Rough cut lumber is quite cheaper than the traditional timber. No doubt rough cut lumber appears to be untreated making it susceptible to damage from insect, water and weather.
Dont get yourself worried about the drawback we have listed above as there are solutions to this and they have been discussed at the end of this article.
But the main question is ;is it llegal to use Rough cut lumber to build your home?
Can You Use Rough Cut Lumber To Build A House ?
Before you build your home which you plan to live in with Rough cut lumber, the lumber should be certified and stamp .
To be on the safe side, you just have to consult a certified grader,his job is to inspect and Grade your lumber accordingly
Unless the house is not for human habitat,but if it is for human habitat then you need a permit or rather your lumber has to be stamped
For better clarification its best you Check your local building department, or rather check your state code for more information.
Also ensure that the wood is dry enough, getting rid of moisture as this will prevent cracks in years to come.
Contents
Does lumber have to be stamped?
You see, when building your home, each lumber is expected to carry some specific amount of load, with out a grade stamp it becomes difficult for an inspector to determine the worthiness of the lumber
So lumber which is intended to be used for building of houses we live in, have to be stamped to enable an inspector identity the worthiness of the wood.
How Strong Is Rough Cut Lumber?
This type of lumber is not treated but rather it comes in an untreated form which are then cut into planks in various shapes and sizes, this type of lumber isn’t usually kiln dried, making it still retain lots of its moisture, in other words Rough cut lumbers comes with a lot of moisture.
Again Rough cut lumber is usually more thicker than what you get in surfaced wood and this thickness in property makes it more stronger than other lumber, this is good because it brings versatility hence you can makes use of it to construct various project depending on your choice.
A lumber type that has stiffness and strength like this type and larger in size is very ideal for building a house.
Can rough cut lumber be used outside?
rough cut lumber can be used for outdoor furnitures; It can also be used in making swinging benches and benches itself, building of small bridges outside your home.
but it needs to be treated with Finish and varnish seals to help protect from water and weather.
There are several methods you can adopts to make your untreated wood to last longer; just keep your wood dry as this prevent bacteria and fungi from destroying your wood. Also keep it away from sunlight which are known to rob wood of natural oils.
Above all its best to make use of wood that are able to withstand unpleasant weather condition because natural weather resistant wood remains the best choice as against wood that are treated with chemicals.
Can You Build A Cabin With Rough Cut Lumber?
Yes you can actually build a cabin with rough cut lumber. It is very pertinent to know where your lumber is coming from, was your lumber subjected to certain conditions that may make it eventually decay, how it was actually treated.
Normally you need more time to fatten, plane and put finishing touches to your rough cut lumber in other to get the perfect size for your cabin.
Can You Use Rough CUT Lumber To Build A Deck?
Building a deck with rough cut lumber is very possible. There are both smooth and rough cedars to choose from, but the rough cut gives you more control over how your work will like in the end.
In deck building, most especially if it’s going to be out in the woods, most times it looks rustic.
Ensure you make use of the right wood if not your decking may look out of place.
Can You Treat Rough Cut Lumber Yourself?
Yes you can actually treat rough cut lumber yourself and be rest assured that your wood won’t be destroyed by wood rot or insect.
You must have heard of borate powder; all you have to do is to have your wood soak in water that contains borate solution.
How long you soak your wood in the solution and how much water you to add depends on the type of borate chemicals you bought. So it is advisable you follow the instructions that comes with the chemical.
This kind of treatment we discussed above has its own drawback. borate treatment is best recommended for wood that should not be used for outdoor purposes. If you are sure that you wont expose the lumber in the rain then go ahead with borate treatment.
To protect your wood from rain and weather you need to get Finish and varnish seals which idealy helps protect your rough cut lumber from water.
Just follow the procedure we discussed below
- Placing your lumber on a flat level surface table. And applying 100-griy of sandpaper to a powder sander and then ensure to sand the whole surface of your rough cut lumber.
- Using a clean cloth to clean off the dust out of your lumber.
- Applying wood stain with the help of a brush, also wipe off excessive wood stain with a clean towel and allowing it dry out for hours, turn it over and repeat the same process and allow to dry out again.
- Sand your wood with 300-grit sandpaper, and also wipe your rough cut lumber with a clean cloth.
- Applying wood vanish and allow it to dry for a very long time like between 8 to 12 hours, sanding your wood with a 300 grit sandpaper, repeat the process for a second time and dry the same number of hours and apply for third time.