Evening star., 1928-12-22

Thirty-eight billion feet of soft wood
lumber were produced in the United
States in 1925. This output could have
been increased one-f1fth without the
telling of an additional tree or the
investment of an additional dollar in
mill equipment If lumber in lengths
of less than feet had been in wider
demand. The marketing of short
lengths is thus highly important
problem in the wood utilization field,
says the Home owners Institute.
Hundreds of thousands Of small
homes are being built in the United
States every year, and wherever IN
their construction long lengths of lun1-
ber are used when short lengths would
serve the purpose just as we'll the re-
suit is waste The custom of demand
ing long lengths originated in the days
when the need for outstanding our
forest products was less apparent than
it is today. But those times have
passed, and with them must go the ex-
travagant habits unlimited supply has
created, for this waSteful practice is
putting a drain on our forests that,
unless stopped, will eventually tend to
raise the price of long-length lumber
and, so, to increase construction costs
to all builders" the institute declares
Material Of High Value.
short length lumber" is that which
is less than feet long. Pieces OF
6 and Z feet form part of the stand
ard output of practically every saw and
planning mill; lengths of 4 and feet
are less frequently regarded as Salable
portion, of the mill output: lengths of
2 and feet are discarded, except by
tltc-c fnnber manufacturers who han
die th3 more valuable species OF wood
or who have worked up specialized mar
kets foD these pieces; yet all OF this
respects quality and accuracy of manu-
facture, is. admirably suited to many
uses and under present market con-
ditions is economical. Notwithstanding
which, lengths less than feet seldom
are specified in standard commercial
practice.
May Save IS Per Cent.
To the consumer the use of short
lengths would mean an appreciable
saving, since 1t is the general practice
of mills throughout the United States
to quote short lengths at is to 35 per
cent below the prices asked for stand
ard lengths of equal grade, 'the insti-
EVERY year $4,000, ,ooo, 900 is invested
in small houses and farm buildings in
the United States. Employment of
short-length lumber in these structures
would mean saving to the small home
owners and farmers of tens OF mil
lions of dollars annually.
Shape and height influence the E-o-
portions of the various lumber lengths
usable in any given structure, but ire
Spective of these controlling factors
more short lengths can be worked into
almost every part of every building than
bills of material as at present drawn
contemplate.
How to Use in Home.
Take framing lumber, for example.
For the small dwelling height of base
ment and method of framing determine
the length of posts required, but 7-foot
posts should always be long enough to
give sufficient clearance between base
ment floor and first-floor joiStS, and in
cases where the basement does not ex-
tend under the whole house lengths
shorter than 7 feet can be used to sup
port the floor over the unexcavated
portion.
Plan arrangement is the governing
factor in the utilization of short-length
girders, but opportunities for utilizing
Short-length joists and plates are prac-
tically the same in all houses. The
height of the house and the number
and arrangement of windows and doors,
the pitch of the roof and the presence
of dormer windows govern the us OF
short-length studs.
Approximately so per cent of all trim
could be short-length lumber.
End Matched Lumber.