctive yellow cedar smell……..mm, mm good!

In Japan, yellow cedar is highly prized in exposed/untreated buildings such as shrines, or more recently as sill plates in house foundations. The Japanese building code standards specifically cite yellow cedar as allowable in uses where "high decay inhibition and high termite proof performance" are required. As a result of this natural resistance, the slow-growing and decay-resistant yellow cedar can be harvested from "fall down" from previous cutting programs.  After testing, Dr. J. Kenneth Grace of the University of Hawaii suggested their “results indicate that this naturally durable wood compares favorably in termite resistance to preservative-treated wood."

For those of you who like stats, here a little something from Understanding Wood Technology: a Craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology, R Bruce Hoadley, Taunton Press 2000.

Strength Properties at 12% moisture content of Longleaf Pine, Shortleaf Pine, Douglas-fir, Yellow Cedar and Western Red Cedar:

As the voice of BC’s interior forest industry, the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) offers opportunities for professional development, forest education programs and teaching resources.   Programs, based on regional geographic, demographic and historic differences, help educate the public, possibly tomorrow’s leaders, on the value and sustainability of BC’s forests and related industries.  They have compiled a quick forest fact sheet that I find remarkable.  Here are a few for reflection.

Towards the bottom of Buttle Lake (Strathcona Park) – Can you name those peaks?!

BC’s parks system is the 2nd largest in Canada; only Canada’s national parks system is bigger.  Strathcona Park offers 122,500 hectares dedicated to the preservation of the undisturbed natural environment.  While the high mountain peaks and deep shaded valleys of Strathcona Park are dramatic, one is quick to forget this area was once an ancient seafloor with gentle ocean currents.  There is a history of rocks torn and folded by the extraordinary forces that move continents; of mountain ranges sculpted by the thick ice sheets which only vanished a few thousand years ago.

Overlooking Bedwell Lake – Is it Mount Tom Taylor??

Trees confirm the wonder of evolution.  They suffer our interference.  They are proof of amazing survival mechanisms.  Because 94 percent of the forests of BC are located on public land, British Columbian’s can, quite legitimately, consider themselves citizen-owners of a grand forest estate with the ultimate responsibility of safeguarding its forests.  People come from around the world to visit, explore and enjoy BC’s clean, natural and unspoiled environment.  BC Parks are an important part of BC’s environmental legacy.  Protect our wonderful landscapes and wildlife.  Appreciate and understand the value of our resources.  BC Parks celebrated its 100th birthday on March 1st, 2011, marking the formation of Strathcona Provincial Park.  Did you?!

West wind hardwood, po box 2205, Sidney bc, v8l 3s8

+1(800)667-2275

www.westwindhardwood.com, www.flooringgallery.ca, info@westwindhardwood.com