Old Growth Lumber vs. New Growth Lumber
What You Should Know
If you deal with wood products in any capacity, it’s imperative to know the difference between old-growth wood and new-growth wood. As access to older wood products becomes more limited, it’s crucial to find ways to strengthen and prime newer wood to be more durable and less prone to rotting and warping.
But, first things first: what is old-growth lumber?
Old Growth Lumber
Old-growth lumber is wood that was grown naturally in large, virgin forests. The trees that reside there have been untouched by fire, windstorms, or other extreme weather for almost 120 years. These unharvested trees age gradually due to partial sunlight and competition from surrounding trees. The gradual growth rate leads to the formation of growth rings that are packed tightly together making them incredibly resilient and durable.
Because of the popularity of old-growth wood, specifically during and after the Industrial Revolution, the virgin timberlands are near extinction, making it harder to access. Because of this, farmers began harvesting pine, fir, and other faster-growing trees in order to maximize productivity.
New-growth wood comprises forests and tree farms with the sole purpose of fast growth to be sold for timber. Another term for this is second-growth, meaning: the trees have been planted after some type of “disturbance.” The trees are planted to grow individually and quickly, reaching maturity in about 15-20 years.
What’s the Difference between Old Growth Wood vs. New Growth Wood?
image via ancientforestalliance.com
Old Growth Wood is firmer because it contains tighter growth rings which make it denser and strong.
Old Growth Wood warps and rots less – because the wood has more density relative to newer, softer wood.
Termites like the softwood of new-growth lumber. While it’s not 100% termite-free; old wood isn’t quite as tasty!
Around the world, less than 20% of these original forests have survived—and less than 4% reside in the United States. There is a major effort to preserve what’s left of old-growth forests which often contain trees that are over 2,000 years old. Therefore, knowing how to preserve and use new growth wood is crucial, considering the demand for home renovations continues to increase – and shows no signs of slowing down!
How to Strengthen New Growth Wood
Since new wood grows so quickly, it’s significantly softer than old wood. That said, there are ways to make it more durable and resemble older wood sources.
For example, by applying a specialty wood preservative like C2 Guard, you can penetrate the exterior of the wood and build strength from within.
Watch the full C2 Guard video here!
(Sources: urbanwoodgoods.com/thecraftsmanblog.com/encyclopedia.org)